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217 encounters
January 1986 Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois Class B #41907

Memory told of a possible sighting at night in a pasture east of Jacksonville

On a winter night in 1986-87 the witness was alone on his turn riding a three-wheeler through a snowy pasture near a wooded creek in Morgan County while a companion waited elsewhere. From about 30 yards away he watched a roughly 7-foot tall, dark-haired, roughly 400-lb figure walk across a narrow strip of pasture between two stands of woods. The figure looked toward him and then kept walking as if unconcerned.

Full-body sighting
1986–1987 Belvedere, Illinois #7241630d-f1bb-482c-939e-7d799c4fb2b2

Paranormal encounter near Belvedere, Illinois (1986)

After moving into a rented house by a hospital, the family heard night noises and found objects moved. Coming home one night, the witness and a parent both saw a human-like silhouette in the hallway that fled and vanished. Days later the front doorknob turned and the door opened by itself, and a parent reported being tapped on the shoulder with no one there. They left and later learned others had also left quickly and neighbors had seen lights and shadows when empty.

SilhouetteDoor or window contactProperty disturbance
September 1985 Gulfport, Henderson County, Illinois Class A #4099

Daytime sighting by two arrowhead hunters near Gulfport

Two companions searching for arrowheads in a cornfield noticed a dark stationary shape in the fencerow that resembled a topped-off tree. One experienced a strong feeling of being watched and thought the shape appeared to grin. They left the area and when they returned the shape was gone; follow-up characterized it as a massive, very hairy motionless animal over six feet tall.

Full-body sighting
July 1985 Vermilionville, La Salle County, Illinois Class B #34980

Fisherman recalls his possible nighttime sighting near Vermilionville

A fisherman was driving out on a dirt road by a river after dark with headlights on while his dog ran ahead. The headlights revealed an upright animal standing in the road ahead, which then dropped to all fours and ran out of sight. The dog ran back to the truck and jumped in through an opened door, and the witness drove away without getting out.

Full-body sighting
Summer 1985 Metropolis, Massac County, Illinois Class A #39569

Youth watches animal digging in burn barrel behind home near Metropolis.

When the witness was about ten, a backyard motion light drew attention at the family farm late at night. The witness watched from a back bedroom through blinds as an animal pulled trash bags from cans and a burn barrel, scattering and rummaging through garbage. The witness told no one at the time and cleaned up the scattered trash the next morning.

Full-body sightingProperty disturbance
January 1985 Glasford, Fulton County, Illinois Class A #31968

Midday observation by young hunters near Glasford

While hunting in a wooded area, the witness and a friend watched from a hill as their dog barked nearby. They saw a hair-covered figure where two ravines met about 100 yards below. The figure looked at them, took two steps, and disappeared back up the ravine. The witness confirmed the sighting with the friend at the time and told no one else for years.

Full-body sighting
Summer 1984 Between New Douglas And Livingston, Madison County, Illinois Class A #49302

Memory told of nighttime sighting by motorists on New Douglas Road

Two people driving west at night saw a large brown hairy creature cross the road in their headlights. It moved very quickly from one steep bank to the other, shifting from all fours to two legs as it crossed. They returned about 30 minutes later with two others but saw nothing further.

Road crossingFull-body sighting
getting to be wintertime 1984 Decatur, Illinois #http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bigfoothotspot/2017/11/03/sc-ep376-the-dog

Dogman sighting near Decatur, Illinois (1984)

Late on a bright-moon winter night after the house had been quiet, a thunderous bang shook the wall. The guest looked up and saw a dog-like face with a white toothy grin and yellow eyes looking down through the upper pane, nose pressed to glass. After staring, it slid toward the open window above his head making a squeak on glass, banged the wall again, and the guest fled to the living room couch. He avoided the room, kept curtains closed, and the family moved that spring.

Partial sightingDoor or window contact
July 1983 Seneca, La Salle County, Illinois Class A #11911

Campers have lengthy nighttime encounter near Seneca

Two companions camped in a remote wooded area after clearing a small site and lighting a fire. For several hours something circled the camp a few yards away, producing walking and breathing sounds and a musky odor. One companion glimpsed the figure in firelight as a much taller and wider upright figure, and it followed them out and crossed a road in a few steps as they left.

Partial sightingRoad crossingFootstepsUnidentified soundOdor +1
24 December 1980 St. Jacob, Madison County, Illinois Class A #25267

Memory told of a sasquatch standing in headlights on Christmas Eve west of St. Jacob

On Christmas Eve evening the witness was driving north on a rural Illinois road when headlights revealed a tall, hair-covered figure standing in the roadway. The witness slowed to almost a complete stop, moved into the opposite lane to avoid hitting it, and observed it closely from inches away before driving on to turn around. When the witness returned about 1.5-2 minutes later, the figure was gone.

Full-body sighting
April 1980 Canton, Fulton County, Illinois Class A #10892

Youth has daylight sighting in swampy area near Canton Lake

The witness went to the bottom of a hill near a relative's home at Canton Lake to smoke. After hearing a crushing and rustling noise, the witness saw a tall black bipedal being about twenty yards away that looked at the witness and raised its arms. The witness then ran back up the hill to the relative's home.

Full-body sightingOdorMovement onlyAnimal behaviour
1 January 1980 Decatur, Macon County, Illinois Class A #37522

Homeowner recalls night time sighting in NW Decatur

Late at night the witness stood at an upstairs window watching barking dogs when a very large fur-covered figure crossed the backyard clearing. The figure paused, turned and looked up at the witness for nearly a minute before continuing downhill, ducking under tree branches and disappearing from view as the dogs fell silent. At daylight the dogs were unharmed and no physical traces were found on the frozen ground.

Full-body sighting
1980–1999 Ottawa, La Salle County, Illinois Class A #36667

Memory told of encounters on a farm near Ottawa

The witness was walking back to the house on a relative's farm at night after feeding dogs when a tall, hairy, foul-smelling being stood in the path near the driveway. The witness froze as the being bent down and stared directly. A relative opened the door and reacted, after which the being looked up and walked away.

Full-body sightingOdor
1980 Carbondale, Jackson County, Illinois Class C #2806

The "Big Muddy Monster" flap of Murphysboro

In the late 1970s to early 1980s, residents around the Big Muddy River reported a foul-smelling, hairy hominid-like creature. Witnesses described seeing and hearing it near the river and finding footprints, with size and color accounts varying. The writer compiled these secondhand accounts and notes the creature was never reported as violent.

Full-body sightingVocalizationOdorTracks
17 August 1979 West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois Class A #11273

Youth has sighting along abandoned railroad line on edge of West Frankfort

On a summer evening in the late 1970s, the witness rode a bicycle onto an abandoned railroad-bed trail near woods. Behind dumped washers and dryers the witness saw a hair-covered figure that stood upright, grunted, and shook a sapling. The witness fled east, looked back to see the figure on the trail, then watched it walk back into the treeline.

Partial sightingEyeshineVocalizationAnimal behaviour
June 1979 Seneca, Grundy County, Illinois Class A #12140

Two teenagers have sighting east of Seneca

In the summer of 1979 the witness and a companion had pulled off the road east of Seneca when they heard a loud shrieking growl. A large human-like animal approached their vehicle in bounding steps. The witness shouted for the companion to get in, locked the doors, and fled at high speed, remaining frightened and avoiding that road afterward.

Full-body sightingScreamGrowl
21 October 1978 Edwardsville, Madison County, Illinois Class A #28516

Memory told of a daytime sighting near Edwardsville

The witness was driving on a dirt road behind a church in fall 1978 when he saw a large dark figure bent over a puddle. He drove to within about ten yards, got out with the car door between them, and watched it stand upright. He fired a shotgun to either side of it without effect, after which it shrugged and bounded into nearby woods in long leaps.

Full-body sighting
April 1978 Gorham, Jackson County, Illinois Class A #41916

Memory told of daylight sighting while mushroom hunting along Happy Hollow Road near Gorham

While mushroom hunting with a child near a creek, the witness noticed movement behind a tree across the creek and then saw part of a dark hair-covered entity, including knee, shoulder and face. The entity moved behind the tree out of view, and the witness left immediately with the child. She later returned with a firearm and found footprints where the entity had stood.

Partial sightingTracks
Summer 1978 Pawnee, Sangamon County, Illinois Class B #28370

Memory told of a possible encounter and footprint found along Horse Creek north of Pawnee

Two companions walking along a wooded driveway in the afternoon heard unidentified tapping sounds and entered the woods to investigate. They found freshly matted grass and a human-like bare footprint with five toes in dried mud. Shortly after, the companion shouted to run as loud timber-breaking crashes and movement occurred in dense undergrowth behind him. The reporter did not see the source, but the companion reportedly saw something about seven feet tall, after which both fled to the driveway.

Unidentified soundTracksTree breakMovement onlyPartial sighting
Summer 1978 Granite City, Madison County, Illinois Class A #41786

Memory told of daylight sighting along railroad tracks near Granite City

Five children playing behind the family property during a get-together noticed something moving along the railroad tracks behind the yard. When they looked, it stopped, turned, and looked back at them from about 60 yards away before they ran back to the house in fright. They described it as a huge, tall, dark, muscular figure about seven and a half feet tall.

Full-body sightingAnimal behaviour