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28 encounters
April 2015 West Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida Class B #48746

Turkey hunter discovers possible grass bed west of Melbourne

While turkey hunting the witness cut across a sawgrass field and found a large piled mound of pulled-up sawgrass interpreted as a bed or nest, larger than a pickup truck bed. He also noted nearby palmetto palms stripped of branches. An investigator later visited the remote site with the witness, measured and photographed the structure and examined its construction.

Structure or nestTree break
24 November 2013 New Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida Class A #42978

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.

Full-body sightingUnidentified sound
8 August 2013 Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida Class A #41892

Woman is startled to see a large hairy biped climbing her fence outside Clearwater

Around 1:55 a.m. the witness stepped outside to smoke and heard the chain-link fence rattle and brush breaking. Under a nearby security light she saw a large hairy creature straddling the fence; it turned, made eye contact, then swung its leg back over and dropped into the woods. She woke her daughter and both heard movement and smelled a foul odor, later finding the fence top bent and branches broken.

Partial sightingEyeshineOdorMovement only
May 2013 Everglade City, Monroe County, Florida Class B #65655

Possible camp stalking at Bear Island Campground in Big Cypress National Preserve

On the ninth night of solo primitive camping, the witness was lying awake in a tent when a very loud thud sounded in front of the tent. Movement was then heard in palmettos beside the tent, followed by human-like whistles exchanged from opposite sides and a guttural growl from behind the tent. The witness stayed inside without looking out and found a snapped limb nearby the next morning before leaving camp early.

WhistleGrowlFootstepsMovement onlyUnidentified sound +1
24 February 2013 Lake Helen, Volusia County, Florida Class B #40901

More possible activity from the "Mole Man" at Lake Helen

A mother and daughter at home at night felt and heard a powerful impact to the side of the house that shook the building but found nothing outside. A few nights later both were awakened by a similar house-shaking slam followed by a loud deep growl. They could not explain how an animal could strike with such force and initially wondered about a bear.

Property disturbanceGrowl
11 November 2012 Altoona, Marion County, Florida Class A #37275

Dusk sighting of a bigfoot tree knocking in the Ocala National Forest

The witness was trail riding in a remote forest area and became stuck in a mud hole, waiting hours for help. Hearing repeated knocking like something hitting a tree, the witness walked about 300 yards toward the sound and saw a very large hairy biped striking a pine with a stick. After stepping on a stick while backing away, the witness was noticed by the creature, which turned its whole body to look before running away on two legs carrying the stick, moving gracefully and silently.

Full-body sightingWood knock
19 October 2012 Chulaota, Orange County, Florida Class B #36710

Small school group observe man-like figure on two separate nights east of Orlando

Five people were driving at night hoping to see something. Three of them saw a large dark bipedal figure run quickly from a tree into a pasture toward a tree line. One reported huge widely spaced silver eye shine, and the group noticed a foul rotting-garbage odor after stopping and opening windows.

Full-body sightingEyeshineOdor
27 July 2012 Cassadaga, Volusia County, Florida Class B #36112

Possible nighttime sighting brings about ongoing investigation of several Cassadaga incidents and legend of the "Mole Man"

Two companions were driving at night in a doorless vehicle when they made a wrong turn onto a dead-end road. As they turned around, the passenger alerted the driver to eyeshine behind a large tree caught in the headlights. The driver then saw large eyes about six feet off the ground and a large brown shape behind the tree. Both were frightened and did not get a prolonged look.

EyeshinePartial sighting
2012–2015 Bunnell, Flagler County, Florida Class A #46728

Ongoing activity and sightings on a hunting lease in central Florida (witness sketch included)

At dusk in 2012 the witness was sitting alone in a tree stand during archery season. He heard a loud scream from a nearby swamp, then heard heavy footsteps circling behind him where he could not see. An object was thrown through the trees over him and a stone struck the tree he was in, after which he yelled toward the sounds and left for his truck.

ScreamFootstepsObject throwingRock throwing
18 September 2011 Palatka, Marion County, Florida Class B #35474

Bowhunter hears a massive crash and possible screams in the Ocala National Forest

The witness was bow hunting from a tree stand in Ocala National Forest. About 45 minutes after daylight he heard a loud crash he interpreted as something large thrown toward him from about 250 feet away, followed by a very loud scream that continued as the source moved away for at least 1,000 yards. He stayed in the stand out of fear and did not see the source because the forest was too thick.

ScreamObject throwing
4 September 2010 Groveland, Sumter County, Florida Class A #28237

Weekend camping trip in the Green Swamp is interrupted by a hairy, bipedal intruder

The witness and three companions were camping and sitting around a fire at night when the woods went quiet and they heard a tree being pushed over. They found a pine half pushed over, then heard a scream and loud growl. The witness shone a spotlight, first seeing the legs and then the full height of a tall hair-covered bipedal creature about 20-30 yards away. After watching it for several seconds as it walked away, the group left the campsite.

Full-body sightingScreamGrowlTree break
18 October 2009 Mascote, Sumter County, Florida Class A #28200

Father and son have very close daylight sighting in the Green Swamp

The witness and a relative were driving on a road through a hunting area late in the morning when they saw a large hair-covered biped beside the road at very close range. The vehicle passed within a few feet of the creature, then they turned around to look again. The creature had left the roadside and left a trail of disturbed vegetation and indistinct footprints. They described its size, build, hair, and facial features in detail.

Full-body sightingOdorTracksTree break
2 February 2008 Middleburg, Clay County, Florida Class A #24078

Teens stumble upon creature in Jennings Forest

The witness and a companion were walking home from a park through forest when they saw a tall hair-covered figure about 40 yards away. The figure was in a half-squat, then backed up and stood fully upright, at an estimated height of at least seven feet. Both witnesses fled the scene immediately.

Full-body sighting
February 2008 Wakulla, Wakulla County, Florida Class A #23570

Two hikers see an upright ape running off into the brush in Apalachicola National Forest

Two companions hiking in Apalachicola National Forest stopped at a shallow brook to cool off. After leaving the water they heard rocks colliding and sticks breaking and went to investigate. They glimpsed an ape-like biped charging away through thick brush, breaking limbs and leaving a foul odor. Afterwards they noted disturbed rocks and a partial heel print that later dried out and was not photographed.

Partial sightingTracksOdorTree breakUnidentified sound
5 May 2006 Jacksonville Fl, Duval County, Florida Class B #14719

Surveyor describes possible stick formations in woods near Jacksonville

The witness was patrolling near wooded wetlands late in the morning and noticed unusual limb arches, teepee-like and X formations near the road. While investigating on foot he felt watched and heard brush movement that seemed to shadow him without fleeing, but he never obtained a clear visual. He also reported a wet-dog-like odor in the swampy, wooded area.

Movement onlyOdorTree breakStructure or nestAnimal behaviour
15 June 2005 Middleburg, Clay County, Florida Class A #21879

Teens have very Close Encounter with Creature

The witness and two young companions were fishing on a private wooded property around noon. When the witness approached palmettos to check a noise, he saw eyes, heard a growl, and watched the creature stand to about nine feet tall. The group fled and returned hours later to find food and fish missing, poles scattered, and their shirts draped high in a live oak.

Full-body sightingGrowlOdorProperty disturbance
24 May 2005 Ormond Beach, Volusia County, Florida Class B #12068

Possible intimidation behavior experienced while shining for alligators in Ormond Beach

Two people were shining lights for alligators beside a lake at night when vegetation beside the dock shook and repeated knocking like wood hitting a tree was heard. A nearby tree then fell, and as they ran toward safety they heard heavy steps and grunting keeping pace parallel to them. About an hour later they returned and found a tall tree freshly snapped about eight feet up with dripping sap and a hair on a branch.

Movement onlyWood knockTree breakTwistFootsteps +2
15 June 2004 Salt Springs, Marion County, Florida Class A #23076

Road grader operator observes creature crossing logging road in Ocala National Forest

The witness was grading a remote forest road around noon when he spotted a large hairy creature about 200 yards ahead standing by the road and looking at him. After watching for about a minute, the creature crossed the road in three steps and disappeared into the woods. The witness drove to the crossing point and found large human-like footprints and broken branches, left food and water, and found them untouched on his return pass.

Full-body sightingRoad crossingTracksTree break
15 October 2000 Summerfield, Marion County, Florida Class B #598

Vocalizations and Footsteps heard

On the night of October 28, 2000 the witness was hosting an adult-only backyard barbecue party with about a dozen guests. Around 10 p.m. the group heard loud unidentified sounds from the woods near the back of the property and heard heavy footsteps breaking branches that sounded bipedal. Two men entered the woods with a flashlight but the source stayed distant and was never seen, and no tracks were found in deep oak leaves.

VocalizationFootsteps
22 August 2000 Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida Class A #446

Security Guards have sighting while on duty near Jacksonville

Around 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 1, 2000, the reporter and a fellow security officer were standing outside a guarded building talking. The fellow officer reacted and said he saw a tall, all-black, heavily built figure near the tree line that moved out of view around another building. The reporter himself saw nothing, and a search on foot and by vehicle found nothing.

Full-body sighting