YEAR: 2011

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: May

DATE: 3

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Massac County

LOCATION DETAILS: (please do not post location online)

NEAREST TOWN: Metropolis

OBSERVED: To be honest, I’m very reluctant to submit this report but the pictures and details are simply too compelling to ignore.

Two months ago my wife and I purchased five acres of rural, wooded property here in Massac County, Illinois. I mow approximately two acres of this ground, with the rest of it being heavily wooded. I know nothing about Botany, so I can’t describe the vegetation on the property outside of an Oak and/or Silver Maple trees. Just take my word for it – it’s thick with trees and underbrush.

On May 3rd at 6:15p.m., my wife, myself, and my two boys sons went out to this new property to have a picnic at the cabin. I was half-way down the hill toward the cabin when my wife yelled, “Oh my gosh! Look at this - look at this!” She was up the slope close to our parked trucks, staring at the ground. I walked back up to her position and she was staring at this print on the ground (pictures attached). I had, evidently, walked right over the track without noticing.

I then searched the radial area around the track and found two more partial impressions. Growing more suspicious caused me to search the “bottoms” behind the cabin. I found a strange tree structure and photographed that, as well.

Listen, I’ve got a BS in Management Communication and am pursuing a Masters in Theology. I am also a local minister, so my credibility is at stake. I would never consider fabricating a story, much less a story like this one.

Now, we’ve got to use a little critical thinking, but this is where logic and reality seem to be in opposition. What makes a print like the one we’ve found on our property? There’s two plausible possibilities; (1) A very large, very heavy man or woman – with a 14+ inch foot - is walking around out in the cool spring air with no shoes, trespassing on private property, out in a rural part of the country, risking arrest or a bullet. Or (2), ?

I asked a good friend of mine, and member of the church, to take photos of the print using his 10 mega-pixal camera – the photos are truly incredible. He took several photos, including a “foot-in” and “foot-out” to show scale, two with a tape measure, one showing depth, and photos of the area via Google earth.

ALSO NOTICED: Two additional "partial impressions" - not discernable. Stick structure.

OTHER WITNESSES: Yes; 3. Walking toward our cabin.

OTHER STORIES: BFRO Report #25924

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 6:15 p.m., approximately 1 hour before sunset. Clear.

ENVIRONMENT: 20 degree grassy slope, mowed area, surrounded by heavily wooded area, approximately 75' from secondary roadway, rural Massac County.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

Although I have not been to this exact location I have made three on-site investigations less than a mile from his cabin.

A very interesting peripheral fact that the witness brought up is that BFRO Report #25924, a Class B Report from July 2009, is only 1.15 miles from this print on their property and the woods from BFRO Report # 25924, and their woods are adjoining.

In Summary regarding this report:

• The complete footprint was 14" long.
• It was 6" wide at the ball of the foot and 4" wide at the heel.
• The toes were all plainly visible.
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Editor's Note (Matt Moneymaker): This track looks quite fake to me. I can see the tell-tale clues of someone creating this impression by hand, with the help of a tool.
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The footprint showing the measurement of the length.



The footprint showing the measurement of the width.



The footprint showing the measurement of the depth.

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]