YEAR: 2011

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: May

DATE: 3

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Massac County

LOCATION DETAILS: (please do not post location online)

NEAREST TOWN: Metropolis

OBSERVED: To be honest, I’m very reluctant to submit this report but the pictures and details are simply too compelling to ignore.

Two months ago my wife and I purchased five acres of rural, wooded property here in Massac County, Illinois. I mow approximately two acres of this ground, with the rest of it being heavily wooded. I know nothing about Botany, so I can’t describe the vegetation on the property outside of an Oak and/or Silver Maple trees. Just take my word for it – it’s thick with trees and underbrush.

On May 3rd at 6:15p.m., my wife, myself, and my two boys sons went out to this new property to have a picnic at the cabin. I was half-way down the hill toward the cabin when my wife yelled, “Oh my gosh! Look at this - look at this!” She was up the slope close to our parked trucks, staring at the ground. I walked back up to her position and she was staring at this print on the ground (pictures attached). I had, evidently, walked right over the track without noticing.

I then searched the radial area around the track and found two more partial impressions. Growing more suspicious caused me to search the “bottoms” behind the cabin. I found a strange tree structure and photographed that, as well.

Listen, I’ve got a BS in Management Communication and am pursuing a Masters in Theology. I am also a local minister, so my credibility is at stake. I would never consider fabricating a story, much less a story like this one.

Now, we’ve got to use a little critical thinking, but this is where logic and reality seem to be in opposition. What makes a print like the one we’ve found on our property? There’s two plausible possibilities; (1) A very large, very heavy man or woman – with a 14+ inch foot - is walking around out in the cool spring air with no shoes, trespassing on private property, out in a rural part of the country, risking arrest or a bullet. Or (2), ?

I asked a good friend of mine, and member of the church, to take photos of the print using his 10 mega-pixal camera – the photos are truly incredible. He took several photos, including a “foot-in” and “foot-out” to show scale, two with a tape measure, one showing depth, and photos of the area via Google earth.

ALSO NOTICED: Two additional "partial impressions" - not discernable. Stick structure.

OTHER WITNESSES: Yes; 3. Walking toward our cabin.

OTHER STORIES: BFRO Report #25924

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 6:15 p.m., approximately 1 hour before sunset. Clear.

ENVIRONMENT: 20 degree grassy slope, mowed area, surrounded by heavily wooded area, approximately 75' from secondary roadway, rural Massac County.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

Although I have not been to this exact location I have made three on-site investigations less than a mile from his cabin.

A very interesting peripheral fact that the witness brought up is that BFRO Report #25924, a Class B Report from July 2009, is only 1.15 miles from this print on their property and the woods from BFRO Report # 25924, and their woods are adjoining.

In Summary regarding this report:

• The complete footprint was 14" long.
• It was 6" wide at the ball of the foot and 4" wide at the heel.
• The toes were all plainly visible.
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Editor's Note (Matt Moneymaker): This track looks quite fake to me. I can see the tell-tale clues of someone creating this impression by hand, with the help of a tool.
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The footprint showing the measurement of the length.



The footprint showing the measurement of the width.



The footprint showing the measurement of the depth.

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