YEAR: 2010

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: November

DATE: 18

STATE: Arkansas

COUNTY: Saline County

LOCATION DETAILS: Winona wildlife area

NEAREST TOWN: Paron

NEAREST ROAD: hwy 9

OBSERVED: Sitting in tree during deer season. Saw a dark figure in deep brush, as i watch it moved into an open spot. I didn't Know what it was so i looked through the scope of my gun, not having binoculars on me, and saw it standing next to a cedar tree, with its hand on the tree. It turned profile to me and noticed that it wasn't any person in a custom as i thought it was at first. it was about 7'5" tall deep brown color, had hair from nose down, the face was deep wrinkled and the eyes had no whites, they were colored kind of. Scared i clicked the safety of my gun off, and the creature let out a deep grunt, way too deep to be any bear. It ran into the thick brush. A little while later i walked down to where it was to see if i could figure out what it was. I saw an imprint in the bark like a thumb and two long scratches that were as far apart as my pointer and pinkie streched.

ALSO NOTICED: Corse thick hair on a broken limb about 6 to 7in above my head where it had ran

OTHER WITNESSES: My buddy saw the marks and heard the grunt from 400 yards away, he was on the other ridge hunting

OTHER STORIES: no it scared me and i have not returned there since

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Windy, about 5 pm close to sunset

ENVIRONMENT: Near a small pond hardwood and cedar some pine, active deer trail

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Ron Boles:

I interviewed this witness via phone. He is a caretaker for state parks and is knowledgeable of the area's outdoor environment and wildlife. The witness was deer hunting in a stand approximately 12-15 ft. high overlooking a small clearing with a pond in the middle. Just before dusk with the sun being covered by a approaching storm from the west, the witness noticed movement northwest from his location in the outlying brush. Using his 3x9x40 power scope he was able to view an upright figure by a cedar tree making its way into the clearing, approx. 80 yards away from his position. He saw a broad shouldered, thick chested figure, with a short neck, and shaggy earth toned hair that covered the entire body.

Through the scope, the witness was able to see details of its right profile while it was walking due east to the other side of the clearing. The witness noticed it had muscular legs and a long torso. Its arms were hanging down by its legs. The witness then focused on the figure's face and saw that the hair receded away from the face where the witness was able to see its facial features. It was squared jawed, thin lipped, with a slanted forehead, and a flat wide nose.

I asked what type of stride it had as it walked and the witness responded that it walked with a swinging motion as if it "glided through the woods."

This event took place in the time span of 45 to 50 seconds.

Numerous hunting opportunities exist on the area. Deer, turkey, squirrel, bear, furbearers, cottontail, bobwhite, raccoon, mourning dove, coyote, woodcock, snipe and ducks.

About BFRO Investigator Ron Boles:

BFRO Investigator for the Ozarks
Attended and organized numerous BFRO Expeditions starting in 2007. In the states of Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. Ron is an avid student of the outdoors, ecology, folklore and regional history.