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15 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
10 March 2013 Beach Park, Lake County, Illinois Class B #40314

Homeowner finds possible footprints near Beach Park

The witness was in the process of buying a vacant house and found a line of large barefoot-like impressions in snow and mud along the side of the garage toward the backyard. The prints showed toes, deep toe depression and a short stride close to the building, and were photographed with the witness's shoe for scale. The witness reported seeing only incoming tracks and requested review of the photos, noting doubt about a hoax due to the secluded location.

Tracks
3 December 2012 Litchfield, Montgomery County, Illinois Class B #38337

Possible nighttime sighting from a home by a young woman near Lake Lou Yaeger

The witness, staying at a house for a short time, was looking out a window in the early morning and saw a tall figure by the clothesline pole. The figure was described as about a foot taller than the 7-foot-8-inch pole, brown on top with gray speckled lower areas, moving hunched over and scratching its back, with a strong skunk and manure-like odor. After watching for several minutes, the witness saw it take two steps into the nearby woods.

Full-body sightingOdor
23 January 2012 Albany, Whiteside County, Illinois Class B #33264

Photos taken of possible footprints found on rural property near Albany

The witness and spouse found two distinct sets of human-like bare footprints in snow near their home on a clear mid-morning. One set measured about 10 inches long and the other about 12 inches long, with clearly visible toes. Photos were taken and the spouse followed the prints for several hundred yards.

Tracks
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
14 August 2011 Peoria County, Illinois Class B #30510

Possible footprint found near Peoria

The witness was walking along a creek bed in heavily wooded terrain when they found a very large footprint with five distinct toes. After photographing it with makeshift scale items, they heard movement and a large branch being twisted on the hillside and left the woods. An investigator later visited the site with the witness and summarized the track as a 17-inch-long left-foot impression.

TracksMovement onlyTwist
2 August 2011 Olive Branch, Alexander County, Illinois Class B #40474

Hunter finds a possible footprint near Olive Branch

The witness arrived at a hunting area well before dawn and waited in the car, noticing a chill and a faint skunky musky odor. After sunrise he walked to a pond and then east along a fire access road, where he found a single very fresh footprint with visible toes in the dust of a turkey scratch. He photographed the track beside his boot, but wind erased the dust detail by the next day.

TracksOdor
3 May 2011 Metropolis, Massac County, Illinois Class B #29227

Possible footprints found near Metropolis

A family visiting their newly purchased wooded property for a picnic found a large bare footprint on a mowed slope. The witness's spouse spotted the print after the witness had walked over it without noticing. The witness then found two additional partial impressions nearby and a strange stick structure behind the cabin, which were photographed with scale and measurements.

TracksStructure or nest
4 January 2011 Winfield, Du Page County, Illinois Class B #28679

Hiker finds possible footprints in Timber Ridge Forest Preserve (w/photos)

The witness was hiking on a new gravel path through a forest preserve at lunchtime. In wet crushed gravel that preserved other footprints, the witness noticed bare footprints about 13 inches long with five toes that appeared deeper than shoe prints and traced them back to thick grass. The witness photographed the prints with a glove for scale and found the step distance too long to comfortably match.

Tracks
7 August 2010 Shelby County, Illinois Class B #28144

Wood knocks, vocalizations and possible footprint found in rural cemetery near Shelbyville

Over a couple months of visits to a small rural cemetery, the witness and companions repeatedly heard wood knocks surrounding them, logs or objects being thrown, and a walnut thrown back toward them. They also heard growls, hissing, grunts, yells and screams on separate occasions, and once heard a large unseen thing charge to the cemetery edge then go silent. They never saw the source, reported no departing footsteps, and described a persistent feeling of being watched and warned from entering the woods.

Wood knockObject throwingGrowlVocalizationScream +2
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
January 2007 Robinson, Crawford County, Illinois Class B #33426

Possible footprints found northwest of Robinson

About four years ago in winter, the witness found about eight large footprints in fresh snow near the driveway leading from the road toward a pond fence where they stopped. The witness tried to follow the trail but found no further prints beyond the fence. The night before the discovery, the witness's dog had run toward the end of the driveway acting aggressive, but the witness saw and heard nothing when checking.

Tracks
14 June 2003 Franklin Grove, Lee County, Illinois Class B #11121

Hikers find large footprint along Franklin Creek

The witness and companion were hiking in the Franklin Creek area when they found a large footprint by the creek about two miles from the parking lot. They had to leave to return before dark and heavy rain. The creek later flooded and washed the print away.

Tracks
26 September 1998 Vandalia, Fayette County, Illinois Class B #18059

Possible footprints found five miles east of Vandalia

The witness and a companion were walking a foot path around a lake in a small park. They found two large footprints crossing the path from the lake side into the woods and photographed them. The area was unusually quiet and the witness recalled feeling as if they were being watched.

Tracks
BFRO YEAR: 84 to 86 Atwood, Piatt County, Illinois Class B #47469

Memory told of possible vocalizations and footprints found near Atwood

On a winter evening around 10 p.m., the witness opened the door to let a dog out and heard an immense scream-howl from just north of the house. The sound felt like a physical impact and frightened the dog so it would not go outside. The witness's mother also heard the vocalization from inside the house.

HowlScream