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Young man hears nighttime vocalizations and is followed in woods near Mounds
On a summer night in 1990 the witness walked up a field road near his home when he heard a loud whistle followed by screams from nearby ridges. As he fled back toward his house he heard another scream close by and was followed to the creek behind his house, where he heard heavy breathing, growling and bipedal footsteps. He fired a large amount of ammunition toward the sounds without seeing the source, then stayed inside overnight, and the next day found bullet damage to trees and a flattened depression but no blood or tracks.
Hunter has daylight sighting near Sandoval
The witness was hunting and walking back to a vehicle when they heard noises in brush and across a field. They crouched in brush and saw a large dark brown creature crouching across the field, which then stood erect, grunted, raised its left arm, and walked back into the woods. The witness did not pursue and left directly for the vehicle.
Coon hunters hear vocalizations and footprints found near Burlington
Two people were sitting on a log in the woods late at night when a loud unfamiliar scream was heard from close behind them. After a second scream, a similar sound answered from a distance. Both individuals left immediately without seeing the source.
Unidentified sound near Decatur, Illinois (1984)
The guest, age 14, moved with his parents into a rented house outside Decatur in 1984. Over months in his large bedroom he experienced a picture and nail falling, drawer opening, clock resetting, lamp failing, scratching on the headboard, blanket pulled off and yanked across the room, feeling of someone sitting on the bed, warm spots, phone chirping even unplugged, breath blown in his ear, and being bounced on his bed off its frame. After moving his bed to the other window and clearing the original wall, activity subsided.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Memory told of possible vocalizations and rocks thrown at Lake Kinkaid
In 1978 two people were fishing from a boat on a lake at dusk and stopped in a cove. They heard grunting and saw trees shaking violently on a brushy cliff, but saw no animal. Two large rocks were thrown from shore toward the boat, landing very close, prompting them to leave.
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.
Couple in car terrified by loud howl/scream near Carlinville
In spring 1978 the witness and a companion were parked in a car off a rural road in creek-bottom woods when a foul odor filled the area. They then heard nearby low grunts that erupted into an extremely loud, shrill scream that seemed to shake the car. Panicked, the witness drove away immediately and avoided the area afterward.
Possible vocalization heard in Marion, Illinois
During a holiday visit in heavy snow, the witness was awakened around 2 a.m. by a very loud, prolonged scream from outside the bedroom window. The witness stayed frozen listening, then found other household members awake, and was told it was probably a cat under the house. The next morning new snow covered the area, and later checks found no sign of cats, leading the witness to note its similarity to recorded alleged vocalizations.
Memory told of a possible sighting at dawn by a hunter in his tree stand southeast of Pontiac
The witness arrived before sunrise on opening day to bow-hunt from a tree stand at the edge of a bean field. While in the stand the witness heard loud bipedal footsteps moving through dense saplings and then saw a tall hair-covered figure standing about 20 yards away. The two stared at each other for several minutes before the figure walked away, after which the witness fled to a companion's vehicle and did not return.
Man tells of the strange occurrences and his sighting as a teenager near Buckhart
Four people drove to a hilltop clearing at night and parked with the engine off to listen. After hearing twigs crunching as something circled their position, those in the back seat noticed a figure behind the vehicle. The witnesses in front then glimpsed a tall dark bipedal figure with red reflected eyes ducking behind a tree, prompting them to start the vehicle and leave immediately.
Possible vocalization heard near Pyramid State Park
The witness was outside at a relative's rural farm at night when a loud, hair-raising vocalization was heard from across a lake. The witness ran to a shed where two relatives were working but had not heard the sound. Horses nearby became agitated and later avoided the area where the sound originated until daylight.
Woman recalls her possible encounter on a farm outside Prairie du Rocher.
The witness was camped alone with a dog near a sinkhole on a farm bluff to feed horses in the morning. After building a fire and cooking, loud grunts, growls and scream-like screeches came from the sinkhole while many young trees shook violently despite little wind. Horses stared then fled, the dog stayed close shaking, and a brief odd odor was noticed. Frightened, the witness doused the fire and left with the dog, and reports avoiding woods since.
Man recalls his face to face daylight encounter in Siloam Springs State Park
The witness was breaking camp for the weekend and walked down a path to smoke, sitting on a rock. After hearing a sound behind, the witness turned to see a large, bulky brown-gray hair-covered figure about twenty feet away downslope at eye level. They locked eyes for a few seconds while the witness noted facial details, then the figure swung around a tree and hurried down a gully making noise as the witness ran up the path.
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.
Memory told of strange occurrences while growing up near Castle Rock State Park
In the fall of 1965 the witness was staying in a trailer on the family property when loud screaming was heard approaching from the direction of the river. The witness and a relative heard something pacing behind the dwelling while the screaming continued, then striking the trailer sides four or five times. The witness fired a gun once from the doorway, after which no further sound was heard that night.
Memory told of encounter at a remote cabin at Sandy Run
The main witness was sleeping in the front room of a remote lakeside cabin with a relative when she awoke at night to the porch screen door opening and footsteps. She watched a large, red-haired, bipedal figure pass three front windows and pause at the door to peer inside, bending down to look in. Frightened, she fled to sleep with her grandparents and did not speak of the incident for years.