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16 encounters
24 November 2013 New Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida Class A #42978

Daytime sighting by a wildlife biologist on a trail in the Cypress Creek Preserve

The witness was hiking in a preserve in the morning to photograph wildlife when he heard a noise and saw a large dark figure to his left. He watched it walk upright at a fast, purposeful pace across the trail and into palmettos, then heard it moving away as birds and insects fell silent. He searched for tracks or hair but found none, photographing only the crossing location for scale.

Full-body sightingUnidentified sound
24 February 2013 Lake Helen, Volusia County, Florida Class B #40901

More possible activity from the "Mole Man" at Lake Helen

A mother and daughter at home at night felt and heard a powerful impact to the side of the house that shook the building but found nothing outside. A few nights later both were awakened by a similar house-shaking slam followed by a loud deep growl. They could not explain how an animal could strike with such force and initially wondered about a bear.

Property disturbanceGrowl
13 January 2013 The Villages, Sumter County, Florida Class B #38923

Possible nighttime activity in the retirement community The Villages

Over several nights in December the witness and their partner sat on their home lanai at night and heard a loud cry or scream, rock-clacking sounds, and stones or pebbles striking the house and lanai, and noticed a strange unknown odor for two days. No creature was seen. An investigator later visited the property, found a displaced rock, a single possible footprint, and nearby scat, and noted the property backs onto a power-line corridor.

ScreamUnidentified soundOdorRock throwing
10 October 2012 ALVA, Lee County, Florida Class B #38165

Repeat night visits scare away roommates near Alva

The witness reports ongoing nighttime visits at a rental property since March 2012. He hears sounds, smells odor, and sees a shadowy figure run toward the woods. He believes it is a female with a child that steals fruit, garbage and fish, and says the figures watch people in the yard and peer through windows.

SilhouetteUnidentified soundOdorProperty disturbance
October 2012 Alachua, Alachua County, Florida Class B #36682

Woman finds possible footprints during morning bike ride in San Felasco Preserve northwest of Gainesville

The witness stopped to rest while mountain biking and noticed a cluster of large barefoot-like footprints off the trail, which she photographed for scale. She reported hearing distant stomping or thumping sounds and later smelling a foul odor in the area. She did not see what made the prints and first thought the sounds were hogs or wild boar.

TracksFootstepsOdor
8 January 2012 Bronson, Levy County, Florida Class B #31933

Hunter experiences dusk encounters in Goethe State Forest

On the second evening the witness walked a sandy horse trail about a half mile from an earlier brush trail. He reported hearing an unfamiliar screech/growl, answering wood knocks, loud stomping nearby, and a rock thrown past him, followed by crashing in the brush. He then found a very large bare footprint that he photographed with his shoe for scale before leaving quickly without ever seeing the source.

GrowlScreamWood knockFootstepsRock throwing +2
4 July 2011 Paisley, Lake County, Florida Class B #31153

Ongoing activity on a family farm near Paisley

Late at night on July 4 the witness's family was setting off fireworks in the yard when a companion noticed movement and a dark shape nearby. All present then heard a very low deep growl unlike anything they had heard before. The source then moved away crashing into the woods, and a search with flashlights found nothing.

GrowlPartial sightingMovement only
31 October 2010 Inverness, Citrus County, Florida Class B #28450

Possible footprint found and vocalizations heard in the Flying Eagle Wildlife Management Area

The witness and a companion were hunting and scouting in a swampy wildlife management area. After hearing something large run off unseen, they found a single fresh human-like barefoot print in mud beside a puddle. They photographed the print and marked the spot, and also noted distant squirrel alarm calls that moved closer then fell silent.

TracksFootsteps
November 2009 Century, Escambia County, Florida Class B #26947

Hunter and daughter hear chatter and find possible tracks near Escambia River

The witness and a relative hiked into river swamp woods to hunt squirrel and heard bipedal footsteps described as like a man walking. Later in a meadow they found a single large bare footprint with toes in soft soil around an ant bed, larger than the witness's boot. The witness photographed the track with a shell for scale and measured its length and width.

FootstepsTracks
11 August 2007 MIDDLEBURG, Clay County, Florida Class A #21658

Brief sighting by youth with flashlight outside Middleburg

The witness was camping with two friends and walked alone to sit by a creek circling the camp. Across the creek he heard movement, then turned on a flashlight and saw a large hairy creature that fled into brush, shaking trees. After retreating about 30 yards it emitted a loud growling snarl, and the witness ran back to camp in panic.

Partial sightingFootstepsGrowl
23 March 2007 Middleburg., Clay County, Florida Class B #18349

Possible Knocks and a Vocalization Heard by Two Witnesses Near Middleburg

Two people hiking in the woods heard several wood-on-wood knocks spaced seconds apart. A minute or two later they heard a loud, long drawn-out cry lasting several seconds from within a mile. They stopped and listened briefly, then left the area.

Wood knockHowl
1 December 2006 Haines City And Avon Prk, Polk County, Florida Class B #16823

Family describes repeated incidents on their property near Lake Wales

The witness and spouse were preparing to grill in the evening when they noticed an extremely foul dead-like odor. The witness retrieved a gun, then three loud knocks or bangs sounded on the side of the shed. The spouse backed quickly away from the shed and wooded area, and they saw nothing upon looking around.

Wood knockOdor
November 2006 Land O Lakes, Pasco County, Florida Class A #24266

Boy sees large creature peering at him from behind a tree next to Cypress Creek Wellfield

The witness was playing in woods near home with companions when breaking sticks and sounds of something large approaching were heard through dense undergrowth. Sticks were thrown as the group retreated, and the witness briefly saw a very tall hair-covered biped peering from behind a large tree before running out scared. The initial report of something big was brushed off until similar local reports months later prompted detailed questioning.

Partial sightingObject throwingOdorFootsteps
April 2005 Down By Museum, Collier County, Florida Class B #18737

Campers report possible vocalization and footprint in Big Cypress National Preserve

The witness was family camping in the Big Cypress area when she noticed a tall black shape in the woods that vanished minutes later. Around 4 a.m. she awoke to a distant wailing sound with heavy breathing that approached the campsite, passed by the tents and left down a trail, waking several companions who also heard it. In the morning the group followed the direction of travel and found large wide footprints with a four-toe appearance in a sandy trail that had not been there the day before.

SilhouetteVocalizationTracks
15 October 2000 Summerfield, Marion County, Florida Class B #598

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.

VocalizationFootsteps
10 years ago, I think it was June, maybe, in the summer Florida #25033f82-bed5-4d80-a556-1a71c225554f

Whoop in Florida

The witness set out alone on a multi-day hike through swamp trail and camped overnight in a hammock. During the night the camp was surrounded by unseen figures making vocalizations, knocks and walking sounds, and a food bag was knocked down. The next day the witness found large tracks, then encountered large dark hairy figures on and near the trail, one of which followed closely. The witness fled in panic to a highway rest stop and required medical care, reporting lasting distress and nightmares.

WhoopWood knockFootstepsTracksPartial sighting +3