YEAR: 1977

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: May

DATE: 1

STATE: Colorado

COUNTY: Montrose County

LOCATION DETAILS: North of Montrose, the old Airport road, which is now called 64.50 Road

NEAREST TOWN: Montrose

NEAREST ROAD: 64.50 Rd

OBSERVED: Witness, 38, who requested confidentiality, was a young teen in junior high school at time of the incident.

Witness, who will be called Jeff, said he and his friend were alone at his parents house one night when the friend, since deceased, noticed "something" looking into the house through the front door. Since the friend was "always a kidder," Jeff just looked outside to call his friend's bluff. "But sure enough, there was this head looking at us.'' He said since it was dark, few details were visible, but he described it as "like a coconut.''

"We freaked out, so we ran into mom's bedroom and grabbed the .22 and loaded it with bullets. I told (the friend) to go lock the door, but he said no way. So we ran into the bedroom, which at the time didn't have curtains. Soon we heard it breathing and kind of scratching at the window and we saw a hand up against the screen. I would say it had to be 8 to 10 feet tall to be looking in like that.''

Witness stated at that time, he could see the animal looking in the window. He described it as "large, hairy and black.''

"My friend fired two shots at it, but missed. It took off running and we didn't see it after that.''

The two called the sheriff, who came to investigate and found the two bullet holes in the window, but no blood and no footprints on the hard adobe ground.

The sheriff asked if the two had been drinking, but both were aspiring wrestlers. Jeff said neither of them drank nor used drugs.

Jeff's brother, who initially contacted the BFRO, said that when he and his parents came home, his brother and friend appeared to be "scared to death.'' The brother also said the impression of a large hand could be seen in the window screen.

ALSO NOTICED: Heavy breathing, hairy hand scratching at screen window.

OTHER WITNESSES: A second friend, since deceased.

OTHER STORIES: Jeff also recounted a second incident, which occured in the same general area but at an unspecified date. He and the same friend were walking into town one night when they discerned a large dark figure in the road in front of them. At first, they thought it was a cow, but then they realized it was a tall upright, human-like form.

"It was standing about 8 or 10 feet high like before,'' he said.
The two immediately turned around and ran for home. Jeff said he didn't think the animal followed them.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was at night time about 9:30 pm, cool night.

ENVIRONMENT: Dry, flat, mostly adobe terrain.

Follow-up investigation report:

As his brother predicted, witness seemed uncomfortable talking about the incident. The two were not at the same address when I contacted them.