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14 encounters
17 August 2023 Iowa #5affa7d3-f57d-453f-b37a-8d2aa07c05da

Whoop in Iowa (2023)

The guest and a friend arrived at dusk to camp in a remote state forest and set up tents and a fire. They heard a very loud whoop from the tree line, followed by six knocks in pairs and movement breaking branches in a ravine. After a quiet period they heard close vocalizations including a whoop, rapid chatter and a deep yowl, then saw a dark crouched outline lunge into the forest, after which they abandoned camp and drove home.

WhoopWood knockFootstepsChatterVocalization +1
August 2013 Fraser, Boone County, Iowa Class B #41845

Group of campers has strange encounters over three nights near Fraser

A group camping near a river spent three late nights walking north of their campsite to look for Sasquatch. They claim loud tree knocks, howls, grunts, heavy bipedal movement and red glowing eyes, plus a shadowy figure that rose from about five feet to about eight feet tall. They also claim a glow stick left on a gravel road was later found moved to the base of a hollow tree.

Wood knockFootstepsEyeshineHowlVocalization +3
October 2012 Bondurant, Jasper County, Iowa Class B #37336

Unexplained activity around a farm near Bondurant

The witness walked to a tree stand before dawn and heard whistles, footsteps, and a grunt while smelling a foul odor. The witness then saw two upright hairy figures, one about 4 feet tall and one about 6-7 feet tall, and one threw an object toward the stand. The witness yelled, climbed down, fled to an open corn field, and called a companion for a ride.

Full-body sightingWhistleGrowlOdorFootsteps +1
21 September 2012 Graf, Dubuque County, Iowa Class B #36514

Father and son are approached by three large bipeds while fishing at dusk west of Asbury

A father and son were night fishing from buckets on a creek bank facing a rocky, wooded bluff. They watched three large bipedal silhouettes approach through trees across the creek, with the first stopping close and squatting to observe them. After a smaller, more distant figure gave piercing screams and a closer figure answered with a guttural grunt, the figures started moving toward each other and the witnesses left for their truck.

SilhouetteScreamGrowlFootsteps
Spring 2010 North Liberty, Johnson County, Iowa Class B #35883

Possible encounter while volunteering at Macbride Raptor Project outside North Liberty

Two volunteers were feeding birds at a raptor center late at night when they heard something large moving in the woods beyond the cages. They followed sounds of heavy footsteps and snapping twigs along a walkway for about 30 minutes as it moved toward a reservoir inlet. Both reported seeing large red eyes during the pursuit but did not describe seeing a body.

EyeshineFootstepsMovement only
13 November 2009 Cresco, Winneshiek County, Iowa Class B #26922

Coon hunters shadowed for 20 minutes at night in Cardinal Marsh public hunting area

Three people with a dog were hunting raccoons at night along a deer trail when they noticed something following them. They used a spotlight to watch a large dark standing figure about 50 yards away with reddish eyes on multiple occasions over 15-20 minutes while hearing strange grunting. The dog stayed close and shook, and the group returned to the truck and left because they were scared.

SilhouetteEyeshineGrowlFootstepsAnimal behaviour
15 April 2007 Argyle, Lee County, Iowa Class A #29125

Turkey hunter has tense early morning sighting near Shimek State Forest

The witness was turkey hunting at dawn on a wet, still morning when he heard a rhythmic sound like footsteps approaching up a valley. A tall upright creature came into view about 50 yards away, stopped, stared at him, and crouched after he clicked off his shotgun safety before continuing on and disappearing. He did not shoot, then ran back to his truck. He later described a foul smell lingering after the encounter.

Full-body sightingFootstepsOdor
October 2006 Fayette, Fayette County, Iowa Class B #23448

Possible nighttime encounter by campers at Volga River State Recreation Area

Two companions were sitting at the edge of a harvested field at night making rabbit distress sounds to call coyotes. After hearing twigs snap, they saw a large dark man-like figure showing its upper torso and glowing eyes on a small hill at the treeline that did not move or speak. They returned to camp to confirm their companions were still there, retrieved a shotgun for safety, but the figure was gone when they went back.

Partial sightingEyeshineFootsteps
12 December 1999 Missouri Valley, Pottawattamie County, Iowa Class B #2509

Campers get visited in the middle of the night and hear vocalizations.

The witness and a companion were camping in separate tents. Around 2:55 a.m. the witness was awakened by footsteps circling the tent and stopping behind his head, then realized the companion was still inside his own tent. When the witness moved to go outside, the unseen visitor crashed away through trees toward the river. Neither camper saw anything, and both reported feeling watched all night.

Footsteps
September 1991 Van Wert, Decatur County, Iowa Class A #22147

Artifact hunter describes an unusual daylight encounter in a public hunting area near Van Wert

The witness walked into a creek to look for surface artifacts and climbed out of the creek bed. About 20 feet away he saw a hair-covered creature sitting asleep against an oak tree with its hands locked across its knees. He dropped back into the creek out of sight, after which the creature got up and ran east across a gravel road.

Full-body sightingGrowlFootsteps
March 1980 Saylorville, Polk County, Iowa Class B #26713

Possible approach to homes at night near the Des Moines River outside Saylorville

The witness was awakened at night by distressed dogs and heard a heavy, bipedal-sounding walker moving in dry reeds behind the house. Two large neighbor dogs repeatedly charged into the dark toward the sound and yelped as if struck, retreating to the porch light. The disturbance lasted about an hour and was also watched by family and neighbors. Days later the witness found reeds smashed flat along the fenceline and a large mashed area, but no identifiable footprints.

Footsteps
2 August 1977 Floyd, Floyd County, Iowa Class A #1630

Separate Iowa incidents over time in Floyd County area

Two people fishing at night from a riverbank shined a flashlight across the water and saw red eyes and a large dark body in overhanging limbs. The animal stood upright, waded toward them with loud splashing steps, then turned downriver continuing to walk bipedally while making a low guttural sound. The witnesses retreated to a nearby campground where the splashing remained audible and a dog was heard howling.

Full-body sightingEyeshineVocalizationFootsteps
September 1970 McGregor Iowa And Prairie Du Chien Across The Mississippi In Wisconsin, Clayton County, Iowa Class B #44740

Memory told of being chased off by frightening thumps and scream while hiking in Pikes Peak State Park

In September 1970 the witness and her husband were hiking a deserted trail in Pikes Peak State Park toward the Mississippi River overlook. From behind trees they heard extremely loud thumping sounds followed by an unfamiliar loud scream, without seeing the source. Frightened, they ran back to the ranger station to report what happened. Years later after watching television programs, the witness concluded the sounds were likely made by a bigfoot.

FootstepsScream
1 August 1959 Graf, Dubuque County, Iowa Class B #36817

Screams and stalking at a Girl Scout camp 13 miles west of Dubuque

In the summer of 1959 the witness was working as a counselor at a wooded Girl Scout camp. Over roughly two weeks, staff repeatedly heard footsteps moving through the tent area after dark, saw a dark figure near a hut, and found a director's tent ransacked, with deputies searching each day without finding anyone. On the final night the group heard extremely loud screams that moved from near a remote tent toward a pond and creek and found a large maple branch freshly broken off, leading the witness years later to wonder if the visitor had been a Bigfoot.

Full-body sightingRoad crossingSilhouetteFootstepsScream +2