YEAR: 1989

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Marion County

LOCATION DETAILS: Aprox. one mile northeast of the old Fairman meat processing plant on the east side of Illinois 51 North.

NEAREST TOWN: Sandoval

NEAREST ROAD: Fairman Rd (CR 1400 N), Illinois 51 North.

OBSERVED: In late October of 1989, about 4:00 in the afternoon while out hunting in an area that I was very familiar with. I had spent about three hours hunting, and was heading back to my vehicle. While walking threw the bottoms, I had noticed the abscence of the normal aray of usual small animals. When I approached the top of a ravine, where I was starting to enter a field, I heard a loud noise in the brush behind me down the hill. I did not see anything at this point, so I proceeded to continue across the field. When I reached the other side of the field, I again heard a noise from where I had just crossed the field. I crouched down in some brush as to not be seen.

As I turned to look back across the field where I heard the noise, I suddenly saw a very large creature crouching also. At first I thought It may have been a bear, I poked my head up just a little bit to get a better view and the creature stood erect. I at that point also stood up. It was obviously looking right at me, as I was staring at it also. It was dark brown in color, standing aprox. six to seven feet tall. I could not see its face in great detail due to the distance, but I could make out a lighter color in the facial area, as to less hair. Its arms hung down to it's side, and it had large thick legs. While I stood there, It also just stood very still. It made a low tone, loud grunt, and waved it's left arm into the air. It then turned back towards the tree line and disappeared back into the woods. At that point I was scared enough to not cross back over the field and pursue, or even try and just see it again. I went straight to my vehicle, and left the area.

OTHER WITNESSES: No other with me.

OTHER STORIES: I grew up hearing stories of creatures around the area, but had never seen one before that day.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Late afternoon, overcast, cold, but dry condtioins.

ENVIRONMENT: The sighting was in an open field, just up from a wooded, ravine area with a creek.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

He stated that the animal was six to seven feet tall and always on two feet. The witness also said that its face was of a paler color than the rest of its body but due to the distance he could not make out any detail.

He was surprised to see it lift its left arm and then turn and walk back into the woods.

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