YEAR: 2003

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

DATE: 26

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Stephenson County

LOCATION DETAILS: It was in my 5 acre timber I own west of Illinois Route 73 south of Pearl City, Illinois.

NEAREST TOWN: Pearl City

NEAREST ROAD: Illinois Route 73

OBSERVED: I live in Freeport, Illinois in a trailer pk. I was out bow hunting in my timber I own. I got up in my tree stand about 6:50 a.m. while it was still dark, hoping a deer would come in right at light. I heard something come up under my tree, and it was breathing real hard. I thought it was a big deer at first, it stood at the base of my tree a good 10 minutes and left to my south-east. I could hear it walking away. About 7:10 to 7:15 am it was foggy, not real bad, a light fog, real thin. It was about 50 degrees out and fairly light by now.
I have good eyes and looking for deer, when I noticed this big human like figure. It was about 100 yards away from me. It walked to the east at a fast pace. I think it heard me go to my tree-stand. It knew I was in the tree. It acted like it was scared, I think I was more terrified when I heard its breathing under my tree then when I saw it walking. I tell my friends, and they think I am nuts. I'm not, I know when I see something like that, I did not believe in big-foot until I seen it that morning. I also seen large foot-prints in certain areas but never told anyone. I seen them for about 2 years after my sighting. Thank you.

ALSO NOTICED: Heavy breathing under my tree stand when I was up in it bow hunting when dark yet. And seen a huge man like about 7.5 feet tall , looked hairy , just after the sun came up, about 100 yards away, it was walking away from me on my neighbors land. It scared me to see how big it was, and I was happy to be up in my tree-stand, about 25 feet up. It stood and walked like a human but it was huge. It was a little foggy but I seen it clearly.

OTHER WITNESSES: none

OTHER STORIES: Not really, Every once in a while i will see some weird foot prints out there though. There 5 toes and about 16 inches long.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was a little foggy and warm, about 50 degrees. The sun was up for about 15 minutes when I seen it walking.

ENVIRONMENT: I have 80 foot hickory and oak trees. Also I have a lawn of about an acre which is clear, where I'm going to build a new home in the future. I have timber all around me where other neighbors live, probably about 100 acres around my timber.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

The following details can be added to the report:
- The animal was about seven and a half feet tall and weighed 350 and 400 pounds.
- It had a muscular build, with huge shoulders.
- The head was large and somewhat pointed towards the rear.
- Because of the distance he was not able to make out any facial details.
- The hair was light brown in color and about two inches long.
- The arms were long, it held one arm up and somewhat in towards the body.
- Upon descending from his tree stand the witness was able to follow the footprints as they left the tree stand area and proceeded to the east.
- The footprints were between sixteen and seventeen inches long.
- The footprints were about five inches in diameter at the ball and four inches at the heal.

About BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

Stan Courtney has a special interest in wildlife audio recording. He has attended numerous BFRO Expeditions. See Stan's blog StanCourtney.com for recordings he has collected over the years.

Stan Courtney can be reached at [email protected]