YEAR: 2009

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

DATE: don't know

STATE: Minnesota

COUNTY: St. Louis County

LOCATION DETAILS: On the 169 (heading west toward hibbing)on the outskirts of Iron in a high voltage tower clearing with woods on either side. Remember, I was headed east to Virginia, seeing this across the two-way of 169 going west.

NEAREST TOWN: Iron, Mn. Just before Virginia

NEAREST ROAD: hwy 169

OBSERVED: While driving east on hwy 169 (approximately 3 miles out of Virginia, MN.), I saw, looking across 169 heading west to Hibbing, what appeared to be a large, silvery-gray creature in a clearing, just beginning to enter a wooded area. I caught this movement from my peripheral vision from my left (so it was on the other side of 169) where there was a car pulled over on the opposite side apparently watching what I was seeing. Because I was headed to Virginia and there were trees that popped up in the median as I was driving, I only observed this "something" for about 3 seconds or so. It did have a peculiar way that it's arms moved when I saw it walking, and it had a cone-shaped head. After that, the wooded area in the median obscured my vision, but if I would have found a place to make a quick u-turn, I would have turned around to go back and investigate. I sort of talked my self out of believing what I saw because this "something" was not the normal brownish/red color typified of a bigfoot sighting. Perhaps it was one of those new-fangled netting out-fits hunters wear. All I know is I saw something.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just myself. My young daughter was in the back seat of the car, but didn't see it. There were some people who were pulled over in a car on the side of the road (headed west on 169) who I believe were observing the same thing I saw.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was a Sunday morning on my way to church, around 9:20 a.m. It was a bright, sunny morning.

ENVIRONMENT: A lot of hard wood trees on either side of a clearing. Kind of hilly. This thing was on top of the hill in the clearing so I had a good glimpse of it as I was driving. It was walking towards the woods headed west.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Jim H:

I spoke to Mrs.Bycofski, the following is what she told me. She was heading to church on a Sunday morning in October of 2009. She was not sure which Sunday it was but she stated that it was a bright sunny day at around 9:20 AM. She was traveling east on Highway 169 toward Virginia, MN. At that point the road is a divided four lane highway. She was almost exactly one mile west of the exit to Mountain Iron, MN. when she noticed something on the north side of the west bound lanes of traffic. As she looked she seen what she described as being a large silvery gray (two tone) furry creature which was walking in a swaggered fashion down a hill heading westward. She said she did not get alot of time to look at it as there were trees in the middle of the opposing lanes of traffic not far from when she first seen it. She said that what she seen had a conical shape head with no neck or a very short neck. The creature was broad shouldered with a narrower waist, and had arms that appear to be too long for the rest of the body. She said she did not see it more then a few seconds but really noticed the way it swung it arms as it took very long strides while walking. It was also slightly bent forward as if it was heading somewhere purposefully. She stated that if the trees in the middle of the highway wouldn't have been there she would have been able to see more possibly as it was maybe a 150 feet away at the most and she could see it very well. She did not see any facial features as it all happened so quickly. She also told me that there was a car stopped on the westbound side of the highway that was obviously watching it as well. By the time she would have been able to turn around (which would be about a mile) she felt it would be gone. She had a few people she told about the sighting tell her she probably seen someone in a gilly suit, but she does not think it was a person because of the gait, and proportions of the creature.

This location is just south of the Superior National Forest.

About BFRO Investigator Jim H:

A business owner for 20+ years, he has been researching the subject of bigfoot ever since his son had a daylight sighting in 1994. An avid hunter, spending most of his life in the woods of northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, having seen and heard every animal native to this area. Active member of hunting and shooting clubs. He also has a background and interest in biology.

He attended the 2008 Minnesota (private) expedition, the 2009 Wisconsin expedition, 2009 Minnesota expedition, 2010 Minnesota Mini Excursion, 2010 Minnesota Mini Expedition, Minnesota Expedition 2011. As well as many field investigations (on site). Have personally seen three BF. Two daytime and one nighttime through a thermal.

Related Media Articles:

• Midwest Traveler: St. Louis, Itasca counties, Minn. (4/11/2014; Minneapolis Star-Tribune)