YEAR: 1994-1995

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

DATE: 4th

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Macoupin County

LOCATION DETAILS: I remember it being behind the lake area where the fire works display had been put on earlier in the night.

NEAREST TOWN: Bunker Hill

NEAREST ROAD: Not sure

OBSERVED: I was visiting my cousin in Bunker Hill, Illinois I believe it was either 1994 or 1995, but I am 100% sure that it was the fourth of July due to the fireworks we had seen earlier that night.

After the fire works we went back to my cousins place and met up with maybe 3-4 other people and we went behind her house to camp out in the woods for the night. It was probably around 12:00 or 1 am when we had started to set camp up. I needed to go to the bathroom so I grabbed a flashlight and walked down a trail. All of the the people in my party were at the camp site when I left.

I probably got about 1 minute walking away from them when about 20 feet away a huge dark furred creature standing around 7 feet tall (maybe) crossed perpendicular to the trail I was walking on. It had very long strides, (arms the hanged down low) and stopped when it saw me, looked at me and continued walking. I stopped out of fear when I saw it, and I think I gasped for air thats what triggered the thing to look at me.

I dropped the flashlight and ran back to the camp site where I was unable talk with my friends because I was so panicked over the situation. I remember two people stayed with me to calm me down while the other two guys took of running to see what I was trying to tell them. They had stopped at the point where I dropped my flashlight and saw nothing. They told me I was just crazy and I had probably seen a dog or something. I refused to sleep out there that night and had someone walk me back to the house. I heard weird noises outside of the place that night and the dog that was tied up outside kept barking.

I didn't and don't believe in big foot, but I don't know what else it could have been. It has always bugged me with what I saw. When I got back to Utah I looked up big foot sightings up in some book and it had mentioned there had been a few in Southern Illinois area so I didn't feel too bad.

I don't tell that many people because obviously they think you are crazy. However I came across the website, so I felt I could tell you guys with out being called insane.

ALSO NOTICED: Nothing, I think he scared me. We just walked into each other, and he walked casually away as I ran like the dickens.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just me.

OTHER STORIES: Yeah, just in some book can't remember the name.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Night, summer time warm,clear skies.

ENVIRONMENT: Pine forest, not sure the exact location, sorry it has been so long and that was my only trip to Bunker Hill.

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 witness estimated the animal's weight as over 250 lbs.
- The animal was very muscular.
- The hair was dark brown and appeared straggly.
- The nose was very wide and flat.
- Most of the face was covered by short hair.
- The animal did let out a low growl when it looked at the witness.

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