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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.
Motorist has daytime sighting along I-75 near Ruskin
The witness was driving north on the highway in the afternoon when she noticed a hair-covered, human-like figure walking quickly parallel to the road in a grassy meadow near the woodline. As she pulled alongside it, the figure turned its whole body, bent its head, and walked into dense brush where it disappeared. Afterward she noticed a strong rotten-egg/sulphur odor in her car that lasted about 10 minutes.
Young man has a close daylight encounter while riding his bike along the Hillsborough River
The witness was riding a bike on a trail in a state park in the afternoon and stopped to look at alligators. After hearing rustling, the witness saw a large dark hairy figure standing nearby looking at them. After about 10 seconds the figure ran away on two feet, and the witness rode quickly back to camp to tell relatives.
June 1984 Manatee County FL Late evening sighting by 9 yr/old camper off Little Manatee River in Ruskin
The witness was camping by a river when a foul odor woke him in the middle of the night. He turned on a flashlight and heard something moving through nearby palms. He briefly saw the upper back and head of a large dark-haired animal as it ran away.
Early evening sighting by residents on the Hillsborough River
In the mid-1950s the witness and a companion were watching a drive-in movie from across the river after dark. They heard something behind them, turned, and saw a large hairy creature backlit by a lamplight. They fled immediately without looking back.