Claimed encounters in Marion County, Florida
22 entries reported in Marion County, Florida, each linked to the report or podcast segment it came from. Narrow them down with the filters, or see them on the map.
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Multiple witnesses, daylight sighting, Hopkins Prairie, Ocala NF, next to Florida Trail
Four people driving two jeeps on the inner perimeter road of Hopkins Prairie stopped when a large creature appeared about 100 to 150 yards away at the edge of a campground. They watched it walk around a small area with long arms swaying at its sides before it turned and walked into the campground and disappeared. They then went to the spot and found a footprint in wet ground and flattened grass with a stride too wide for a relative to match.
Nighttime sighting by a man walking his dog in a subdivision next to the Ocala National Forest
The witness was walking a dog at the dark end of a subdivision backing to forest when the dog reacted to a large crouched figure nearby. The witness shouted warnings and shined a flashlight, seeing reflective eyeshine and a hair-covered, ape-like form. The figure then stood to great height and walked away behind trees, and the witness left the area with the dog.
Dusk sighting of a bigfoot tree knocking in the Ocala National Forest
The witness was trail riding in a remote forest area and became stuck in a mud hole, waiting hours for help. Hearing repeated knocking like something hitting a tree, the witness walked about 300 yards toward the sound and saw a very large hairy biped striking a pine with a stick. After stepping on a stick while backing away, the witness was noticed by the creature, which turned its whole body to look before running away on two legs carrying the stick, moving gracefully and silently.
Daylight sighting by a retired Wildlife Officer outside Ocala
The witness was driving on a wooded back road in Ocala in the early afternoon when an animal emerged from the woods and crossed the road. It initially moved on all fours, then stood and walked bipedally across the pavement before pausing at the tree line to look at the witness. The witness described a large dark-brown shaggy animal about 7 feet tall with primate-like arms and hands and no bear-like ears or muzzle, which then disappeared into the woods.
Hunter has series of possible incidents on private property near Ocala
The witness claims that while hunting alone from a climber in a tree near a swamp, he heard heavy steps approaching followed by two loud claps like trees being struck together. Minutes later he heard an extremely loud, deep growl from behind him that repeated after the animal stepped closer. He reports being terrified and describes the animal as foul-smelling and territorial.
Bowhunter hears a massive crash and possible screams in the Ocala National Forest
The witness was bow hunting from a tree stand in Ocala National Forest. About 45 minutes after daylight he heard a loud crash he interpreted as something large thrown toward him from about 250 feet away, followed by a very loud scream that continued as the source moved away for at least 1,000 yards. He stayed in the stand out of fear and did not see the source because the forest was too thick.
Daytime sighting from a vehicle in the Ocala National Forest near Ft. McCoy
The witness was driving on an unpaved forest road after leaving a hunting camp around noon. An upright, dark-brown, hair-covered figure stepped onto the road about 150 yards ahead, paused and looked toward the vehicle, then turned and walked back into dense timber. The encounter lasted a few seconds, and the witness did not exit the vehicle to follow.
Man camping with daughter hears unusual howls near the Oklawaha River
The witness and his daughter were sleeping in a tent at a small campground when they were awakened around 3 a.m. by loud, powerful howl-like calls coming from a nearby swampy area. The witness stated the calls were unfamiliar and unlike known local animals, and left him awake for the rest of the night. He later noted the calls sounded similar to vocalizations heard on a television program about Bigfoot.
Father and daughter have daytime sighting in the Ocala National Forest
The witness and her father were driving south on a sandy forest road when they noticed a dark figure ahead in the distance. As their car approached, the figure crossed the road in front of them and disappeared into thick pine woods. They stopped to look but could not see it further and later realized they had not looked for tracks. The witness stressed the figure walked upright throughout and looked different from bears seen in the area.
Two bipedal animals seen in the aftermath of Frances
Early in the morning the household was awakened by tapping at a bedroom window and noticed a foul odor. Two family members went outside and saw large hairy bipedal creatures that ran toward the woods. The sighting lasted seconds, after which no tracks were found and dogs refused to approach.
Road grader operator observes creature crossing logging road in Ocala National Forest
The witness was grading a remote forest road around noon when he spotted a large hairy creature about 200 yards ahead standing by the road and looking at him. After watching for about a minute, the creature crossed the road in three steps and disappeared into the woods. The witness drove to the crossing point and found large human-like footprints and broken branches, left food and water, and found them untouched on his return pass.
Vocalizations and Footsteps heard
On the night of October 28, 2000 the witness was hosting an adult-only backyard barbecue party with about a dozen guests. Around 10 p.m. the group heard loud unidentified sounds from the woods near the back of the property and heard heavy footsteps breaking branches that sounded bipedal. Two men entered the woods with a flashlight but the source stayed distant and was never seen, and no tracks were found in deep oak leaves.
Birder has daylight sighting in Rainbow Springs State Park
On New Year's Day morning the witness was birdwatching off-trail in a Florida state park when they noticed a hairy arm gripping a pine with a nest box about 100 yards away. Through binoculars they watched a hair-covered creature hug the opposite side of the trunk, peeking out and shifting to stay hidden for several minutes. When the witness stepped closer, the creature dropped and fled unseen through saw palmettos, leaving a wake of moving vegetation.
a daylight sighting by a family on a camping trip
The witness was hiking with family and resting by a bridge over a stream when two sons who had gone to explore returned saying they had seen a gorilla. The witness followed the sons back to the spot and reported seeing a bigfoot kneeling by the stream drinking. The creature reportedly noticed the group and ran off into the forest.
Screams Heard While Camping in the Ocala National Forest
On the first night of a family camping trip in Ocala National Forest in summer 1994, the witness was awakened by a loud rattle of a bag of soda cans beside the picnic table. After she spoke, the rattling stopped and she then listened for a long period to loud, almost continuous distant screams to the north that she could not identify. In the morning nothing at the campsite was disturbed, and she did not hear the screams again the next night.
Woman recalls childhood incident -- red eyes looking into window near Withlacoochee River
In summer 1993, a five-year-old child went to the back bedroom of a raised mobile home to get toys from a chest. Upon sitting up, the child saw a pair of piercing red eyes in the middle of the bedroom window and stared before running to report it. The family suggested a neighboring dog, but the witness maintains the eyes were too high for a dog and too close to be an owl or perched animal.
Possible brush nest, tracks, smell, noticed by DeMolay teens visiting rural home Dunellon
Three teenagers walked down a dirt road at night to take time-exposure photos of stars away from house lights. They noticed a strong foul odor and an unusual silence, became frightened, and ran back to the house. The next morning they returned and found an area of flattened brush and a very large footprint in damp soil nearby, which they photographed in black-and-white before having to leave.
a close-range, daytime sighting by a 67-year-old Baptist minister
A minister cutting wood with a chain saw in a national forest noticed an upright, hairy creature standing in palmetto bushes and watched it for about 30 seconds. The creature was described as very tall with dark hair on the head and chest, little hair on the arms, none on the face, with a flat face and nose and sunken eyes. The witness went back to a truck to get an ax, but the creature had disappeared upon return.
A hitchhiker reports seeing a bigfoot in a forested area off U.S. 441
A hitchhiker reported encountering a Bigfoot-like creature in a lightly wooded area south of Belleview in darkness. The creature was described as taller than the six-foot witness, brown and black in color, with a horrible garbage-like odor. The account comes from a 1977 newspaper article which notes the sighting was not substantiated.
Vocalization near Summerfield, Florida
About two weeks before the party the witness and her husband heard loud sounds behind the property, fired rifles, and heard something moving away through brush.