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Daylight sighting by fisherman 6 crow miles NE of Elkins
The witness was wading and trout fishing at a fork with a wooded island when a twig snap drew attention to the island. About 60 yards away, a very tall dark figure stood facing the witness then quickly turned and walked away bipedally downstream out of view, apparently carrying a large staff-like piece of wood. The witness reported freezing with fear, being unarmed, and leaving the area immediately.
Possible sighting by motorists half mile from Cranberry Mountain Nature Center
The witness and a companion were driving south on a scenic highway in the evening, stopping for views and photos. They noticed a furry figure in tall roadside weeds ahead and continued driving toward it. As they closed to about 80-100 feet, the figure turned with a crouch, jumped up the bank using a branch, and vanished silently into the woods. They estimated its height at about 7 to 7.5 feet from weed height relative to their truck and described brown to brown-gold fur.
Possible early morning sighting by a couple driving near Hedgesville
The witness was driving to work in the morning when a deer ran across the road and caused slowing. The witness and a companion then noticed a bipedal figure running through the woods in the opposite direction, uphill over fallen trees. They watched it from behind for about six seconds from 50 to 75 yards away and described it as 6 to 6.5 feet tall with a dark bulky build and speed too fast for a human. They stated it was not a deer, bear, human, or other familiar animal.
Possible activity including eye glow outside a home near Fort Ashby
Around 1 a.m. the witness got up for water and looked out the kitchen window. About 20 yards into the woods behind the house, three pairs of red glowing eyes moved single file at an estimated 7 feet off the ground. No bodies could be seen in the darkness except moving branches, and the movement was described as smooth, balanced and agile.
Homeowner reports possible interactions that include his hunting dogs near Pax
The witness and a companion went to check on the witness's dog late at night after it behaved unusually. They shone lights uphill and saw a tall, thick figure that stepped back into darkness and vanished. The pair were frightened and fled.
Possible vocalizations heard from the Bear Heaven Campground east of Elkins
The witness spent the night alone in the cab of his truck at Bear Heaven campground without a tent or fire. Around 3 a.m. a loud double whoop was heard from very close range, followed after a pause by a second similar call. A fainter similar call was heard answering from a distance. The source was not seen.
Hunters hear possible vocalizations, large head seen peeking from behind boulders near Franklin
On the afternoon of opening day, the witness climbed toward a treestand set among boulders and thick vegetation. From the boulders behind him he heard a growl and rock-clashing sounds, then saw a large dark head and shoulders duck behind a boulder. He backed away to about 100 yards while watching, saw it peek out and hide again, then left the area.
Traveler hears possible vocals from the forest during a roadside stop near Sugar Grove
The witness stopped roadside at night after hearing three whoop-like calls from downslope. The witness imitated the calls and heard a two-call reply, imitated that, then heard a sharp wood crack and a different, agitated howl. A passing vehicle ended the exchange, and further imitation attempts during a 40-45 minute wait received no response.
Hiking couple has brief sighting, then hears primate vocals, then sees tree shaking, in Otter Creek Wilderness
A couple hiking in the Otter Creek Wilderness became disoriented after several hours. They noticed a large dark silhouette on a ridge about 100 yards away, then heard monkey-like sounds for about 30 seconds and saw a tall thin tree violently shaken. They interpreted the displays as threatening and quickly left the area.
Lone hiker wakes to rock clacks and heavy foot falls on the Allegheny Trail near Durbin
The witness camped overnight in a tent at a shelter along the Allegheny Trail. At dawn he was awakened by stones clacking together that moved back and forth north to south for an extended period. Shortly after the clacking stopped, he felt and heard heavy footsteps approach from behind the shelter and step on a plastic tarp beside it. He shouted from inside the tent, after which he heard no further movement.
Fishermen hear loud screams while camped at Wildell
The witness and a companion were camped near Wildell for trout fishing. Around 11 p.m. while eating by the campfire they both heard a very loud, long yell from across the river that started loud, rose higher, and lasted 5 to 6 seconds. They listened for another call but heard nothing more that night.
Turkey hunters hear possible howl and bipedal steps approach their camp near Brandywine
The witness and two companions hiked into rugged forest to camp overnight for turkey hunting. Late at night they heard a prolonged unfamiliar howl, and a few hours later heard slow heavy footsteps approach within feet of their tent before withdrawing when spoken to. The next morning they found a large scat pile uphill and then left the area.
Rural residents describe loud vocalizations and strange incidents near Iaeger
The witness was sitting on the front porch late at night when he heard a loud scream at a distance, followed later by crashing brush and a series of loud moans, growls and howls from across the road. He judged the vocalizations as extremely powerful and unlike any known animal and inferred the source was very large. He went inside and locked the doors.
Possible activity outside a residence near Lavalette
The witness and a relative were sitting on a hill near outbuildings watching a hollow at night when a passing car's lights revealed a tall standing figure below them. The figure turned toward them, and after the car passed they heard breathing and running coming uphill toward them. Both fled to the nearby house and heard nothing further that night.
Possible nighttime encounter while raccoon hunting outside Valley Head
Two people training a hound at night saw bluish-green eyes watching them from about 40 yards away in the woods. They approached the spot, found nothing, then on returning to the road saw the eyes again along with a second taller orange-red pair. Both pairs stared without apparent fear while the dog barked, then appeared to follow the truck for about half a mile as the witnesses drove away.
Wood knocking startles target shooter outside of Shady Spring
The witness was alone target shooting on an abandoned strip mine in the late afternoon. After emptying a magazine he heard extremely loud knocking sounds coming from downhill. He listened for a couple of minutes and then left the area without searching because of the volume and being alone.
Possible vocalizations heard by backpackers in Otter Creek Wilderness
The witness and two companions were backpacking and camping in a wilderness area, working to start a fire at dusk when the witness and one companion heard a loud, long howl-like scream repeated three times from far up a hollow. The witness judged it unlike any known local animal call. Later that night after the fire burned down, the witness alone heard loud stomping and large branches snapping near the creek close to camp for a few minutes.
Possible sighting by child near home outside Arnoldsberg
A woman and a child went to a relative's house to feed a dog. The child chased the dog around the house out of sight, then screamed and ran back saying a monkey-like creature growled and ran into the woods, later adding there was a little one with its mother. The woman did not see the creature but heard movement in the brush.
Bicyclist reports possible rock throwing incident outside Sistersville
The witness stopped beside a rural road while riding a bicycle. A rock flew across the road near the witness and landed on the opposite side. The witness looked toward a steep wooded hillside but saw no person who could have thrown it, then left the area.
Possible vocalizations and rock clacking near Knob Fork
The witness was on a hunting trip with three companions and went to collect firewood in the evening. An extremely loud scream-like vocalization was heard from a nearby valley, prompting the pair collecting wood to return to camp. The group continued to hear similar vocalizations from multiple directions through the night, along with sounds like rocks being knocked together near camp. Nothing was ever seen.