YEAR: 2003

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

DATE: 26

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Stephenson County

LOCATION DETAILS: It was in my 5 acre timber I own west of Illinois Route 73 south of Pearl City, Illinois.

NEAREST TOWN: Pearl City

NEAREST ROAD: Illinois Route 73

OBSERVED: I live in Freeport, Illinois in a trailer pk. I was out bow hunting in my timber I own. I got up in my tree stand about 6:50 a.m. while it was still dark, hoping a deer would come in right at light. I heard something come up under my tree, and it was breathing real hard. I thought it was a big deer at first, it stood at the base of my tree a good 10 minutes and left to my south-east. I could hear it walking away. About 7:10 to 7:15 am it was foggy, not real bad, a light fog, real thin. It was about 50 degrees out and fairly light by now.
I have good eyes and looking for deer, when I noticed this big human like figure. It was about 100 yards away from me. It walked to the east at a fast pace. I think it heard me go to my tree-stand. It knew I was in the tree. It acted like it was scared, I think I was more terrified when I heard its breathing under my tree then when I saw it walking. I tell my friends, and they think I am nuts. I'm not, I know when I see something like that, I did not believe in big-foot until I seen it that morning. I also seen large foot-prints in certain areas but never told anyone. I seen them for about 2 years after my sighting. Thank you.

ALSO NOTICED: Heavy breathing under my tree stand when I was up in it bow hunting when dark yet. And seen a huge man like about 7.5 feet tall , looked hairy , just after the sun came up, about 100 yards away, it was walking away from me on my neighbors land. It scared me to see how big it was, and I was happy to be up in my tree-stand, about 25 feet up. It stood and walked like a human but it was huge. It was a little foggy but I seen it clearly.

OTHER WITNESSES: none

OTHER STORIES: Not really, Every once in a while i will see some weird foot prints out there though. There 5 toes and about 16 inches long.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was a little foggy and warm, about 50 degrees. The sun was up for about 15 minutes when I seen it walking.

ENVIRONMENT: I have 80 foot hickory and oak trees. Also I have a lawn of about an acre which is clear, where I'm going to build a new home in the future. I have timber all around me where other neighbors live, probably about 100 acres around my timber.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

The following details can be added to the report:
- The animal was about seven and a half feet tall and weighed 350 and 400 pounds.
- It had a muscular build, with huge shoulders.
- The head was large and somewhat pointed towards the rear.
- Because of the distance he was not able to make out any facial details.
- The hair was light brown in color and about two inches long.
- The arms were long, it held one arm up and somewhat in towards the body.
- Upon descending from his tree stand the witness was able to follow the footprints as they left the tree stand area and proceeded to the east.
- The footprints were between sixteen and seventeen inches long.
- The footprints were about five inches in diameter at the ball and four inches at the heal.

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