YEAR: 1978

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: November

DATE: 4

STATE: Minnesota

COUNTY: Marshall County

LOCATION DETAILS: This took place in the aspen woods about 15 road miles NW of Middle River MN. Just N/NE of an area known as Nelson's Slew. It was a Wildlife Management Area of the MN Dept. of Natural Recourses.

NEAREST TOWN: Middle River

NEAREST ROAD: Hwy 32

OBSERVED: I was hunting for Whitetailed deer through the forests and swamps of Northwestern Minnesota. As I entered another peice of woods after crossing a swamp I jumped a deer. It ran off a few jumps and stopped. I raised my gun and fired. Misfire! Off the deer went into the woods along with the confidence I had in my weapon and ammunition. I proceded through the heavy underbrush until I came into a clearing. As I entered the clearing I glanced left then right. On my left I saw a "man" hunch his shoulders, duck his head and turn away from me. As I looked right I realized I had seen the figure of a man on my left. When I turned back I saw the back of a dark head and shoulders disappear into the hazelnut brush. I then realized that any man out in the woods on opening day of deer season would have been wearing an orange hat and coat, while this one was clad in dark brown/black. I was certain what I had seen was a bigfoot. I thought about looking for tracks, then remembered my gun had just let me down while trying to shoot a deer, so I made tracks in the opposite direction of this creature. I returned to our hunting shack in this area many times but never went back to that part of the swamp. In the many trips back to Middle River and NW MN I never saw anything like this again.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just Myself

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Late Morning. Overcast skies. No shadows visible.

ENVIRONMENT: Aspen forests filled with alder and hazelnut underbrush interspersed with open grass covered swamp.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Andy P.:

I spoke with the witness by phone and have the following to add to his report:

- The encounter happened around noon. The sky was overcast, with light drizzle that morning.
- The encounter lasted for around five seconds.
- The animal stood in the hazelnut bushes 60 to 70 feet from the witness.
- The animal was about six and a half feet tall. It had a very large build, like that of a “heavyweight wrestler".
- It was a uniform dark brown to black color.
- When he first glanced at it, the animal was facing him. When he turned to look at it directly, it had turned and then walked upright into the brush and was gone.
- It had a rounded head and a very short neck on top of broad, hunched shoulders. It had no muzzle that he could see nor any ears.
- He could only see it from the chest up.
- It walked upright, with hunched shoulders into the thick brush without making any noise.
- The area was all hazelnut brush, bogs and aspens. The witness had seen deer, bear and moose in the area before.
- It was distinct from a bear in that it had broad shoulders, no visible ears, no muzzle and it walked upright.
- It was distinct from a man in that it was deer opener and it was not wearing blaze orange; it was all one uniform color, including the face; it was broader than most men; and it walked with a distinct hunched posture.
- He commented on how frightened he had become during and after the encounter.

I found this witness to be very honest and credible.

About BFRO Investigator Andy P.:

Andy P. lives in Minnesota. He is a professional writer with a degree in English and Biology. His interest dates back to his first sighting in 1985.

He attended the following BFRO expeditions:

- 2006 Wisconsin I
- 2007 Michigan
- 2008 Michigan
- 2008 Minnesota (private)
- 2009 Wisconsin
- 2009 Minnesota (organizer)