YEAR: 1961

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: June

DATE: ?

STATE: West Virginia

COUNTY: Wayne County

LOCATION DETAILS: Top of hill in clearing at base of pine thicket

NEAREST TOWN: Huntington WVa

NEAREST ROAD: 8th St road

OBSERVED: I'm a 65 year-old physician living in Ocala Fl. I grew up in Huntington WVa. When I was 14yo I was with my best friend (Bill Roberts) also 14yo and we were walking in the woods behind my grandparents' dairy farm. We had a 22G rifle with us and we had been roaming around for about an hour when we came to a clearing at the top of a hill. We suddenly saw an animal neither of us recognized. When we first saw it, it was bent over doing something with its upper extremities. We were mesmerized for several minutes and did not move. It then seemed to become aware of us....what happened next really freaked us out. It stood up on back legs and looked right at us. we were terrified...it was very tall...blackish colored hair..also was skinny in appearance with a tapered face. It was standing at the edge of a pine thicket. It turned away from us and jumped over a barbed wire fence. Even though we had a gun we ran as fast as we could back to the farm house to relate the story to my grandfather. I know this description is somewhat different from what you've probably heard, but we saw an animal I've never seen before or since. S******* P**** M.D.

ALSO NOTICED: tall skinny animal on two feet

OTHER WITNESSES: two

OTHER STORIES: no

TIME AND CONDITIONS: noon

ENVIRONMENT: pine forrest

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Russ Jones:

I have communicated with this physician living in Florida a number of times. Although the report is older its still important in terms of historical perspective. We have received several reports from this county, and this older sighting reinforces the BFRO's belief in the "the Halibut Effect", essentially stating that as long as the conditions are similar, there is a good chance of finding similar animals in the same places they have shown up through history.

In addition to what the witness has in the report, he has also added that it was a "frightening experience". Not because the animal was threatening in any way, but that it was an unknown animal which was seen. Without any question it was tall, black and bipedal. To this day he will not enter the woods without being armed.

I have met with dozens of witnesses and its very common to hear that the sighting was a "life altering" experience. Its very common to hear that the witness will think of the experience commonly over their lifetime.

About BFRO Investigator Russ Jones:

Dr. Jones brings a background of hunting, trapping and outdoor experiences together with undergraduate and graduate education. He is a master naturalist and has attended numerous public and private expeditions. He has led expeditions for the BFRO in Ohio and West Virginia. He has written two Bigfoot books, the last “The Appalachian Bigfoot” was an Amazon best selling book. He hosts the Wide Open Research Podcast on the Untold Radio Network. Dr. Jones may be contacted at [email protected]

• Explanation of the report classification system
• Submit a report for the sightings database
• Please send any comments or inquiries to [email protected]