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109 encounters
September 1998 Butler And Bellville, Richland County, Ohio Class A #4973

Tracks and vocalizations lead to sighting by trappers in Bellville area

Two men checking trap lines on a quiet afternoon in early September 1998 encountered a hair-covered creature at about 100 feet. The creature watched them briefly before running uphill into the forest. The men described brown body hair, a low forehead, small dark eyes, huge hands, a bulky build and a foul odor, then removed their traps and did not return.

Full-body sightingOdor
May 1998 Hoadley, Gallia County, Ohio Class A #3686

Another nighttime incident near Hoadley, off Hoadley Road (Wayne Nat. For.)

The witness and a companion camped in Wayne National Forest over a holiday weekend. After mimicking animal sounds in the evening, the witness stayed awake through the night hearing crashes, footsteps, grunts and mimicking speech, and saw eye shine high off the ground. In the morning the pair found a snapped tree, strong odor, widely spaced ground marks and a five-toed partial print, which the witness attributed to a large visitor.

EyeshineFootstepsVocalizationGrowlUnidentified sound +3
7 July 1997 Loudonville, Holmes County, Ohio Class A #3381

A group of canoers see a large, black creature along the river bank

While canoeing down a wooded fork of a river, the group smelled decay and then saw a dark creature watching them from the trees. The creature followed them along the bank, ran ahead to a river bend, splashed and climbed the opposite bank, then later crossed an open clearing. About 20 minutes after the last sighting the group thought they heard shrieks shifting from high to low pitch.

Full-body sightingOdorScream
October 1996 Boden, Guernsey County, Ohio Class A #8042

Bowhunter turns around to see a creature staring at him almost motionless.

Just past dusk while camping on a bow-hunting trip, the witness went to a portable toilet near camp, smelled a strong odor, and saw a white, wide-shouldered creature staring at him from a short distance. He screamed and waved a shovel, and the creature sprinted down into the ravine, breaking branches. The next day he and his companion found large footprints leading toward the ravine.

Full-body sightingOdorMovement only
1995–2003 Trenton, Butler County, Ohio Class A #6804

Two ourtdoorsmen chased by a large bear like biped recount 25+ years of strange occurrences.

The witness and a companion were camping overnight in the woods when they heard an unexplained sound and smelled decaying flesh. They heard something moving toward them and fled to a moonlit clearing where they saw a bipedal creature they first called a bear. The witness fired a shotgun into the air without stopping its approach, then both ran through a creek to a store to call for help. In later years they found broken trees and footprints they attributed to the same creature.

Unidentified soundOdorFootstepsFull-body sightingAnimal behaviour
September 1993 Donnelsville, Clark County, Ohio Class A #1750

Large furry head about 12" by 18" looked in the back door.

On a warm dark night in late summer 1993, five people inside a relative's house saw a large furry head peer through the back-door window for a few seconds before disappearing. After going outside, the witness stepped in a large pile of fresh scat and noticed a strong unpleasant odor. Nothing else was seen or heard that night.

Partial sightingOdorScat
September 1991 Ashland County, Ohio Class A #3380

Two high school students are chased by large unknown creature

Two high-school companions went to an old single-lane railroad bridge at night to look into stories that it was haunted. While walking toward an abandoned barn they heard approaching rustling, then a loud scream-growl and heavy footsteps. A large shaggy creature reportedly ran at them on all fours, stood up about 15 feet away, and chased them back to their car before leaving when something else came down the road. They returned the next day and found odd-looking footprints.

Full-body sightingScreamGrowlFootstepsMovement only
October 1990 Scioto County, Ohio Class A #4976

Witness has two sightings, ten years apart in Cut Rock area

The witness was camping with companions near a field when movement was heard across the field and a feeling of being watched was reported. The witness moved away from the campfire for a clearer view in bright moonlight and observed a tall dark figure walking along the treeline toward a ravine. The figure left the area quickly and was not seen or heard again.

Full-body sightingEyeshineMovement only
1990–1999 Ohio #f7bfe408-1485-4234-ad06-3c2c7e371719

Unidentified sound in Ohio (1990)

While family members fished a pond clear on three sides with woods rising on the fourth, a loud crashing approach came down the hill shaking trees. A cousin fishing alone on the wooded side threw down his pole, ran back screaming and shaking. The father suggested a deer feeder, but the cabin owner later said no feeder was ever there.

Unidentified soundMovement only
June 1988 Sandyville, Tuscarawas County, Ohio Class B #4980

Night sighting near Sandyville

Four young people went to a collapsed train tunnel late at night and sat on top of the entrance. They reported an overpowering odor, snapping twigs, loud crashing through trees, a low growl, heavy footsteps they could feel, and a loud thud. As they ran back to their car, the reporter glimpsed huge hairy legs and a large hand with long dark nails, then they drove away quickly after the car lurched.

Partial sightingGrowlFootstepsMovement onlyOdor +1
May 1988 Xenia, Greene County, Ohio Class B #31100

Possible stalking of ROTC Unit at Indian Mound Reserve

The witness was leading a small ROTC patrol on a nighttime escape-and-evasion exercise along creek and cliff trails. The group heard movement and walking above them with small rocks falling, found no one when they climbed to search, then heard heavy running footsteps and branches being swiped aside approaching them that caused the patrol to flee to a field edge. The opposing unit later said it never left base, and a next-day visit found snapped branches above head height but no tracks.

FootstepsRock throwingTree breakMovement only
7 August 1987 Monroeville, Jefferson County, Ohio Class B #5778

Couple horseback riding catch a glimpse of unknown creature followed by a nasty smell and a loud moaning scream

A witness and a companion were riding horses on a familiar trail when the witness noticed a dark head-like shape to the side. Shortly after, the companion reported a terrible odor near a hedgerow, and then both heard a prolonged loud moaning or wailing sound from behind. They later returned to the locations but found no trace of the shape or odor, and concluded the experiences were connected.

Partial sightingOdorVocalization
June 1985 Twin Valley, Scioto County, Ohio Class A #5229

Man recalls seeing a strange bipedal animal during his one and only hunting trip

The witness, then 15, was squirrel hunting with two relatives in forested hills when he descended into a hollow and saw a dark brown creature sitting on a large rock. The creature stood on two legs and ran off quickly while walking noises were heard on both sides and a strong odor filled the air. The group left the area shortly after at the father's urging.

Full-body sightingFootstepsOdor
1985–1986 Usiris, Ohio #91a87fab-bbfc-4860-b9c1-cd704db9fc20

Dogman sighting near Usiris, Ohio (1985)

The witness was on a nighttime training run on a rural road bordered by corn and beans when movement in the corn paced the witness. The movement stopped when the witness stopped and resumed when the witness ran. Near the highway the witness looked back and saw a tall dog-headed creature with a muscular chest and rolled shoulders emerge from the corn. The witness sprinted across the highway and jumped a fence into a friend's pool area, after which the creature was gone.

Partial sightingMovement only
1985–1986 Usiris, Ohio #2a0d3953-0a51-488c-ba9e-3ecac542048a

Dogman sighting near Usiris, Ohio (1985)

As a teenager training for a 10K, the witness went for a late-night run on a rural road lined with corn and bean fields. Something in the corn paced him, stopping when he stopped and sprinting when he sprinted, staying silent except for rustling stalks. Near the end of his route he glanced back and saw a tall, dark-furred, dog-headed biped with a muscular chest and long arms emerge from the corn and look at him. He sprinted across a busy highway to a friend's house, jumped the pool fence, and hid underwater until he felt safe.

Partial sightingMovement only
October 1983 Byhalia, Union County, Ohio Class B #4981

Late night encounter by Coon hunters near Byhalia

The witness was following dogs while hunting raccoons in the woods with a party. A loud scream, loud crashing noises, and an awful smell were encountered. The dogs returned scared to the trucks, with one smelling of skunk.

ScreamOdorUnidentified sound
May 1983 Mechanicsburg, Champaign County, Ohio Class A #5311

Large hairy creature and footprints seen along fence line on property with past activity

The witness visited a friend's farm after loaning a truck and found a very large footprint in mud, attempting a plaster cast. Later he saw a dark figure bobbing while holding a tree limb across a field, then saw a hairy long hand touching the plaster. The friend confirmed seeing the distant figure and the friend's wife reported hearing breathing near a shed, followed by rustling and barefoot sounds.

TracksPartial sightingSilhouetteFootstepsMovement only +1
October 1980 Goes, Hocking County, Ohio Class A #3920

Hunters have several encounters near Ash Cave State Park

A hunting party spent a fall day along a gasline, noticing a putrid odor and a large bare footprint in the morning. In the afternoon two members heard heavy movement circling in brush, and one moved closer and watched part of a tall dark figure step from behind a tree. The observer described a seven-foot-tall heavily built figure with long arms, no visible neck, and reddish eyes. The pair left the area and discussed the sighting on the drive home.

Partial sightingMovement onlyOdorTracks
August 1980 Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio Class A #7940

Bother and sister are followed by a brown, hairy creature walking on two legs

The witness walked to help a relative who had run out of gas near a creek bed, where both noticed a foul smell and movement in the weeds. As they left on foot, the witness saw a tall, thick-haired biped approaching quickly and both ran toward home while it followed without catching them. When they reached their driveway they turned and saw it running into roadside weeds before going inside.

Full-body sightingOdorMovement only
August 1980 Russell Township, Geauga County, Ohio Class A #3301

Daytime sighting in a wooded area a few miles east of Interstate 271

Two children testing walkie-talkies in dense woods noticed a dark-faced figure watching them from behind a fallen tree. After several minutes of it shifting position and studying them, they backed away, saw it rise and place its hands on the trunk, then screamed and ran. They heard a loud crack and glimpsed the black, powerfully built biped running away almost silently.

Partial sightingFull-body sightingAnimal behaviourFootstepsOdor