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122 encounters
16 November 2007 Detroit, Pike County, Illinois Class A #24354

Hunter has sighting from his deer stand near Detroit

The witness was deer hunting from a tree stand in the early morning when loud footsteps were heard in a nearby pasture. Standing to look, the witness saw a large hairy figure about twenty yards away walking quickly with a long stride. The figure was estimated at 6 to 7 feet tall, dark rusty brown, with broad muscular shoulders, long arms and no apparent neck, and it never looked toward the witness.

FootstepsFull-body sighting
27 October 2007 Carlyle, Clinton County, Illinois Class A #24997

Hiker has nighttime sighting near Carlyle

Late at night the witness walked up a slight incline from a riverbank through timber and heard a loud scream from the east. The witness then watched an animal drop from a tree about six to eight feet up, land on its hind legs, take a few upright steps, then move to all fours and run quickly into the treeline. The witness fled toward the highway. The animal was described as large, muscular and fur-covered, tan or light brown in the moonlight.

Full-body sightingScream
September 2007 Eddyville, Pope County, Illinois Class B #25704

Cougar research interrupted by wood knocks at Bell Smith Springs

The witness was camped alone and cutting firewood at night while researching cougars. On two consecutive nights the witness heard loud, aggressive wood knocks coming from a nearby canyon, believed to be responses to the wood chopping. The knocks stopped after other campers filled the site, and the witness reported no visual sighting of the source.

Wood knock
16 October 2006 Sorento, Bond County, Illinois Class A #23395

Deer hunters have close sighting along Dry Fork Creek

The witness was hunting with two young companions and entered the woods to track a wounded deer. They heard pounding on a tree, thrashing and shaking of vegetation, and screaming/squealing sounds, and encountered a very foul rotting-meat odor that was strong near the truck. A young companion reportedly saw a black, hairy, muscular animal about six feet tall descend from a tree and shake brush, though the face could not be seen.

Wood knockPartial sightingScreamOdor
22 July 2006 Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois Class A #28484

Vocalizations and a sighting with a spotlight near Murrayville

In 2007 the witness led an armed group with spotlights to an area where relatives had heard screams. He shone a light across a field and saw a large dark hairy figure with outstretched arms run away in a split second. The group pursued into trees hearing walking and branches breaking but found nothing.

Full-body sightingTree breakFootsteps
21 June 2006 Yorkville, Kendall County, Illinois Class B #15019

Possible vocalizations heard near Yorkville

Late at night the witness and a companion stepped onto the back porch with their dog to let it out. The dog ran to the fence barking, and after the witness waved a glowing phone display to locate it, both people heard a strange broken cooing sound from the treeline and fled inside. The next day the witness noticed a heavy bench tipped over, fence slats pushed in from the woods side, and neighbors looking at the forest edge.

Vocalization
29 May 2006 Mitchellville, Saline County, Illinois Class B #14802

Possible vocalizations heard by camper near Williams Hill Pass in the Shawnee National Forest

The witness was camping with family and awoke early unable to sleep. While tending the fire in the early morning, she heard distant loud howls lasting several minutes, which were followed by distant dogs barking. The companion and children did not hear the sounds, but the family dog stopped and looked toward the sounds. The companion later played posted howl recordings, which the witness said were a close match.

Howl
Summer 2006 Marion, Williamson County, Illinois Class B #15393

Woman describes her son's possible sighting near Lake of Egypt in Shawnee National Forest

After dark the witness went down to a lake dock to remove a battery charger from a bass boat and shined a spotlight across the cove. He noticed a tall dark figure in 6 to 7 foot grass, whistled at it and heard a different whistle returned. When he looked back the figure was moving away through the weeds, and he ran back to the house.

Partial sightingWhistle
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
1 October 2005 Oakwood, Vermilion County, Illinois Class B #15844

Possible sounds heard, etc., in Kickapoo State Park

The witness was fishing at night in a park when he heard two large splashes in the river behind him followed by a loud awful scream. He then heard rustling like a scuffle in dry leaves and a deep purring or heavy breathing sound lasting about a minute before the source moved away. Frightened by sounds he did not recognize, he left the area and went home early.

ScreamVocalizationFootstepsUnidentified sound
26 October 2003 Pearl City, Stephenson County, Illinois Class A #15347

Deer hunter has early morning sighting from tree stand near Pearl City

The witness climbed into a tree stand before dawn to bow hunt. While it was still dark, something breathed heavily beneath the stand for about 10 minutes then walked away to the southeast. Shortly after sunrise in light fog, the witness saw a large human-like figure about 100 yards away walking east at a fast pace. After climbing down, the witness followed its footprints eastward.

Full-body sightingUnidentified soundFootstepsTracks
16 August 2001 Rosiclare, Hardin County, Illinois Class B #3018

Late night screams heard near Rosiclare

The witness was visiting relatives at a farm bordering national forest with three relatives when they went to sit on the front porch at night. They heard a continuous eerie calling sound that rose from low to higher pitch with a human-like quality for several minutes from near a pine forest a short distance away, while dogs barked and the surroundings were otherwise quiet. None of the group had heard such a sound before, and the witness interpreted it as possibly from a yeti. No visual contact or physical evidence was reported.

Vocalization
May 2001 Warsaw, Hancock County, Illinois Class B #2992

Unusual vocalizations from Mississippi River bottoms between Hamilton and Warsaw

The witness and his wife repeatedly heard a nighttime vocalization from home that the witness says matched recordings on a Bigfoot website. Each episode lasted a few minutes, caused their dog to growl and bark, and was followed quickly by coyotes howling. They were typically asleep and were woken by the sound. The witness had previously assumed it was a hurt animal and now says he will not investigate it.

Vocalization
15 November 2000 Webster, Hancock County, Illinois Class A #3521

Deer hunter sees large hairy black creature that "plays peekaboo" near Webster

The witness was walking around timber at dusk during deer season and came upon a tall, black, hairy figure shaking a tree. The witness stopped to watch and spoke to it, then walked to an open field and shot at deer. After the shot, the figure was heard running away through the timber.

Partial sightingFootsteps
9 October 1999 Atwood, Moultrie County, Illinois Class B #29241

Memory of possible vocalizations and rock throwing southwest of Atwood

The witness, then a child, was walking through woods and field toward ponds to feed fish when a loud high-pitched scream came from the woods and trees shook in a visible path without wind. After waiting, the witness continued to the pond embankment where a boulder-sized rock landed nearby from higher ground. Two sisters were present for the rock incident, and the witness reported repeated rock-throwing at that embankment and occasional feelings of being watched.

ScreamMovement onlyRock throwing
September 1998 Carmi, White County, Illinois Class B #29360

Couple hears possible vocalizations a few miles outside of Carmi

While smoking outside under a tree late at night, the witness and companion heard prolonged loud moaning howls coming from behind a neighboring house. The sound lasted at least two minutes and was unlike any familiar local animal. Frightened, they ran inside, after which the sound could no longer be heard.

Howl
22 October 1994 Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois Class A #19910

Nighttime sighting by property owner near Kishwaukee River.

Late at night at the witness's home near dense woods, the witness was getting into a car when a noise prompted turning on the headlamps. A tall figure was seen peeking from behind a tree about 30 feet away and held eye contact for several seconds. The figure then turned and ran for several hundred feet, clearing a 5-6 foot fence without breaking stride despite fog.

Full-body sightingPartial sightingUnidentified sound
1994–1995 Bunker Hill, Macoupin County, Illinois Class A #23418

Camper has nighttime sighting outside of Bunker Hill

Late at night on July 4th while camping behind a relative's house, the witness left the campsite with a flashlight to use the bathroom. About a minute down the trail, a large dark-furred biped crossed the trail about 20 feet away, paused to look at the witness after the witness gasped, then walked away. The witness dropped the flashlight, ran back to camp panicked, and later declined to sleep outside.

Full-body sightingGrowlUnidentified soundAnimal behaviour
20 November 1993 Hettick, Macoupin County, Illinois Class A #37697

Memory told of a sighting at dawn while deer hunting north of Hettick

The witness was deer hunting from a tree stand at sunrise when they heard twigs snapping and then a very loud yell/scream. A dark brown figure walking upright, estimated at 6.5 to 7 feet tall, then crossed about 20 yards between two timber areas. The figure did not appear concerned by the witness's presence.

Full-body sightingScream
16 November 1991 Columbia, St. Clair County, Illinois Class A #33638

Woman recalls her night time sighting while fishing behind her home near Columbia

The witness was fishing alone at night in the pond behind her house when she heard a huff-growl behind her and turned to see a figure standing and watching her. When the figure moved, she became frightened, dropped her fishing pole, and ran up the hill to the house. She states she never fished at night or alone again.

GrowlFull-body sighting