YEAR: 1979

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 15

STATE: Alabama

COUNTY: Jefferson County

LOCATION DETAILS: Just off Hwy 31, Warrior Exit

NEAREST TOWN: Warrior

NEAREST ROAD: Hwy31

OBSERVED: In the early fall of 1979, my cousin and I were following some trails through the woods near my home. These were trails that myself as well as the other neighborhood kids frequented often on bikes as well as foot. It was a sunny day and warm. After going approxiametly 60 yards into the woods I looked up onto a hill that was to the left of the trail that we were traveling on. There standing, looking directly at us, among some small pine trees, was a very large being. It was standing straight up on two legs, it was huge, at least 7ft tall, covered with medium brown hair. It was standing as if frozen, I can still picture its arms and hands for some reason; his hands were just like a man's except larger and covered with hair. It's face was not totally covered with hair. I froze in place and whispered to my cousin "what is that?". She thought I had seen something on the ground she was not looking on the hill. I just took off running as fast as I could toward the road, out of the woods. When we were a good distance away I then told my cousin what I had seen and later we returned with a stick and large rock in hand but there was not sign of it. There was also nothing on that hill that could have been construed as being anything like I saw.

ALSO NOTICED: None

OTHER WITNESSES: My cousin was present but did not see the creature. However, she witnessed my terror.

OTHER STORIES: Strange noises have been reported through the years, but were discounted as nothing. The noises usually resonated from the direction of the river.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Mid-day, clear, sunny, warm.

ENVIRONMENT: Wooded area, pine trees, some hard woods, Warrior River a mile or less away, undeveloped.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

The witness stated that the animal was about fifty yards up the hill from her. She remembers distinctly that the arms hung down close to its knees.

She was not close enough to make out facial features other than it appeared more humanlike than gorilla.

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 illinois@bfro.net