YEAR: 1979

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: January

DATE: "morning of the New Year in 1979"

STATE: Michigan

COUNTY: Iosco County

LOCATION DETAILS: Tuttle Marsh off of old U.S. 23

NEAREST TOWN: Oscoda, Michigan

NEAREST ROAD: Old U.S. 23

OBSERVED: It was the morning of the New Year in 1979 during the pre-dawn hours. I took my wife with me to help search out a deer I thought I may have wounded while hunting the prior evening. There was plenty of snow in the Tuttle marsh that year so we were able to see even though it was 6:00 a.m. approximately. A storm had been predicted for New Year's day and I knew if I was to have any chance of retrieving my deer, I would have to be out there early.

We were about a half a mile off old U.S. 23 and the heavy snows that year meant leaving the car parked on the highway. When we got to my ground blind I positioned us exactly as I had been the previous evening to get some bearings as to when to begin our search.

It was already beginning to snow and as we peered through the blind we could see a tall dark image moving towards us. We simply froze in the blind and watched. It was a two-legged, ape-like creature about 7-8 ft. tall with a heavy coat of fur. Had it not been for the size, I would have dismissed the sighting for a local hunter who I had encountered a number of times who always wore a three quarter length heavy fur coat. This man stood as tall as me at 6 ft., however, when this creature walked past and I saw it's head brushing the tops of the tree limbs which were about two feet over my head, I had a pretty good idea of its size.

My wife and I never said a word, but after about ten minutes she whispered, "Let's get out of here!" We made one of the quickest exits imaginable through heavy snow over a half mile distance

The only people I have ever relayed this story to have been family members who had a good laugh. However, the following week or so the Oscoda newspaper had an article regarding Big Foot sightings in the area where we had been, and my aunt who delivered mail in Oscoda sent us a clipping. I've hunted the area many times since and never had any such encounter again.

OTHER WITNESSES: Two witnesses. Hunting.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Approximately 6:00 a.m. in poor weather conditions (snow, cold).

ENVIRONMENT: Swamp surrounded by pine forest.

Follow-up investigation report:

Witness has spent a lot of time in the outdoors, in both the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. He is self-employed with a long time family business. Further follow up is expected with updates filed to this report when appropriate.