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459 encounters
15 March 2003 South East Orlando, Orange County, Florida Class B #25577

Kayaker smells a terrible odor and then sees a hair-covered figure on the Econlockhatchee River

The witness was kayaking ahead of a companion on a narrow river on a cool clear morning when a thick musty odor hit. The witness then saw a wide mass of long shiny fur rise near the bank and run away through dense woods, snapping small trees. The odor lingered so strongly the witness held breath and paddled away for fresh air.

Partial sightingOdorTree break
18 February 2003 Caryville, Washington County, Florida Class A #5884

Road crossing sighting by motorist

Early on February 18, 2003, the witness was driving east on Interstate 10 when lights from a passing tractor-trailer revealed a figure stepping onto the highway. He slowed, turned on high beams, and watched a tall reddish-haired non-human creature trot across both lanes and the shoulder in a few steps. The observation lasted up to about 30 seconds from about sixty to seventy yards away.

Full-body sightingRoad crossing
Summer 2003 Middleburg., Clay County, Florida Class A #18065

Daylight sighting by two young female hikers in Jennings State Forest

Two companions hiking a trail to pick berries rounded a corner and saw a tall dark furry figure about 40-50 yards ahead moving away through palmettos, with only the upper body visible. The companion reported loud thrashing and breaking vegetation while the reporting witness recalled no sound. After about half a minute they fled the area in fright.

Partial sightingFootstepsPossible misidentification
14 November 2002 Jay, Santa Rosa County, Florida Class B #10192

Possible vocalizations and tracks found by hunter on state land near Jay

The witness was scouting for deer sign on a swampy island reachable only with chest waders on a cold clear early afternoon. After the woods became quiet, the witness heard a single call that started like owl hooting and ended with monkey-like sounds and felt another presence nearby. The witness later reported finding large tracks with distinct toes.

VocalizationTracks
January 2002 St. Augustine, St. Johns County, Florida Class B #7109

Possible vocalizations heard by hunters and a biologist in Guana River WMA

The witness and a companion had finished hog hunting and were talking with the check-station attendant about an hour after dark when they heard several loud, high-pitched screams lasting several seconds from woods behind the station, followed by brief sounds of vegetation movement. The group, all familiar with local animal sounds, could not identify the source and agreed it did not match bobcat, hog, bird, or small prey. Shaken by the intensity, the brothers left the area.

ScreamMovement only
December 2001 Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida Class A #5702

New Year's Eve, two cousins observe creature watching them

On New Year's Eve evening the witness and a companion were playing near a wooded area behind a relative's house during a fireworks gathering. They saw a very large furry figure with red eyes standing partly behind a tree watching them, then saw it walking away on two legs with an ape-like limping gait. Both ran back to tell their parents, then returned minutes later with a flashlight but the figure was gone.

Partial sighting
29 June 2001 New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida Class B #2848

Large humanoid figure seen at night near beach

The witness and a companion were standing on a boardwalk at night when they saw a dark upright figure walking at the edge of the surf. The figure moved south with a smooth, long stride and swinging arms before disappearing down the beach. No footprints were left because it was walking slightly in the water.

Full-body sighting
March 2001 Chokoloskee, Collier County, Florida Class B #2915

Campers hear unfamiliar vocalizations at night in the Everglades

The witness stayed at a remote boat-access camp fishing from the bank while others were away night-fishing or asleep. Around 11:30 p.m. the witness heard two identical loud piercing screams about 30 seconds apart from an estimated 75-100 yards away. No source was seen and no boats were heard, and the witness later told the returning companions about the sounds.

Scream
January 2001 Hillsborough County, Florida Class A #26377

Young man has a close daylight encounter while riding his bike along the Hillsborough River

The witness was riding a bike on a trail in a state park in the afternoon and stopped to look at alligators. After hearing rustling, the witness saw a large dark hairy figure standing nearby looking at them. After about 10 seconds the figure ran away on two feet, and the witness rode quickly back to camp to tell relatives.

Partial sighting
Winter 2001 Everglades City, Collier County, Florida Class A #16303

Daylight sighting by motorist near Everglades City, off Turner River Road

The witness was traveling west along an easement road on a clear afternoon when an animal was seen at close range. The animal was on all fours with its front raised, paused to look at the witness for a few seconds, then ran away quadrupedally without ever standing. The witness described it as dark brown, short-haired and ape-like, estimating about two and a half to three feet tall on all fours.

Full-body sighting
2001–2002 Port Charlotte, Charlotte County, Florida Class A #45137

Husband and wife have close encounter while roller blading outside Port Charlotte

A couple rollerblading in the mid-afternoon stopped after noticing a large reddish-brown animal on all fours near the road. The animal looked up at them, then ran directly toward them at high speed, appearing to float with its hair flowing, before veering into woods to the north. The witnesses fled on skates, and the witness avoided that stretch of route for months afterward.

Full-body sighting
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
10 October 2000 Southport, Bay County, Florida Class B #13313

Possible vocalizations heard by four-wheelers near Southport

Three people were driving slowly in a Jeep through woods north of Panama City in fall 2000 and stopped to make a navigational decision. They twice heard an extremely loud, strange vocalization they described as screams or howls. Despite lifelong familiarity with local wildlife, all three agreed they could not identify the source.

ScreamHowl
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
July 2000 Live Oak, Suwannee County, Florida Class B #33784

Car pulling camper hits something on US 129 South of Live Oak

Four men were driving south late at night towing a loaded travel trailer when a tall dark form ran toward the road on two feet. The car passed in front of it, but the trailer struck it with enough force to lift the trailer off the ground. The occupants stopped, backed up, and inspected the vehicles and roadway but found no body, blood, hair, or damage.

Partial sightingRoad crossingVehicle contactPossible misidentification
June 2000 Crestview,holt, Santa Rosa County, Florida Class A #9113

On the way to work, motorists have morning road-cross encounter near Eglin

The witness and a companion were driving through a wooded reservation on the way to work when they stopped by a dirt road. After getting back in the truck, the witness saw a large dark figure emerge from the treeline and cross the road in a few long strides while glancing toward them. They drove to the other side of a gully, noticed a strong odor, but the figure was gone and no tracks were later found.

Full-body sightingRoad crossingOdor
February 2000 Interlochen, Florida #http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bigfoothotspot/2016/04/17/sc-ep211-running-right-into-a-creatureliterally

Sasquatch sighting near Interlochen, Florida (2000)

On a cold Friday winter night under a full moon, the witness ran at full speed into an upright hairy figure while trying to ambush children walking the dirt road. He stared at it from about two feet for up to two minutes, noting size and mange-like appearance, before it swung hand-over-hand through trees into swamp water. He was left with an overpowering sweet garbage-like body odor lasting days and moved his family away within weeks.

Full-body sightingOdor
1 January 2000 Dunnellon, Marion County, Florida Class A #12921

Birder has daylight sighting in Rainbow Springs State Park

On New Year's Day morning the witness was birdwatching off-trail in a Florida state park when they noticed a hairy arm gripping a pine with a nest box about 100 yards away. Through binoculars they watched a hair-covered creature hug the opposite side of the trunk, peeking out and shifting to stay hidden for several minutes. When the witness stepped closer, the creature dropped and fled unseen through saw palmettos, leaving a wake of moving vegetation.

Partial sighting
2000–2001 Gulf Hammock, Levy County, Florida Class A #14457

Daylight sigting by a deer hunter near Gulf Hammock

While hunting deer with dogs, the witness stood alone on a dirt road watching the tree line. A tall gray hair-covered figure crossed the road in two strides and continued without reacting to her presence. She left to find another hunter, and later told camp companions who said it was a swamp monkey.

Road crossingFull-body sighting
Summer 2000 Gainsville, Alachua County, Florida Class A #27076

Woman has close daylight sighting while driving through Payne's Prairie outside Gainesville

The witness was driving in the early morning with a young child when a hair-covered biped crossed the road in front of the car and paused. The witness stopped a short distance away and watched the figure before it continued across the road and disappeared into roadside vegetation. The figure was described as muscular and wearing a crude covering draped over its shoulders.

Full-body sightingRoad crossing