YEAR: 1991

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

STATE: Iowa

COUNTY: Decatur County

LOCATION DETAILS: this is a public hunting area located north of hwy 29. not well maintained. roads rutted with some steap banks. is an old abandoned limestone quarry located inside a huge indian campground aprox 2000yr-5000yr in age.

NEAREST TOWN: van wert, ia

NEAREST ROAD: hwy 29

OBSERVED: i was an avid indian artifact hunter. surface finds, only. i got out of college classes early that day and decided to give it a go in a creek i hadnt been over for some time. as i drove down into the area i noticed a pickup parked with 2 gentlemen sitting on the tailgate in the shade from the hot sun. the truck was a ford, 2 tone in color. white over brown. i asked them if they were practicing and as to where so i could stay out of thier road. they said there was a special deer season open and they were tracking one? i walked to a different place than i had planned to hunt and told them where i would be. i walked over to the creek and started in.

i guess i was into the area maybe 50 yds and the truck didnt waiste anytime spinning up the hill. they came north and ond one guy jumped out and the other drove on north and got out. i found this a little disturbing and decided they might be hunting me? i climbed out of the creek in short order and was about to walk back to my truck and leave. as i came over the bank there was this [creature sitting on the ground leaning against a tree. It could have been 12 feet tall if it was standing up.] i was only 20ft from this thing. it was an oaf-looking creature sitting on its butt with its back against a large oak tree. it was sleeping with its hands and fingers locked together stretched out across its knees. there were massive amounts of leaves in its very long brownish hair which covered it head to toe including the face. and it didnt seem to matter what color or shade they were. the hair seemed to blend in perfectly. im wondering if its hair is hollow like a deers hair?

i honestly was completely shocked and all the hair on my body rose to attention. i recognized this thing from pics in mags and such. i felt nauseous and confused. as i hopped back into the creek out of sight from it it rose and bolted east right in the direction of those guys. i heard it cut across the gravel on the road and that was it. i never went back to that creek.

ALSO NOTICED: i have not been back to that exact location. as other witnesses have not since the sightings. i dont believe i own a firearm large enuff to protect myself.

OTHER WITNESSES: 2. i believe they were hunting it with compound bows and braodheaded arrows. i didnt know this until after the sighting.

OTHER STORIES: yes, strung out over the yrs. fishermen and hunters have seen this, but i believe there are at least 2 different creatures?

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 2pm clear sunny day. temp arnd 80 - 85 degrees. light breeze from south.

ENVIRONMENT: 2nd growth timber located directly above a large limestone mining pit on top a natural spring.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Steve Moon:

[Investigated by Steve Moon. Comments edited by Matt Moneymaker]

I interviewed this witness by phone. He was not able to see the face of the animal. The hair was an auburn color, and matted. Witness did not see the animal walk away, but heard it leave. Witness had jumped back into the creek bed he had climbed out of when he walked up on the animal, and heard it get up and move away quickly. When it did so it made a sort of growl or snort, sounding like heavy breathing more than anything else, and seemed to move as though not in a hurry.

Witness states that in about 1983 a buddy was deer hunting in the NW corner of the Dekalb hunting area when he drove up to a sasquatch standing behind a corner post. As he backed his truck away from the creature it walked away. The creature was about his own height, or about 6 feet tall.

Witness has been hunting this area for about thirty years and is very in tune with the environment there. After speaking with the witness about this incident, I concluded that he is a credible observer.

The Dekalb Wildlife Management Area is 21,070 acres, about three quarters of which is timber. There are two streams that bisect the area, numerous inactive rock quarries, and at least one large spring.

About BFRO Investigator Steve Moon:

A native of southeast Iowa, Steve has long been a cave explorer and outdoor adventurer. He became involved in bigfoot research in 2008. Steve organized BFRO IOWA Public Expeditions in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016, and is currently organizing a 2017 IOWA expedition. Steve is an artist, photographer, farmer, anthropologist and professional researcher. His primary research areas are the river basins of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, and all of eastern Iowa.