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27 encounters
15 August 2016 Adel, Cook County, Georgia Class B #58046

Multiple incidents near rural home outside Adel

The witness sat alone on the back patio at night facing the woods and spoke aloud. Three figures approached from different directions with audible walking and breaking limbs. The witness shone a flashlight on the closest one, seeing a large squatting outline with widely spaced bright green eyeshine, then went inside and still heard movement an hour later.

EyeshinePartial sightingFootstepsTree break
19 January 2015 Bedford Park, Cook County, Illinois Class B #47720

Possible footprints in the snow found in Bedford Park (with photos)

The witness was performing pest control service when they found a trail of large prints with toe impressions in snow. They took photos and video and tried to follow the trail until it ended where there was no snow. They did not see the maker of the prints. A follow-up phone call recorded estimates of 18 inches long by 8 inches wide with five toes and short steps.

Tracks
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
11 July 2014 Willow Springs, Cook County, Illinois Class B #45830

Motorist has possible nighttime sighting in the Forest Preserves outside Chicago

The witness was driving home in the early morning through a heavily wooded area when a tall, thin figure darted across the road from left to right ahead of the vehicle. The figure crossed both lanes in a few fast strides and was no longer visible when the witness slowed and approached the area. The witness first wondered if it was a person but noted its unusual speed.

Road crossing
March 2013 Palos Park, Cook County, Illinois Class B #47521

Possible early morning sighting in Palos Park

Just before sunrise in March 2013, the witness was on the side of the road and saw a tall black figure in the rear-view mirror pass behind the vehicle and cross the road in three strides. The witness first thought it was a person out walking, but later noted the walking trail was ahead while the area behind was a guardrail and steep drop-off that was very difficult to walk.

Full-body sightingRoad crossing
Summer 2013 Grand Marais, Cook County, Minnesota Class B #43973

Canoers report a rock throw and possible grunts near Grand Marais

Two people were canoeing at night when a rock landed very close to them in the water though the distant shore appeared desolate. A short time later their canoe became grounded in a shallow channel between lakes and they heard a loud strange animal-like noise for about ten minutes that stayed just beyond flashlight range while surrounding wildlife went quiet. They freed the canoe and returned to the car for the night.

Rock throwingVocalization
20 December 2012 Matteson, Cook County, Illinois Class A #38395

Motorists have nighttime sighting north of Matteson

The witness was driving southbound through a forest preserve at night with his wife and daughter with headlights on high beam. Less than 50 feet ahead, a huge dark figure crossed the road from left to right in fewer than two steps. All three occupants saw it, noting its long, massive muscular arms and very large size.

Road crossingFull-body sighting
29 May 2012 Orland Park, Cook County, Illinois Class B #35593

Possible nighttime sighting by motorists along border of Orland Grove Forest Preserve

The witness was driving home late at night with a relative when they noticed a tall dark ape-like figure standing on the shoulder beside a wooded area. They slowed but did not stop, then turned around to look again and the figure was gone. The next day the witness reported the sighting to local police.

Full-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
16 November 2010 Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois Class A #28728

Daylight sighting by a motorist near Brookfield Zoo

The witness was driving in the morning when they saw a very tall, hairy figure running through woods beside the road. They stopped, pulled over, and went back to the spot on foot. There they found broken branches and a strong musky odor but no tracks or fur.

Partial sightingOdorTree break
2 November 2010 Midlothian, Cook County, Illinois Class B #28525

Possible vocalizations and stick structures found in Bachelors Grove Cemetery

On the morning of 2 Nov 2010 the witness, a companion, and an investigator were in heavily wooded preserve land by a cemetery looking at tree structures when sirens sounded. They distinguished a different howl-like sound about 200 to 300 yards to the north, heard three times in total. The sound was captured on audio and a segment was later isolated. No creature was seen.

Howl
August 2010 Matteson, Cook County, Illinois Class B #39851

Motorists have possible nighttime sighting in Green Belt Forest Preserve

A couple driving through a forest preserve at night with high beams on saw a large figure standing by a tree. They reported its head and shoulders turned to follow the car as they passed. They drove toward a nearby police station but decided not to report it, then later revisited the site in daylight.

Full-body sighting
22 July 2008 Sauk Village, Cook County, Illinois Class B #42150

Possible footprint and handprint found in Plum Creek Play Meadow - Forest Preserve

The witness reports finding a single large footprint along a forest trail in a small forest preserve and photographing it in daylight in July 2008. The print was estimated at 12 inches long and compared to a men's size 12 shoe. No creature was seen. A large hand print found the following summer is treated as a separate event.

Tracks
3 March 2007 Grand Marais, Cook County, Minnesota Class B #18221

Snowmobilers find several sets of large tracks on the Gun Flint Trail (w/photos)

The witness was snowmobiling with two companions in the Boundary Waters area when they found large human-like footprints in snow crossing lakes. They photographed the tracks over three days in March 2007 and reported measurements of about 16 inches long with a roughly six-foot stride. No figure was seen, only the tracks and an apparent light in one distant photo.

TracksPossible misidentification
23 July 1974 Midlothian, Cook County, Illinois Class B #45041

Man recalls possibly seeing a bigfoot playing peek-a-boo in headlights while parked west of Midlothian

The witness was parked in a car with two companions at a forest reserve pull-off on a summer evening when a large furry hand appeared gripping a tree. Moments later a large furry head peeked around the tree and quickly withdrew without approaching. The group left the area immediately and rarely spoke of the incident afterward.

Partial sighting
28 September 1968 Carpentersville, Cook County, Illinois Class A #12984

Nighttime sighting by motorists east of Carpentersville

Two companions lost while driving at night stopped beside a side road to turn around. A tall, dark-haired, upright creature crossed in front of their van from left to right, looking toward them. As they backed out, one thought it turned back toward the van, and they fled in fear.

Full-body sightingRoad crossing
15 August 1967 River Grove, Cook County, Illinois Class A #46494

Memory told of a daytime sighting in Schiller Woods

The witness was resting by the Des Plaines River during a bicycle ride when a hair-covered creature was seen across the river splashing in the water. After the witness coughed, the creature threw large rocks toward the witness, then crossed the river silently and confronted the witness at close range. The witness fled along a trail while hearing a loud howl and screaming and seeing additional shadowy figures across the river.

Full-body sightingSilhouetteRock throwingHowlScream
this July 2014 River Grove, Cook County, Illinois Related account #46494

Structure or nest near River Grove, Illinois

The witness returned to the area with a spouse in July 2014 and found a log structure resembling a shelter but saw no creature.

Structure or nest
worked nights for four years Glenwood, Cook County, Illinois Related account #51417

Vocalization near Glenwood, Illinois

The witness reports repeatedly hearing clicking, grunting and other unusual noises from nearby woods during four years of night shifts.

Vocalization
15 June 2009 Sauk Village, Cook County, Illinois Related account #42150

Handprint near Sauk Village, Illinois

The witness reported finding a single large possible hand print in the same area the following summer and photographing it in daylight.

Handprint