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1,796 encounters
7 July 1983 N. Ft. Myers/Riverdale, Lee County, Florida Class B #20333

Possible Nighttime Encounter by Girls on Horseback north of Ft. Myers

The witness and a companion were riding horses at night along a dirt road bordered by ditches, woods and pastures when the horses became nervous. The witness heard something moving parallel to them in the woods, keeping pace even as they urged the horses from a gallop to a full run across several fence lines. The parallel movement stopped where the woods ended at the edge of the witness's property. A later search by truck found where something had been, but the creature was never seen.

FootstepsOdor
July 1983 Seneca, La Salle County, Illinois Class A #11911

Campers have lengthy nighttime encounter near Seneca

Two companions camped in a remote wooded area after clearing a small site and lighting a fire. For several hours something circled the camp a few yards away, producing walking and breathing sounds and a musky odor. One companion glimpsed the figure in firelight as a much taller and wider upright figure, and it followed them out and crossed a road in a few steps as they left.

Partial sightingRoad crossingFootstepsUnidentified soundOdor +1
June 1983 Probably Bissett, Manitoba Class B #23849

Backcountry campers in the Nopiming Provincial Park are approached and hear vocalizations

While camping on an island during a multi-day canoe trip, the witness and a companion heard a distant crying-like sound that grew louder and became high-pitched growling as something paced on the opposite shore after dark. They tracked the sounds with flashlights but never saw the source, though they thought trees were swaying. After a rifle shot was fired over the sounds, the vocalizations stopped and the source was heard running away through the forest.

VocalizationGrowlFootstepsTree breakMovement only
May 1983 Mechanicsburg, Champaign County, Ohio Class A #5311

Large hairy creature and footprints seen along fence line on property with past activity

The witness visited a friend's farm after loaning a truck and found a very large footprint in mud, attempting a plaster cast. Later he saw a dark figure bobbing while holding a tree limb across a field, then saw a hairy long hand touching the plaster. The friend confirmed seeing the distant figure and the friend's wife reported hearing breathing near a shed, followed by rustling and barefoot sounds.

TracksPartial sightingSilhouetteFootstepsMovement only +1
March 1983 Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida Class A #25978

Bluff charge by a sasquatch at sunrise on Manatee River, 30 miles south of Tampa

The witness returned early in the morning to a familiar fishing spot by a river. A large hair-covered creature stepped onto the trail, noticed the witness, and ran toward them. The witness climbed over a tall fence to escape and was confronted face-to-face across the fence before fleeing along the fence line as the creature chased from the other side until it was stopped by dense vegetation.

Full-body sightingGrowlFootsteps
Early summer of 1983 Duluth, Minnesota #gid://art19-episode-locator/V0/NQZPbxMC39Tlwf-PX2v5G33-jlhNSUjSgIYO5AEFnrI

Scream near Duluth, Minnesota (1983)

The witness and girlfriend walked onto a moonlit golf course green late at night. A large tree began thrashing with loud grunts, yells and a lion-like scream. They ran downhill to the car as a tall hairy wide-shouldered creature dropped, pursued and flanked them, and they escaped by driving to town.

ScreamGrowlFull-body sightingFootsteps
December 1982 Weatherford, Parker County, Texas Class A #9810

While parking near Sunshine Lake, teens have late night encounter

The witness and a companion were sitting in a parked car at night near a creek when wildlife sounds stopped and bipedal footsteps approached. The witness attempted to drive away and briefly saw a broad-shouldered brownish-black animal moving on two legs into the creek. The pair left to get help and later returned with others.

Partial sightingFootsteps
November 1982 Cabool, Douglas County, Missouri Class A #40087

Man recalls encounters while camping with his hunting party south of Cabool

Three teens sitting around a campfire at night heard a sound behind their tents and went to investigate without lights. A tall figure stepped out from behind a tree close to them, prompting them to flee to camp, arm themselves, and enlarge the fire. For about 45 minutes they heard heavy footsteps from multiple directions and watched several figures circling and staring from just beyond the light until the adults returned and the group left for town.

Full-body sightingSilhouetteFootstepsUnidentified soundAnimal behaviour
October 1982 Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, North Carolina Class A #3335

Deer hunter witnesses a large, gorilla like animal

The witness, a teenager on a deer-hunting trip on private wooded land in North Carolina, was waiting in a tree stand in the morning when he noticed a strong bad odor and then heard twigs snapping. He watched the upper half of a large dark-furred creature about 50 yards away standing in one spot eating leaves for several minutes before it walked away while still audible. When companions arrived he recounted the sighting and they suggested it was a bear, which he rejected because he had seen a bear earlier that day.

Partial sightingOdorFootstepsAnimal behaviour
October 1982 Park Hill, Cherokee County, Oklahoma Class B #40280

Memory told of a possible encounter that ends a camping trip early near Park Hill

While camping with fraternity companions near a river at night, the witness and two companions went to gather firewood near a brush-covered hill. They heard something large moving through dense brush toward them, breaking branches, with heavy bipedal-sounding steps and a musty stagnant-water odor. After retreating to the campfire and later returning with additional group members, the group heard rapid heavy steps approaching and fled in a vehicle, without ever seeing the source.

FootstepsOdorMovement onlyTree break
September 1982 Mecosta, Mecosta County, Michigan Class B #9568

Teen hears extremely loud vocalization along path near home

As an eighth-grader, the witness walked alone late at night along a familiar wooded shortcut toward home. In pitch darkness he heard an extremely loud, high-pitched scream from about 20 to 30 feet directly ahead, followed by loud crashing as the unseen source moved rapidly downhill toward a lake. He fled home at full speed and never saw what made the sounds.

ScreamFootsteps
September 1982 MORGANTOWN, Morgan County, Indiana Class B #2406

Three teens in tree platform attract something using coyote call

The witness and two companions sat on a raised platform in the woods at night while a coyote call imitating a wounded rabbit was blown for about half an hour. They then heard something circling the platform in dense underbrush with loud footsteps and deep grunting while the surrounding woods went silent. They could not see the source at the edge of the flashlight beam and eventually climbed down and ran to a nearby house.

FootstepsVocalization
September 1982 Tumalo, Deschutes County, Oregon Class B #63779

Branch breaks and close vocalization heard while cutting pole trees mid day, near Tumalo

The witness returned with a companion to collect previously cut poles at the end of a logging road. After about 20 minutes they heard something breaking limbs while approaching from the ridge and retreated to the truck. When the witness stepped toward a large fir tree, an extremely loud guttural roar came from behind it, and both fled leaving tools behind.

FootstepsVocalization
15 July 1982 I'm Not Sure, I Was 13, Pierce County, Washington Class B #19937

Man recollects he and his family being followed and hearing close vocalization on Mt. Rainier

In summer 1982 the witness was hiking with five relatives down a forest trail near Mt. Rainier after finding a wood carving vandalized. The group heard heavy pacing footsteps in the woods that stopped when they stopped walking and resumed when they walked. They then heard a loud howl described as having two simultaneous tones, after which the whole group ran to their vehicle and drove away.

FootstepsHowl
11 July 1982 Concrete, Whatcom County, Washington Class B #4392

Camper hears heavy footsteps at night around tent at Baker Lake

The witness was sleeping in a tent at a lakeside campground with family around 1-2 a.m. when heavy rapid footsteps passed the tent, paused at the picnic table where faint silverware clanking was heard, then left the campsite. It was too dark to see anything and the witness stayed inside the tent. A morning search found no tracks because the ground was dry.

FootstepsProperty disturbance
July 1982 Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio Class B #10421

A couple has a frightening encounter in Shawnee State Forest

The witness and a companion drove to a picnic area in a forested area at dusk to relax after bowling. While outside the car the witness heard loud heavy strides coming up the hillside, followed by a low growl-like sound, prompting both to get in the car to leave. As they drove away something thumped against the car. Later under bright lights they found large handprints in the dust on the roof, side panel and door.

FootstepsGrowlVehicle contactHandprint
July 1982 Mendocino County, California Class A #2198

Creaure heard running away by campers.

The witness stayed behind from dinner with a bloody nose and, while at a restroom, heard slow footsteps moving in brush hidden by high bushes. After telling other campers at dinner, the group returned and found large manlike footprints in hard ground. When footsteps were heard again, the witness and another camper chased the source uphill, heard it running away, and found only toe-prints.

FootstepsTracks
6 June 1982 INTERLOCHEN, Grand Traverse County, Michigan Class B #28805

Camper recounts late night experience and finds footprints near Interlochen

Three people camped without tents in woods near Traverse City. During the night they heard movement around camp and sounds of something disturbing the vehicle, but waited until daylight to check. In the morning they found ferns flattened in a circle around the camp and very large footprints on a sandy road and by a creek, which the witness believes was a Bigfoot.

FootstepsVehicle contactTracksProperty disturbance
June 1982 Steelville, Crawford County, Missouri Class B #6775

Child has daylight sighting along Meramec River

While camping with family and friends, the witness's young son ran from a dirt road saying he saw a tall hair-covered man. Later that evening the group heard heavy walking and loud limb-snapping in the adjacent woods and noticed a dead-like smell. The next day they found a bulldozed trail with broken limbs and saplings where the sounds had come from.

Full-body sightingFootstepsTree breakOdor
April 1982 Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County, California Class A #25444

High school teacher recalls a nighttime sighting while camping in the Los Padres National Forest

Four people camped by a river heard a loud crashing sound while eating dinner. They saw a large hairy biped running down a nearby trail illuminated by their campfire. After they yelled it glanced toward them, continued over a ridge and out of sight within seconds. They kept watch in shifts overnight and found no tracks the next morning.

Full-body sightingFootstepsMovement only