YEAR: 1983

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: November

DATE: November 1983

STATE: Minnesota

COUNTY: Beltrami County

LOCATION DETAILS: On the burnt out bridge road about 2 miles north of the power dam road. Hunting location was about 1 mile west of burnt out bridge road

NEAREST TOWN: bemidji

NEAREST ROAD: cty 12 the power dam road

OBSERVED: I was deer hunting not far from my home overlooking a cedar swamp. I noticed a black "head" appearing above the pine trees (the cedars were short growing a wet lowland, I'd guess they were 6-7 feet at the time) The head would appear and disappear periodically. My best guess was it was eating something and moving around in the lowland. It was visible for 10 to 15 minutes. I would estimate I was 50 to 75 yards away from the creature. No noise and nothing else was notable. It did not behave like a bear and I've never seen a black upright for that much time. I was sitting on a down tree and my cousin hunting with me was probably a quarter mile away. He didn't see or hear anything.

ALSO NOTICED: no

OTHER WITNESSES: none, my cousin did not notice anything

OTHER STORIES: yes, local anishinabe indians have reported sightings. Webster lake is also considered a bigfoot area

TIME AND CONDITIONS: early dusk. Second week of deer hunting in northern mn.

ENVIRONMENT: cedar swamp, hardwood ridge overlooking were I was sitting

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Andy P.:

I spoke with the witness by phone and have the following to add to his report:

- The sighting occurred near dusk at around 3:00 to 4:00 PM.
- The sky was overcast and the wind was still. There was snow on the ground.
- He only saw the animal's head. It was conical, "football" shaped. Their was no muzzle nor any ears evident. It was all black and from the distance the saw it from he could not discern facial features.
- When it was visible, it would move around for one to two minutes at a time before ducking back down again.
- The cedar trees were all about six to seven feet tall. He estimates the animal's height at around eight feet.
- He mentioned several times how strangely quiet the immediate area was during the encounter. Normally, he would hear squirrels and birds constantly, but not that day.
- He is not certain why it was moving the way it was, but his impression is that it was foraging in the cedars.
- Originally, he thought it was a bear, but given it's height, lack of muzzle, lack of ears, head shape, and duration and movement while upright, he realized it was something else entirely. The encounter ended as it got dark and he became scared and left.
- Since he filed this report he has returned to the area and has paced the distance off, which was closer to 100 yards.
- He was sixteen at the time of the encounter.

I found him to be a very credible witness. He has a long history of hunting in the woods in that region and had grown-up in the area. He now has advanced degrees in biology and microbiology.

About BFRO Investigator Andy P.:

Andy P. lives in Minnesota. He is a professional writer with a degree in English and Biology. His interest dates back to his first sighting in 1985.

He attended the following BFRO expeditions:

- 2006 Wisconsin I
- 2007 Michigan
- 2008 Michigan
- 2008 Minnesota (private)
- 2009 Wisconsin
- 2009 Minnesota (organizer)