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14 encounters
April 2015 West Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida Class B #48746

Turkey hunter discovers possible grass bed west of Melbourne

While turkey hunting the witness cut across a sawgrass field and found a large piled mound of pulled-up sawgrass interpreted as a bed or nest, larger than a pickup truck bed. He also noted nearby palmetto palms stripped of branches. An investigator later visited the remote site with the witness, measured and photographed the structure and examined its construction.

Structure or nestTree break
May 2013 Everglade City, Monroe County, Florida Class B #65655

Possible camp stalking at Bear Island Campground in Big Cypress National Preserve

On the ninth night of solo primitive camping, the witness was lying awake in a tent when a very loud thud sounded in front of the tent. Movement was then heard in palmettos beside the tent, followed by human-like whistles exchanged from opposite sides and a guttural growl from behind the tent. The witness stayed inside without looking out and found a snapped limb nearby the next morning before leaving camp early.

WhistleGrowlFootstepsMovement onlyUnidentified sound +1
4 September 2010 Groveland, Sumter County, Florida Class A #28237

Weekend camping trip in the Green Swamp is interrupted by a hairy, bipedal intruder

The witness and three companions were camping and sitting around a fire at night when the woods went quiet and they heard a tree being pushed over. They found a pine half pushed over, then heard a scream and loud growl. The witness shone a spotlight, first seeing the legs and then the full height of a tall hair-covered bipedal creature about 20-30 yards away. After watching it for several seconds as it walked away, the group left the campsite.

Full-body sightingScreamGrowlTree break
18 October 2009 Mascote, Sumter County, Florida Class A #28200

Father and son have very close daylight sighting in the Green Swamp

The witness and a relative were driving on a road through a hunting area late in the morning when they saw a large hair-covered biped beside the road at very close range. The vehicle passed within a few feet of the creature, then they turned around to look again. The creature had left the roadside and left a trail of disturbed vegetation and indistinct footprints. They described its size, build, hair, and facial features in detail.

Full-body sightingOdorTracksTree break
February 2008 Wakulla, Wakulla County, Florida Class A #23570

Two hikers see an upright ape running off into the brush in Apalachicola National Forest

Two companions hiking in Apalachicola National Forest stopped at a shallow brook to cool off. After leaving the water they heard rocks colliding and sticks breaking and went to investigate. They glimpsed an ape-like biped charging away through thick brush, breaking limbs and leaving a foul odor. Afterwards they noted disturbed rocks and a partial heel print that later dried out and was not photographed.

Partial sightingTracksOdorTree breakUnidentified sound
5 May 2006 Jacksonville Fl, Duval County, Florida Class B #14719

Surveyor describes possible stick formations in woods near Jacksonville

The witness was patrolling near wooded wetlands late in the morning and noticed unusual limb arches, teepee-like and X formations near the road. While investigating on foot he felt watched and heard brush movement that seemed to shadow him without fleeing, but he never obtained a clear visual. He also reported a wet-dog-like odor in the swampy, wooded area.

Movement onlyOdorTree breakStructure or nestAnimal behaviour
24 May 2005 Ormond Beach, Volusia County, Florida Class B #12068

Possible intimidation behavior experienced while shining for alligators in Ormond Beach

Two people were shining lights for alligators beside a lake at night when vegetation beside the dock shook and repeated knocking like wood hitting a tree was heard. A nearby tree then fell, and as they ran toward safety they heard heavy steps and grunting keeping pace parallel to them. About an hour later they returned and found a tall tree freshly snapped about eight feet up with dripping sap and a hair on a branch.

Movement onlyWood knockTree breakTwistFootsteps +2
15 June 2004 Salt Springs, Marion County, Florida Class A #23076

Road grader operator observes creature crossing logging road in Ocala National Forest

The witness was grading a remote forest road around noon when he spotted a large hairy creature about 200 yards ahead standing by the road and looking at him. After watching for about a minute, the creature crossed the road in three steps and disappeared into the woods. The witness drove to the crossing point and found large human-like footprints and broken branches, left food and water, and found them untouched on his return pass.

Full-body sightingRoad crossingTracksTree break
1998–2000 Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida Class A #20940

Security guards have nighttime sightings outside Jacksonville

While on night patrol, the witness responded to a companion's report of something standing by trees behind a building and shone a spotlight into the woods. A very large upright hairy creature holding a branch was seen, which then dropped the branch, looked back with red eyeshine, screamed, and ran away with a strong odor left behind. The witnesses later found a large pine branch torn from about nine feet up.

Full-body sightingEyeshineScreamOdorTree break
11 January 1991 Yankee Town, Levy County, Florida Class B #48599

Family retells documenting a possible mile-long line of tracks north of Yankeetown

The witness's family discovered a long trail of large footprints on their hunting property on a winter weekend in 1991. They followed the trail for over a mile past creeks and cabins and through a barbed-wire fence, making plaster casts of a right and left print. They also reported finding a palm-frond bedding area and palms with hearts eaten nearby.

TracksTree breakStructure or nestProperty disturbance
June 1984 Pasco County, Florida Class A #737

creature seen in an open field by witness.

The witness group was in an open field when they heard a howling/growling noise from the tree line. They approached and saw a creature crouched down that then stood about eight feet tall before running quickly toward a swamp. They did not follow into the swamp but found bark shredded from the tree where it had been.

Full-body sightingHowlGrowlTree break
30 June 1980 Pittman, Lake County, Florida Class B #5510

Man finds and casts large footprints after hearing of sighting

After hearing about a reported sighting, the witness went with a companion the next morning to the described location to look for footprints. They found large footprints crossing a sandy road from a clear-cut area into a swamp, noted a long stride, depth, and disturbed tree blossoms, and made plaster casts. No creature was seen during this visit.

Tracks
November 1977 Naranja Near Homestead Fla., Dade County, Florida Class A #21951

Man describes figure looking into window outside Homestead

In fall 1977 a teen woke just before sunrise and looked out his screened window, exchanging grunts with something outside that made the screen vibrate. He and his father then went outside and watched a very large hair-covered creature near the woods that faced them before running into the woods, breaking two small pines as it left. The next day a neighbor reported seeing the creature as well.

Full-body sightingVocalizationTree break
15 January 1975 Coral Springs, Broward County, Florida Class A #592

Two witnesses observed a large, black-brown human-like form between Wiles Rd. and Sample Rd

The witness and a relative were playing in a vacant lot across a narrow canal from a wooded area with a dirt-bike trail. They heard grunting and movement in bushes beside a large tree and saw a large black-brown human-like figure near the tree. The figure reportedly snapped a thick branch at its base with ease, then ran into the woods knocking down small trees.

Full-body sightingVocalizationTree breakMovement only