YEAR: 2003

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 15

STATE: Florida

COUNTY: Okeechobee County

LOCATION DETAILS: I do not wish to disclose this as I may return

NEAREST TOWN: okeechobee

NEAREST ROAD: hwy98

OBSERVED: Hello.
I live in okeechobee co. florida. I am a christian and a family man and this report is as factual as I can make it, as god is my witness. I was not alone when this account occured. here are the details.
Me and my hunting buddy were hunting boar with dogs one evening a few sommers back. We were on private land and not allowed to be there wich is why I suppose I never got to see what scared us so bad, I will explain.
Me and tim were huntin all nite, mostly letting the dogs run and we just sit and listen for baying and then run to the dogs, catch the pig and release it. well this evening we had just left the treeling bordering a swampy area and were crouching down resting and smoking, Id guess it was 3am.
Suddenly as we sat there, we heared what sounded like footsteps. We stood up and looked and listened, they immediately stopped.. we both whispered "what was that" to each other fearing a game warden or the owner of the land..then we heared a palm frond move and two distinct steps.We looked at eachother and ran three steps, stopped looked wide eyed, unsure of what we were hearing. then we heared a frond move and three steps and again it stopped. We turned, ran two and stoppped then we noticed it was immitating us, stopping when we did etc and comming closer. again we turned and took a step and it took a step and stopped. Me and tim looked at eachother and ran as fast as we could, we knew it was a game warden or a person, it had to be. we stopped after 200 yards or so and turned and looked there was nothing behind us but along the tree line we had left ( we were now 250yds across the swampy opening across from the tree line) about at 2 O clock position in the distance we coul hear something smashing its way through the undergrowth and breaking everything it touched heading away from us... we would always talk about it and I personally regret running, I had a strong light, I should havetried to get it closer, I think I could have, it was interested and following us. I know it was no animal, was easy to tell because you could hear it clear the path and then take distinct steps.. each step the exact count of our own. that is my story but I would like to add this.
Timmy has been dog hunting every nite for 5 or more years and after this incedent he described a swtrange encounter where he was with three other people who all saw the same thing... He stated that one nite while hog hunting during a half moon him and the guys were stopped and resting when tim noticed an outline at the bottom of a tree.. all the guys looked and they became concerned and frightned because
there was the distinct outline of a huge man sitting at the base of that tree, plainly outlined sitting on his butt, feet streight out in front of it..Tim said it had huge shoulders and was just eanourmous..he said " We freaked out and ran like hell" funny thing is it was again private land and at first they thought it was a warden, but after a few mins they had no idea what it was but became extremely afraid of that massive torso sitting at the base of that tree watching them. ( I am beginning to notice there is almost always a tree involved in these sightings) I believe timmy, there is no person I know who has covered more ground in pitch black woods than him and we spent a few together doing it. Honestly it has haunted me since and led me here to study and make an effort of my own to discover this being. That is all I have, take care.
George

OTHER WITNESSES: 1

OTHER STORIES: yes, on the web I have found since my incident many encounters in my small are, some by police officers. one happened within 2 miles of my home..details I cannot remember

TIME AND CONDITIONS: after 2am
no moon
90 plus deegrees full humidity

ENVIRONMENT: pine scrub on the edge of a marshy area

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator David Wright:

This witness was interviewed on 09/16/2007 for approximately 30 minutes. He had not had any contact with the BFRO since his report, nearly 2 years previous. Nevertheless, his experience was recounted with significant accuracy with respect to that report. Additional information is included as follows:

-They were hunting hogs with dogs. They were in a field that crossed into a swamp when they heard distinct, bipedal foot falls.
- Thinking it was a game warden or the land owner, they began to move away from the area.
-They noticed that whatever was following them virtually imitated their movements by the step, after they repeatedly stopped and listened.
-The sounds were not just steps, but included the brushing by, or movement of palm fronds in front of the stalker.
-The two witnesses became more alarmed, as the stalker mimicked their movements to the number of their steps.
-Fearing they were being followed by the law, they bolted and ran about 100 yards and stopped.
-Upon stopping, the witness reported their hearing very loud retreating sounds through the brush, including violent thrashing of brush, and snapping of branches and trees.
-The witnesses deduced that it was not a person, due to the excessive thrashing noise, and he stated that "It was BIG, whatever it was! No way was that a person".
-He also stated that the land owner or Game Warden would not have fled, but perused them.
-The witness stated that he and his partner were addled in no small measure, and talked of the experience for weeks.
-Unfortunately, the witness and his hunting partner have since become estranged, and after no small effort, this investigator was unable to locate and contact the other witness.

I had the opportunity to talk to the witness' wife about the incident, however, and she stated that she had a vivid recollection of that evening. She stated that upon their return from that night of hunting that they were both pretty shaken up over what had happened that night.

Based on the information provided by these witnesses, it is my conjecture that they may very well have been stalked by a Bigfoot creature, as this is a very commonly reported behavior.

About BFRO Investigator David Wright:

• Certified Florida Master Naturalist (U. of Florida)
  
• Visual Tracker, Level 1
• Teaches Biology, A.P. Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Science at a rural high school SE of Jacksonville
• See local TV interview with D. Wright
• Participated in the 2007 Private Florida Expedition [Click the video link on that page.], the 2007 South Carolina Expedition, the 2008 South Florida Expedition and assisted with the organization of the 2008 North Florida Expedition. Assisted with the organization of the 2009 Central Florida Expedition.