YEAR: 2005

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: January

DATE: 13th of January

STATE: Ohio

COUNTY: Morrow County

LOCATION DETAILS: Just outside Cardington.

NEAREST TOWN: Cardington

NEAREST ROAD: State Route 42 and State Route 529

OBSERVED: My friend lives outside of Cardington. It was about 6:00 P.M. when I got to his house and we decided to build a small camp fire just for the sake of fun. He lives right next to a small wooded cliff that follows a tiny river. Right behind his house next to the cliff that leads into the small woods is his security light that stays on all night. It was about 9:40 P.M. that night and we had a really good camp fire going when he said “we are just about out of wood… do you think you could take the flash light and pick up some small twigs to keep this fire going.” At the time I really didn’t think anything of it and being a hunter and all I’m not scared of going into a woods at night. So, I said “sure” and took the flash-light and proceeded down a cut path on the face of the hilly cliff. The first step I took heading down that hill I will never forget for the rest of my life. As I took my first step onto the path I saw a massive black object/thing at the bottom of the cliff in a wall of weeds taller than me. Now, I’m about 6’ 1” and this black thing was a good 8 feet in height or taller. The weeds at the bottom were it stood are a good 7’ in height or longer themselves. With said, I just stood there froze in fear asking the same question in my head ‘what the hell is it?’
As I stood there it just moved side to side like a large animal studying it’s pray for the kill. At that time it looked up at me with its red eyes and that is when my heart dropped to the bottom of my small intestine. The red eyes on this thing glowed off the security-light at the top of the cliff and I was just scared shitless. After about two minutes of just standing their motionless, I finally managed to move my arm in a backwards motion to touch my friend on the shoulder. When I did that Josh said “what” and turned towards me where he got a fearful look at this thing as well. He then yield “shit” and took off for the door to his house leaving me just standing their thinking ‘o-shit he just left me hear by myself with this thing.’ About that time this large bear/human looking thing just took off running in a mad run for the riverside; crossing it towards the field on the other side. When that happened I took off towards the house door as I fell over myself just turning around.
As for what I seen that night I really can’t say. But I do know one thing and that is it was no person or animal I’ve ever seen. I would also just like to add that later this past week myself, my friend, and some college friends took a walk down into the woods in the middle of the night where we discovered and photographed three large footprints coming up out of the river bed.

ALSO NOTICED: Other people around this area have seen this thing before as well. Neighbors down the road say they have heard weird sounds late at night as well.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just me and my friend. We were building a fire for fun.

OTHER STORIES: Out on county road 25.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was about 9:40P.M. at night and the weather conditions at the time were clear.

ENVIRONMENT: small woods that follow the creek/river. There is a hill ridge that flows along the woods and many fields/small family homes around too.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Steven P:

In speaking with the witness, I found no issues of credibility as he related this incident.

During the interview a few additional details and impressions surfaced. The witness noted that what he observed in terms of the subject dashing across the creek and stepping over a fence were outside the capabilities of a person. His thinking had progressed through a process of elimination in terms of animals and a person and had kept returning to what he felt was the only explanation for what he observed, a bigfoot.

His physical description of what he observed centered on red eyes, impressive bulk and an oblong type of head. He initially could see the shoulders and head in the weeds until his friend spoke. At that point the subject looked up at him and he saw the red eye shine. This observation was at a distance that he estimates at 10 - 15 yards and lasted for almost five minutes between the initial stare down and watching it flee across the creek and into the woods. There was no noise during the incident except for the sound of it splashing through the creek and hearing it walk away. He did not remark about any noticeable smells during the incident.

I was also able to interview his friend during a separate telephone call. His story was consistent with the witness, with the exception that his story was related from his viewpoint and experience during the incident. Once he was able to get a look into the ravine and see what the witness was watching, he fled to the door of his home but was still able to watch and hear it flee across the creek. He was also impressed with the bulk of what he saw, the red eyes and the color, which both describe as “blacker than black”. The friend, who lives on the property, also remarked that since last September he has periodically heard a strange call that he says is loud enough to wake you. He describes this sound as a mix between a wolf’s howl and owl screeches. He says some weeks he will hear it a few times, and then it might be quiet for a week or more and then return.

On March 17, 2005, I conducted an on-site visit with the witness and his father. I was able to have the witness go through a reenactment of the event, walk the property and take some selected photographs of the area. I was particularly interested in seeing the layout of the property and the locations of the fire ring, the pole light, the home and where the creature was standing. All of the above locations were very plausible, the fire ring was within four feet of the edge of the ravine and the pole lamp, which was relatively new, projected a strong light down into the ravine where the subject was observed to be standing. There was also a very good field of view from the steps leading up into the home where his friend was standing after he fled from the edge of the ravine. The weed patch was tall, but much of it had folded over from the creek being out of the banks since the incident and the effects of nearly two more months of weather. The reenactment was very consistent with the written and verbal descriptions and plausible.

About BFRO Investigator Steven P:

Chief administrative officer of a unit of local government, a consultant and community faculty member.