YEAR: 1998

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 26

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Fayette County

LOCATION DETAILS: For some reason I can't remember how we found the park.

NEAREST TOWN: Vandalia

NEAREST ROAD: Interstate I - 70

OBSERVED: My wife and I were out driving around checking out the countryside and came across this park. We got out to take a walk and enjoy the weather and the woods. We decided to walk the foot path. I started to take pictures of the lake and the trees. When we started down the path I noticed some tracks crossing the path. I told my wife to come look. The foot prints came from the lake across the path and in to the woods. I told her these look like bigfoot prints so I took some photos of them. When I think back it was real quiet and it felt like somebody was watching us.

ALSO NOTICED: Foot prints and I have pictures of them, also it was real quiet. I sent my pictures to pictures dot com.

OTHER WITNESSES: My wife and I.

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Daytime. It was about 3 or 4 pm in the afternoon, sunny and cool.

ENVIRONMENT: It was some state park, can't remember the name. There was lake on the left with some tall grass surrounding it and thick woods of pine trees on the right with a foot path going around the lake.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with both witnesses by phone. The following details can be added to the report:

- The witnesses were about 5 miles east of Vandalia and could not provide the name of the small park.

- The witnesses found two footprints in soft soil, the area had received rain the day before.

- The footprint was 15 inches long and about 6 inches wide.

- The distance between the two footprints was great enough that the husband, who is 6 foot tall, was unable to match the stride.

- The pictures do show all five toes. However, neither photo contains enough detail to include with this report.

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]