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15 encounters
2 October 2021 Harrisburg, Saline County, Illinois Class B #72110

Two hikers describe hearing bigfoot-like sounds near Indian Point (Garden of the Gods)

The witness and a companion were hiking in Shawnee National Forest when they heard rocks thrown, wood knocks, and a tree being pushed over nearby, followed by running footsteps that stopped abruptly. While heading back they heard a growl, whoops and howls from multiple directions and felt they were being watched. The witness attempted a phone audio recording but it did not capture the sounds clearly.

Rock throwingWood knockTree breakGrowlWhoop +3
9 January 2021 Wonder Lake, McHenry County, Illinois Class B #67486

Possible vocalizations after midnight from cornfield near Wonder Lake

Late at night the witness was walking in a rural neighborhood when a deep grunting yell was heard coming from a nearby cornfield. The witness also recalls hearing heavy walking or footfalls just before the yell. The sound was described as echoing and startling, and no visual of the source was reported.

VocalizationFootsteps
30 August 2014 Glenwood, Cook County, Illinois Class B #51417

Possible early morning sighting near Glenwood Woods

The witness was working overnight inside a building at a trailer drop yard when loud chimpanzee-like noises were heard from the north edge near hedge apple trees. The witness yelled toward the sounds and approached to about 60 feet, when branches began shaking. A four-foot reddish animal was seen from behind in the tree with a wedge-shaped head and longer-than-human arms before it moved away out of view while noises continued.

VocalizationPartial sightingAnimal behaviour
1 March 2013 Makanda Or Cobden, Jackson County, Illinois Class B #40120

Possible vocalizations and rock throwing east of Makanda

On a night trip in early March 2013, the witness and three companions stopped in the woods around 2:30 a.m. after hearing a loud moaning sound. The witness shone a light downhill and saw a head with two closely spaced eyes about 40 feet away and 5 to 6 feet off the ground. The eyes stared for about 45 seconds before sidestepping behind a tree, and a quick search found nothing and no tracks.

VocalizationPartial sightingEyeshine
June 2012 Shipman, Macoupin County, Illinois Class B #37758

Ongoing activity described at a home near Shipman

In May/June 2012 around 10:30 p.m. the witness and a relative heard a loud guttural vocalization outside the home. They went to the porch and watched a large dark furry animal low to the ground run on all fours past a neighboring home, triggering motion lights. Coyotes vocalized shortly afterward, and another relative later said the sound had awakened them.

VocalizationFull-body sighting
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
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
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
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
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
April 1978 Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois Class B #23760

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.

VocalizationRock throwingMovement only
Spring 1978 Carlinville, Macoupin County, Illinois Class B #2901

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.

ScreamVocalizationOdor
8 June 1973 Prairie Du Rocher, Randolph County, Illinois Class B #42547

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.

VocalizationGrowlScreamMovement onlyOdor