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9 encounters
February 2018 Lyndon, Whiteside County, Illinois Class B #71815

Law enforcement officers find and follow fresh snow tracks 33 miles NE of Moline

After midnight an on-duty officer searching for a stolen snowmobile along a river heard loud crashing and heavy running in a treeline. He then found large human-like footprints in snow, with two larger sets and one smaller set, showing a long stride and signs of running. He and two deputies photographed the tracks and interpreted the trail as individuals scouting, pausing, and circling before leaving, then withdrew from the area.

FootstepsTracks
12 November 2015 Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois Class B #55144

Hunter describes strange encounters and finds a possible footprint near Kickapoo State Park

The witness was bowhunting deer alone from a tree stand in the evening and shot a buck. While climbing down and tracking the deer in near-dark, the witness heard loud screaming-growling noises, smelled a strong pungent odor, and saw a huge silhouette about 30 yards away on a hillside. The witness left the woods while still hearing the noises and returned the next morning to find the blood trail ended with no deer.

ScreamGrowlSilhouetteOdor
10 June 2015 St. Clair County, Illinois Class B #50967

Possible footprints found east of Belleville near Illinois Route 4

The witness was walking through woods near a river toward a field used for searching for artifacts in the evening. They heard loud crashing described as something moving fast and hard and breaking limbs. They then found several footprints in mud left after rain, one of which was photographed and measured.

Unidentified soundTracks
7 September 2011 Midlothian, Cook County, Illinois Class B #30601

Possible vocalization and footprint found near Bachelors Grove Cemetery

The witness and a companion visited Bachelor's Grove in the afternoon to check structures described in a prior report. They observed hand-made tree pyramids, an X, and an arch, heard a siren-like sound and faint mumbling voices, and saw no unknown animals. After the companion left, the witness found a large old footprint with visible toes and additional faint impressions forming a long-stride trackway.

TracksStructure or nestUnidentified soundVocalization
5 May 2010 Princeville, Peoria County, Illinois Class B #27692

Mushroom hunter hears vocalizations and finds footprints near Jubilee College State Park

The witness was hunting with a dog on a sunny afternoon when the dog became agitated and a strong odor was noticed. The witness heard grunt-like noises followed twice by a loud scream or yell, plus cracking and movement in trees and brush, while the dog returned frightened with raised hair. After driving to a more open area across a shallow creek, the witness found two very large barefoot-like footprints that seemed too large and out of place to be human.

VocalizationScreamOdorTracksMovement only
22 January 2009 Herod, Saline County, Illinois Class A #25362

Night time sighting by two witnesses at trailhead in Shawnee National Forest

The witness and her father were walking back to the trailhead parking area at night when the father noticed eyeshine in the trees to the side of the trail about 30-40 feet away. With headlamps on, they both observed shining eyes and the outline of a rounded head that turned to look at them before they turned their lights off. The figure then walked away downhill with heavy deliberate bipedal steps, paused, and remained nearby while the witness spoke softly before they left quietly. After returning home they photographed smudge marks on their vehicle that had not been noticed earlier.

EyeshinePartial sightingSilhouetteFootsteps
6 October 2005 Pekin, Tazewell County, Illinois Class B #12836

Family hears vocalizations and finds footprints in their backyard east of Pekin

The witness's brother was sleeping in a tent in the yard and woke around 12:30 a.m. feeling uneasy after hearing something outside. He looked around the tent, saw nothing, and went inside the house to sleep on the couch. The next morning very large footprints were found right outside the tent in wet sand and were photographed.

TracksUnidentified sound
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
15 August 1967 River Grove, Cook County, Illinois Class A #46494

Memory told of a daytime sighting in Schiller Woods

The witness was resting by the Des Plaines River during a bicycle ride when a hair-covered creature was seen across the river splashing in the water. After the witness coughed, the creature threw large rocks toward the witness, then crossed the river silently and confronted the witness at close range. The witness fled along a trail while hearing a loud howl and screaming and seeing additional shadowy figures across the river.

Full-body sightingSilhouetteRock throwingHowlScream