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21 encounters
10 October 2014 Utica, La Salle County, Illinois Class A #46878

Hiker has a daylight sighting in Buffalo Rock State Park

The witness was standing on an effigy overlook in a state park around midday. A single upright animal reportedly emerged from brush about 50 feet away and traveled about 150 feet along a brushy river embankment before going back down toward the river, making crashing noise in vegetation. The witness observed it from the side and rear, describing it as tall, muscular, and dark, with long arms, but did not see its face.

Partial sightingMovement only
12 November 2013 Alto Pass, Union County, Illinois Class A #59073

Bow hunter has another daylight sighting from his stand near Alto Pass

The witness was sitting in a deer stand in the morning when they heard movement in the brush. A large dark animal then walked across a small clearing about 40 yards away. The witness watched it cross the clearing without being detected, and it never looked in their direction.

Full-body sightingMovement only
2 December 2012 Decatur, Macon County, Illinois Class B #37988

Late night observation by a home owner near Lake Decatur

The witness was smoking on the front porch at night when rustling was heard nearby. A dark massive upright figure stood up about 30 yards away, looked both ways, then ran across the street into a wooded area. Later that night the witness noted a musty odor and heard a deep scream-howl sound on and off.

Full-body sightingRoad crossingEyeshineOdorScream +2
14 August 2011 Peoria County, Illinois Class B #30510

Possible footprint found near Peoria

The witness was walking along a creek bed in heavily wooded terrain when they found a very large footprint with five distinct toes. After photographing it with makeshift scale items, they heard movement and a large branch being twisted on the hillside and left the woods. An investigator later visited the site with the witness and summarized the track as a 17-inch-long left-foot impression.

TracksMovement onlyTwist
7 August 2010 Shelby County, Illinois Class B #28144

Wood knocks, vocalizations and possible footprint found in rural cemetery near Shelbyville

Over a couple months of visits to a small rural cemetery, the witness and companions repeatedly heard wood knocks surrounding them, logs or objects being thrown, and a walnut thrown back toward them. They also heard growls, hissing, grunts, yells and screams on separate occasions, and once heard a large unseen thing charge to the cemetery edge then go silent. They never saw the source, reported no departing footsteps, and described a persistent feeling of being watched and warned from entering the woods.

Wood knockObject throwingGrowlVocalizationScream +2
5 May 2010 Princeville, Peoria County, Illinois Class B #27692

Mushroom hunter hears vocalizations and finds footprints near Jubilee College State Park

The witness was hunting with a dog on a sunny afternoon when the dog became agitated and a strong odor was noticed. The witness heard grunt-like noises followed twice by a loud scream or yell, plus cracking and movement in trees and brush, while the dog returned frightened with raised hair. After driving to a more open area across a shallow creek, the witness found two very large barefoot-like footprints that seemed too large and out of place to be human.

VocalizationScreamOdorTracksMovement only
21 October 2008 Elizabethtown Or Iron Furnace, Hardin County, Illinois Class B #24975

Family experiences large rocks being thrown and hear an unknown scream outside the Shawnee National Forest

The witness and two relatives were setting up a telescope near a group campfire when rocks landed near them on three occasions while movement was heard in dense dark woods with nothing seen. Those at the fire denied throwing anything. Hours later a loud high-pitched scream was heard that the witness did not recognize, and a next-day search found no clear footprints due to heavy leaf cover.

Rock throwingScreamMovement only
2 June 2005 Seneca, Grundy County, Illinois Class A #11831

Snake hunter has daytime sighting near Seneca

The witness was hunting snakes along roads in the evening and stopped to check a spot. Near a tree line opening the witness heard rustling and saw the upper rear portion of a large figure. The figure turned slightly toward the witness, then walked away. The witness also reported a strong musky odor.

Partial sightingOdorMovement onlyAnimal behaviour
9 October 1999 Atwood, Moultrie County, Illinois Class B #29241

Memory of possible vocalizations and rock throwing southwest of Atwood

The witness, then a child, was walking through woods and field toward ponds to feed fish when a loud high-pitched scream came from the woods and trees shook in a visible path without wind. After waiting, the witness continued to the pond embankment where a boulder-sized rock landed nearby from higher ground. Two sisters were present for the rock incident, and the witness reported repeated rock-throwing at that embankment and occasional feelings of being watched.

ScreamMovement onlyRock throwing
1984 Decatur, Illinois #http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bigfoothotspot/2017/11/03/sc-ep376-the-dog

Unidentified sound near Decatur, Illinois (1984)

The guest, age 14, moved with his parents into a rented house outside Decatur in 1984. Over months in his large bedroom he experienced a picture and nail falling, drawer opening, clock resetting, lamp failing, scratching on the headboard, blanket pulled off and yanked across the room, feeling of someone sitting on the bed, warm spots, phone chirping even unplugged, breath blown in his ear, and being bounced on his bed off its frame. After moving his bed to the other window and clearing the original wall, activity subsided.

Unidentified soundProperty disturbanceObject throwingMovement only
April 1980 Canton, Fulton County, Illinois Class A #10892

Youth has daylight sighting in swampy area near Canton Lake

The witness went to the bottom of a hill near a relative's home at Canton Lake to smoke. After hearing a crushing and rustling noise, the witness saw a tall black bipedal being about twenty yards away that looked at the witness and raised its arms. The witness then ran back up the hill to the relative's home.

Full-body sightingOdorMovement onlyAnimal behaviour
April 1978 Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois Class B #23760

Memory told of possible vocalizations and rocks thrown at Lake Kinkaid

In 1978 two people were fishing from a boat on a lake at dusk and stopped in a cove. They heard grunting and saw trees shaking violently on a brushy cliff, but saw no animal. Two large rocks were thrown from shore toward the boat, landing very close, prompting them to leave.

VocalizationRock throwingMovement only
Summer 1978 Pawnee, Sangamon County, Illinois Class B #28370

Memory told of a possible encounter and footprint found along Horse Creek north of Pawnee

Two companions walking along a wooded driveway in the afternoon heard unidentified tapping sounds and entered the woods to investigate. They found freshly matted grass and a human-like bare footprint with five toes in dried mud. Shortly after, the companion shouted to run as loud timber-breaking crashes and movement occurred in dense undergrowth behind him. The reporter did not see the source, but the companion reportedly saw something about seven feet tall, after which both fled to the driveway.

Unidentified soundTracksTree breakMovement onlyPartial sighting
8 June 1973 Prairie Du Rocher, Randolph County, Illinois Class B #42547

Woman recalls her possible encounter on a farm outside Prairie du Rocher.

The witness was camped alone with a dog near a sinkhole on a farm bluff to feed horses in the morning. After building a fire and cooking, loud grunts, growls and scream-like screeches came from the sinkhole while many young trees shook violently despite little wind. Horses stared then fled, the dog stayed close shaking, and a brief odd odor was noticed. Frightened, the witness doused the fire and left with the dog, and reports avoiding woods since.

VocalizationGrowlScreamMovement onlyOdor
24 August 1953 Lawrenceville, Lawrence County, Illinois Class B #49182

Memory told of a possible childhood encounter at Georgefield Barracks

The witness was staying at home with her older sister while her parents were out. After hearing movement outside and seeing a large head at the window, she opened the front door, turned on the porch light, and came face to face with a tall hair-covered figure. Her middle sister arrived and ran toward the figure, which then left and quickly disappeared. The sisters did not discuss the incident at the time and only recalled it decades later.

Partial sightingMovement only
Two nights later Carmi, White County, Illinois Related account #29360

Movement only near Carmi, Illinois

Two nights later the witness and companion heard something large crash around the property snapping branches and fled inside.

Movement only
around 10:30 at night Atwood, Piatt County, Illinois Related account #47469

Vocalization near Atwood, Illinois

While taking trash out at night, the witness heard huffing sounds from the tree line followed by something large moving away, and found similar-sized prints the next morning.

VocalizationMovement onlyTracks
As a kid Oregon, Ogle County, Illinois Related account #40475

Movement only near Oregon, Illinois

Throughout childhood the witness repeatedly felt watched in the woods, glimpsed fleeting movement, and saw dogs act strangely and block entry while growling.

Movement onlyAnimal behaviour
Just before Christmas of 2012 Godfrey, Madison County, Illinois Related account #41487

Movement only near Godfrey, Illinois

While putting up Christmas lights, the witness saw a large bush shake at the woods edge with no visible cause.

Movement only
the next night Makanda Or Cobden, Jackson County, Illinois Related account #40120

Wood knock near Makanda Or Cobden, Illinois

The night after the eyes encounter the group walked the same path hearing movement, twig snaps, snorting sounds and one woodknock.

Wood knockFootstepsMovement onlyVocalization