YEAR: 2011

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: December

DATE: 8

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Bond County

LOCATION DETAILS: Outside Greenville near Old Ripley

NEAREST TOWN: Greenville

NEAREST ROAD: Prairie

OBSERVED: I was in bed and heard my dogs barking outside. I went out in time to see the dog run under the porch and something duck into the woods.

I first thought it to be a large man in a coat but upon shouting and throwing a small stone into the trees discovered otherwise.

Responding to my shout it shrieked/howled and tossed the stone back at me. It landed at my feet and then silence took hold in the trees again. I ran inside in a panic and finding a flashlight headed out to search for the intruder. I found only torn twisted horseweed and snapped branches about five and a half feet up.

I have not seen it since but it stood easily six feet stooped, smelled like a rotting carcass even in the winter and walked on two then four legs. I have however seen trails in the woods before and after the incident that looked as if they were made by a very similar animal.

ALSO NOTICED: Just the smell, and his trail. It smelled of a rotting carcass and old urine.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just myself.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Late night, cold, clear, still. Porch light that illuminated 65% of the yard had a clear field of vision.

ENVIRONMENT: Wooded area with a slope leading into a large ravine, with creeks and fields on three sides.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

In summary:

- The animal was about six feet tall hunched over.
- The animal weighed about 250 to 300 lbs.
- Hair coloring was between dirty gray and brown.
- The witness was unable to see the face at all, only seeing the back of the head.

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]