YEAR: 2002

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 20th

STATE: Oregon

COUNTY: Douglas County

LOCATION DETAILS: Out in Lookingglass, 5 miles from the Lookingglass Store. Foot of the Callahans. Touchstone Lane up to the logging area. You can gain access to where I saw it from there.

NEAREST TOWN: Lookingglass/Roseburg

NEAREST ROAD: Flournoy Valley Road

OBSERVED: I was walking in the woods behind my house in Lookingglass, near the Callahan Mountains during the late afternoon/evening. I was enjoying the late summer weather by taking a walk when suddenly I heard something stir in the brush several yards ahead of me. I walked silently for a few yards, daring not to get too close. More rustling. It was moving away now.... and then out of nowhere it appeared ahead of me. I don't think I have ever seen any bipedal thing that tall.... and hairy. Of course I wasn't right next to it... with the animal being about 20 yards away. I was twelve at the time, but I know what I saw. Call me crazy, but when I got to where I first heard the rustling, there was this odiferous smell that I can't put into words. The creature was dark brown, almost black, and hairy, like an ape, but bipedal like a human. Its face and muscular structure resembled an ape, but its upright appearance looked more like a human. I followed the animals' route several days later for about 20 yards after it disappeared and found a faint footprint. It was enough to make out the characteristics. Five toes and I would estimate that it was larger than Shaq's foot by a long shot. I walked along the fence line for a while and I couldn't see any holes. There were some parts of the fence though, that the animal could have just stepped over, being that big (8ft approx).

ALSO NOTICED: Not anything except for what was stated above.

OTHER WITNESSES: I was alone.

OTHER STORIES: In Glide I have heard there have been many sightings, also in Tenmile several years ago and in Diamond Lake area.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: late afternoon, early early evening.

ENVIRONMENT: Lots of trees and brush, creek surrounding the sighting and running through the wooded area, at the base of a fairly large hill, at the base of a mountain range.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Bart Cutino:

I spoke with this young witness, who is now 17 years of age, on February 10, 2008. At the time of the encounter, she had gone for a casual walk late in the day near the base of a small forested mountain just north of her family's property. It was still warm after a hot day in August. She heard rustling around in the brush just ahead and directly to her left. Seconds later, she was stunned to see a very tall, hirsute, dark-colored biped step out into a tiny clearing 20-30 yards in front of her and look at her "dead in the eyes" with what she interpreted to be a "sinister" type look. The witness took a step back and the creature slowly turned and departed back inside the tree line.

She further elaborated on the subject's appearance and described it as looking very ape-like in both its discernable facial characteristics (dark gorilla-like facial skin) and muscular upper body that was "very buff." The animal appeared bipedal and human-like, except for being covered in very dark brown, "almost black" hair. She also described the subject's head as being average-size in relationship to the body and “round” on a short, almost absent neck.

She estimated the animal's height as being close to 8 feet. It stood with a slight slouch; the lower limbs seemed proportional to the subject's size and stature, but the arms appeared "a little lengthy.”

During the 15-20 second encounter, the witness also described a strong, foul-smelling odor that she later concluded was similar to that of a skunk but much stronger.

After the subject disappeared inside the tree line, the witness – quite shaken up – retreated towards her residence at a very brisk pace. She was reluctant to return to the location, but did so several days after the encounter.

In regards to the faint "footprint" mentioned, when the witness returned to the site, she retraced the path the animal took and found an indentation which appeared to have the outline of a single, large and bare footprint with 5 toes. She was not able to find any other track impressions. She believes with its size and estimated stride it could've easily stepped over a nearby fence into thick vegetation along any point of the brush-concealed fence line.

Five and a half years later and now a senior in high school, her and her family still reside on the same property. Although she's heard of other bigfoot sightings in the Callahan range, and the towns of Tenmile, Lookingglass and Glide (northeast of Roseburg), she hasn't experienced any other bigfoot activity around the family property. On several occasions she has heard strange, howling vocalizations late at night. She can't be certain these were bigfoot sounds, but they were unusual enough for her to take notice.

Note on the region:
The Callahan Mountains are a series of small, crag-like forested mountains overlooking the Flournoy Valley west of the town of Roseburg. Due to the diversity in both climate and soil, this scenic southwest Oregon valley is considered historic wine country and is made up of a series of interconnecting small mountain ranges and valleys including both the Klamath & Cascade Mountains, as well as the Coast Range (further west). Although this area is heavily logged with many clear-cuts, there continues to be a consistent history of reported bigfoot sightings by locals in the densely forested sections of the mountains and logging roads.

It's also worth noting that coincidentally, several months before this witness' report submission to the BFRO, fellow BFRO researcher Cliff Barackman & myself, while traveling through the state of Oregon, camped within just a few miles of the witness' residence in August of 2007 and spent one uneventful evening there. Interestingly enough, that location was suggested to us by a friendly Oregon Fish & Game Warden we met at a Roseburg service station earlier in the day. He also kindly shared with us several detailed and recent bigfoot encounters he was personally aware of.

About BFRO Investigator Bart Cutino:

Part owner of the "world famous" Sardine Factory (Restaurant) on historic Cannery Row, Monterey, CA & Wealth Management Consultant for the NCW Group in Monterey, CA, Bart Cutino has been an enthusiast of large "unrecognized" North American primates for over 28 years.
Is part of CA-BFRO contingent "crew" and has attended/assisted every CA state field effort since joining the organization in 2004.