YEAR: 2001

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: June

DATE: during week

STATE: Wisconsin

COUNTY: Marathon County

LOCATION DETAILS: this happened about 100 yards away from Amco park, along the road that passes it. there is a river along the park, and a bridge, which this happened. Amco Park is located on the Rib River in Marathon County.

NEAREST TOWN: little chicago

NEAREST ROAD: hwy m

OBSERVED: I worked for the marathon county parks department as a seasonal summer employee. My job was to go to all the county parks by myself most of the time and do routine park maintenance. I had to do everything from mow grass, to build shelters, and pick up garbage. Parks included were; eau pleine, mission lake, eau claire dells, amco park, cherokee park, big rapids, and man made lake.

One early morning around 6am, I left to go to Amco park to clean it up in time for the weekend. Nobody else was with me, or at the park. I arrived around 6:20am. It was warm and pretty foggy at the time. The park was pretty clean so it didn't take long, only about 5-10 minutes to clean and take care of. As I was pulling out of the only road that leads to the road, to my left I saw something standing on the right side of the road up ahead. I stopped the truck, and sat there for about 10 seconds. Whatever this was looked my direction and took off across the road, towards the river, which was only hundred yards away. I sat there for a couple minutes wondering what it was that I think I had just seen. I hunt so I am for damn sure it was not a deer or bear. It was way too big to be a dog, coyote, fox, wolf, etc. It also moved very fast. This thing was big, hairy, and tall, your typical stereotypical sightings.

I was at the time too freaked out to take time and check it out where it went. All I know is that it took off my direction behind me, towards the river. Everybody just laughed at me when I told them what I had seen, but the next time I went to that park a week later, no noises, no foot prints, nothing. I should have checked right away, but I was too scared, plus who knows what it was, and if it would come back? Supposedly, people living in that area, have seen something for awhile now, but are weary of saying anything, because you know how people are. They don't want to get teased, or laughed at.

ALSO NOTICED: the only thing i can think of is that sometimes, not alot when I would show up in the morning, I would hear things towards the bridge. I'm not sure what, but this happened even before the sighting, so after the sighting, I became even more careful and eerie of that park and location.

OTHER WITNESSES: none, sorry.

OTHER STORIES: just sightings aroung phillips and park falls, up north areas. I'm from Wausau, but we have a cottage in Phillips on Solberg Lake. Until i saw this website, i was unaware that there were this many people into this, and this many sightings! I have always been a nonbeliever, thinking that only backwards people from the country see this stuff, but not anymore. I'm not totally convinced but whatever I saw, freaked me out.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: very early, around 6:30am. it was pretty warm, but foggy.

ENVIRONMENT: just a plain woody area, on the edge of a bridge near Amco park. this thing was standing on the edge of the road, and as i pulled out I must have scared it, and it ran across into thew woods closer to the river.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Paul Schnabel:

The distance was approximately 50 yards. He also related that he was suprised how quickly it moved. He judged it to be between 6 and 7 feet tall. He is familiar with the wildlife of the area and quickly discounted any known animals. After his sighting he immediately left the area.

He went back to the Amco Park campground the following week but did not find any tracks.

The Rib River runs next to this park and has many branches and tributaries. There is vast habitat for wildlife.

About BFRO Investigator Paul Schnabel:

Paul Schnabel is a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and an EMT for the area search and rescue.

Paul attended the BFRO's 2006 Wisconsin, 2007 and 2008 Michigan U.P. expeditions and the 2008 Minnesota private expedition