YEAR: 1966

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 8/1966

STATE: New Jersey

COUNTY: Monmouth County

LOCATION DETAILS: ALAIRE STATE PARK

NEAREST TOWN: NEPTUNE NJ

NEAREST ROAD: Atlantic Ave

OBSERVED: THE YEAR WAS 1966, I WAS 16, FOUR BUDS AND I WERE OUT CRUSIN, ALL OF US SURFERS, NO BOOZE, NO DRUGS. IT WAS A CLEAR NIGHT. WE ENDED UP AT ALAIRE(?) STATE PARK IN NEW JERSEY. HAD NO IDEAR WHERE WE WERE. WE HEARD SOMETHING SCREECH. WE TURNED AROUND, MADE A "K" TURN AND HIT A DITCH. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON A REDISH BROWN REALY REALY (8-9FT TALL)BIG MANTHING. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF BIGFOOT. YEARS LATER I REALISED WHAT IT WAS. EVEN NOW WRITING THIS I GET GOOSE BUMPS. I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS. HE SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ALL OF US.

ALSO NOTICED: SCREECHING, HIGH PITCH, BEFORE WE MADE THE TURN

OTHER WITNESSES: 3 CRUSIN WE WERE ALL TEENS 15 TO 17

OTHER STORIES: NO

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 1100PM 100AM

ENVIRONMENT: PINE FOREST

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Paul Conroy :

I spoke with this witness by phone.

Despite 40 years passing since the incident took place, the witness seemed to recall the details with relative ease. He was driving around with three friends in the vicinity of central New Jersey's Allaire State Park. Immediately before the driver began to turn - they heard a high-pitched scream, which - accoding to the witness - was directed at them.

With the car pointed directly at the side of the road as the driver performed the k-turn, the headlights caught a "big, reddish-brown" creature approximately 7-feet tall. The witness estimated that the animal was within three feet of the front of the car.

The animal reacted "like a deer in the headlights", as if it were caught by surprise.

The witness is confident in his ability to recognize both black and brown bears (had been stationed in Alaska for military service). He was confident that the animal that they witnessed was not a bear.

He stated that it was very hot that evening. They had the windows down and noticed a " musty smell". When they saw the animal, the driver froze. His friend reached over and honked the horn.

The animal had no immediate reaction.

This part of Southern Monmouth County was mostly farmland and lush woods up until rapid development began in the 80's and 90's. The northern-most part of the New Jersey Pine Barrens begins a short distance from this area to the south. The Pine Barrens is an immense wilderness of pine forest and swamp that runs from central to southern New Jersey.

Allaire State Park has over 3,000 acres of mixed forest and fields. A branch of the Manasquan River runs through the park. The Manasquan supports many species of fish and wildlife.