YEAR: 2010

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: May

DATE: 25

STATE: Missouri

COUNTY: Wayne County

NEAREST TOWN: Patterson

NEAREST ROAD: 34

OBSERVED: WE WERE DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY 35 THROUGH WAYNE COUNTY MO. A SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY WITH THE TREELINES CLOSE TO BOTH SIDES OF THE HIGHWAY. THERE WERE WAIST HIGH WEEDS LEADING FROM THE TREELINE TO THE ROAD. AS WE APPROACHED A SMALL BRIDGE WE SAW A LARGE BLACK FIGURE COME FROM THE LEFT OUT OF THE TREE LINE AND THROUGH THE WEEDS. IT WAS ABOUT 50 YARDS IN FRONT OF US SO WE SLOWED DOWN NOT TO HIT IT. IT CROSSED THE ROAD IN A GALLUP, RUNNING DIAGONALLY AWAY FROM US. THE LARGE FIGURE, RUNNING ON ALL FOURS, HAD A LOT OF CURLY MATTED NASTY LOOKING HAIR. IT HAD ALL KINDS OF DIRTY AND STRAW AND OTHER THINGS STUCK IN THE MATTED MESS. ITS FRONT ARMS WERE LONG, MUCH LONGER THAN ITS SQUATTY REAR LEGS. THE CREATURE HAD POWERFUL SHOULDERS AND HIPS. I WOULD SAY IT LOOKED MALNOURISHED AND THAT IT HAD MANGE. AS SOON AS IT WAS THERE IT WAS GONE. THE ONLY WORDS WE COULD MUSTER WAS "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT"? I URGED MY FRIEND TO STOP THE CAR TO LOOK BUT HIS FOOT HIT THE ACCELERATOR AND WE DROVE OFF. HE WOULDN'T SAY BUT HIS EYES WERE SO WIDE I COULD TELL HE WAS SPOOKED. I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN OUT. IT WAS THE FREAKIEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN. IT WAS LIKE NO OTHER ANIMAL I HAVE EVER SEEN. SOME HAD SUGGESTED IT WAS A FERREL HOG. BUT IT WAS NO HOG, I WOULD ACCEPT MAYBE A SICKLY BLACK BEAR, BUT I SAW NO EARS OR SNOUT. JUST A MOUND OF LONG BLACK MATTED HAIR

OTHER WITNESSES: MY BEST FRIEND AND I, WE WERE DRIVING

OTHER STORIES: UNSURE, NONE FROM THE CAMP HOST AT SAM A BAKER STATE PARK WHERE WE CAMPED

TIME AND CONDITIONS: JUST BEFORE DUSK. SUN WAS SETTING BUT IT WAS LIGHT ENOUGH THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE OUR HEADLIGHTS ON YET AND HAD A CLEAR LIGHTED VIEW

ENVIRONMENT: DENSE HEAVY FOREST, St. Francois Mountains, JUST PAST A BRIDGE THAT CROSSED A SMALL CREEK/RIVER ON HIGHWAY 34

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Robert Driscoll:

Witness was greatly affected by this incident.

*The glimpse of the animal was very brief about 2 minutes but very revealing.
*Witness repeated description as reported. Moved on all fours, slow but long gait, matted dirty dark long hair, curly on shoulders with dirt and straw clinging to hair.
* Witness and friend exited the area in haste by vehicle.

Later heard yelping coming from woods for an hour. Unknown animal (to the witness) seemingly was imitating police siren relative to Sheriff's response to a boating accident on the river an hour earlier that was close to their campsite.

About BFRO Investigator Robert Driscoll:

Retired Police Officer, Latent Crime Scene Investigator
Attended 5 BFRO Expeditions: Missouri Exp 2009 and 2010; Tennessee Exp 2010 and 2011; Illinois Spring Exp 2011