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366 encounters
7 April 2000 Fenton, Whiteside County, Illinois Class A #29287

Memory told of a daylight sighting as a youth near Fenton

The witness, then a teenager, was playing with a companion on a relative's wooded property when the companion came running back in panic. The witness then saw a tall, bulky, dark-brown-furred figure standing about sixty feet away beyond a gate, poking the ground with a stick. After briefly watching, the witness fled to the house, and a later search of the area found no tracks or other sign.

Full-body sightingOdorAnimal behaviour
March 2000 Albion, Edwards County, Illinois Class B #34919

Motorist has a possible nighttime sighting west of Albion

Late at night the witness was driving home from work when a strong odor was noticed through an open vehicle window. The witness then saw a very large dark figure beside the road between a ditch and a field about 120 feet away in the headlights, moving upright and pausing as the vehicle passed. The witness was frightened and said the figure was not a coyote, wolf, or bear known from the area.

Full-body sightingOdor
January 2000 Rushville, Schuyler County, Illinois Class A #40457

Memory told of a close encounter by motorists just north of Rushville

The witness was driving with a relative on a highway through woods at night when headlights illuminated a tall dark bipedal figure standing in the road. The figure bent down, picked up a smaller dark figure, looked toward the car, then carried the smaller figure against its chest while moving quickly on two legs into the woods. Both occupants of the car observed the figure and were left in shock.

Full-body sighting
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
15 September 1999 Kewanee, Henry County, Illinois Class A #8696

Nighttime sighting of gray upright animal near Kewanee

Late at night the witness was driving home from a second-shift job along a rural road by Mud Creek. The headlights illuminated a tall, greyish hairy figure standing on two legs and leaning on a wire fence beside a cornfield. After a few seconds the figure turned and ran on two legs into the corn toward nearby woods.

Partial sighting
Fall 1999 Karnak, Pulaski County, Illinois Class A #24544

Motorist has a nighttime sighting near Karnak

The witness was driving slowly on a rural gravel road at night when bright eyes were seen beside the road. A very tall, heavy, hair-covered biped stepped onto the road about 20 feet ahead, walked across, paused to stare at the vehicle for a few seconds, then continued crossing. The witness rolled up the windows and locked the doors out of fear and reported no unusual odor.

Full-body sightingRoad crossingEyeshine
Summer 1999 Cuba, Fulton County, Illinois Class B #38765

Recollection of possible encounters at a cemetery in the village of Cuba

Late at night four friends walking past a graveyard noticed a very large object resting on a branch in a large tree. After they shone a flashlight at it, the object dropped about twenty feet and ran quickly toward woods behind the graveyard. The witness returned at sunrise and found very large impressions in the grass with a stride neither he nor a taller companion could match, leading him to estimate the creature at seven to nine feet tall.

Partial sightingTracks
28 September 1998 Stewardson, Shelby County, Illinois Class A #42794

Memory told of a nighttime highway crossing near Stewardson

The witness and a companion were driving at night when a tall greyish bipedal figure ran from one cornfield across the highway into another cornfield about 30 yards ahead of them. It crossed ditches and the road in a few strides with its arms swinging at its sides. They slowed but could see little in the dark, and a next-day search found no sign because the corn on both sides had been harvested that morning.

Full-body sightingRoad crossing
26 September 1998 Vandalia, Fayette County, Illinois Class B #18059

Possible footprints found five miles east of Vandalia

The witness and a companion were walking a foot path around a lake in a small park. They found two large footprints crossing the path from the lake side into the woods and photographed them. The area was unusually quiet and the witness recalled feeling as if they were being watched.

Tracks
September 1998 Carmi, White County, Illinois Class B #29360

Couple hears possible vocalizations a few miles outside of Carmi

While smoking outside under a tree late at night, the witness and companion heard prolonged loud moaning howls coming from behind a neighboring house. The sound lasted at least two minutes and was unlike any familiar local animal. Frightened, they ran inside, after which the sound could no longer be heard.

Howl
May 1998 Hardin, Calhoun County, Illinois Class A #202

Woman sees black shiny figure standing by tree disappear into forest

The witness was riding in a truck at daybreak when she saw a small black furry animal standing upright by a tree beside the road. She did not mention it at the time and no one else in the truck noticed it. It turned sideways and disappeared quickly into the vegetation in less than a minute.

Partial sighting
11 October 1997 Otterville, Jersey County, Illinois Class B #30645

Motorists have possible late night sighting south of Otterville

The witness and a companion were driving at night after dinner when their headlights illuminated a dark furry figure on the side of the road. The figure was bent over and then stood up as they passed, showing only its backside, with its hips roughly level with the hood of a small pickup. The witnesses drove back to look again but the figure was gone. The witness kept the account private for years for fear of ridicule.

Partial sighting
September 1996 Riverton, Sangamon County, Illinois Class A #34728

Recollection of a daylight sighting as a youth in Riverton

The witness was riding a minibike on trails in wooded river bottoms when he lost control and crashed in a sand pit among shrubbery. As he looked up, he saw a large, heavily built, reddish-haired hominoid-like figure standing by a tree about 25 yards away. The figure looked at him briefly and then walked into thick brush.

Full-body sighting
29 June 1996 Freeburg, St. Clair County, Illinois Class A #55224

Memory told of daylight sighting while dirt bike riding east of Freeburg

The witness was riding a small motorcycle to a lake in old strip mines in the late afternoon. She saw a hairy figure squatting at the water's edge appearing to sift or dig with its hands. The figure turned and moved very quickly toward her, prompting her to flee; when she looked back it was gone. A relative later checked the spot and found no sign anyone had been staying there.

Partial sighting
Winter 1995 Dawson, Sangamon County, Illinois Class A #15251

Multiple witness motorist sighting on Rt 36 east of Riverton

The witness was driving with a companion when they came upon an animal lying in the middle of the road and swerved to avoid it. The animal stood up on two feet, watched them as they drove around and away, and then left on foot bipedally. The witness described it as huge with white to grayish fur and later wondered if it could have been a Bigfoot.

Full-body sighting
22 October 1994 Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois Class A #19910

Nighttime sighting by property owner near Kishwaukee River.

Late at night at the witness's home near dense woods, the witness was getting into a car when a noise prompted turning on the headlamps. A tall figure was seen peeking from behind a tree about 30 feet away and held eye contact for several seconds. The figure then turned and ran for several hundred feet, clearing a 5-6 foot fence without breaking stride despite fog.

Full-body sightingPartial sightingUnidentified sound
1994–1995 Bunker Hill, Macoupin County, Illinois Class A #23418

Camper has nighttime sighting outside of Bunker Hill

Late at night on July 4th while camping behind a relative's house, the witness left the campsite with a flashlight to use the bathroom. About a minute down the trail, a large dark-furred biped crossed the trail about 20 feet away, paused to look at the witness after the witness gasped, then walked away. The witness dropped the flashlight, ran back to camp panicked, and later declined to sleep outside.

Full-body sightingGrowlUnidentified soundAnimal behaviour
20 November 1993 Hettick, Macoupin County, Illinois Class A #37697

Memory told of a sighting at dawn while deer hunting north of Hettick

The witness was deer hunting from a tree stand at sunrise when they heard twigs snapping and then a very loud yell/scream. A dark brown figure walking upright, estimated at 6.5 to 7 feet tall, then crossed about 20 yards between two timber areas. The figure did not appear concerned by the witness's presence.

Full-body sightingScream
September 1992 Carlinville, Macoupin County, Illinois Class A #24673

Large shaggy creature crosses road behind girls walking at night near Carlinville

In September 1992 the witness and three companions were walking around a lake at night when a tall hairy biped crossed the road very close behind them. The witness and a sister saw it, screamed, and the group ran back to the house where they stayed awake fearfully the rest of the night. The height was later revised from about 13 feet to eight to nine feet, with shaggy dark hair and a husky build described.

Full-body sightingRoad crossing
16 November 1991 Columbia, St. Clair County, Illinois Class A #33638

Woman recalls her night time sighting while fishing behind her home near Columbia

The witness was fishing alone at night in the pond behind her house when she heard a huff-growl behind her and turned to see a figure standing and watching her. When the figure moved, she became frightened, dropped her fishing pole, and ran up the hill to the house. She states she never fished at night or alone again.

GrowlFull-body sighting