YEAR: 2001

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 1st-6th

STATE: Iowa

COUNTY: Franklin County

LOCATION DETAILS: West side of Hampton, Iowa on Olive Ave South. Turn left from Highway 3, and go about a quarter mile and it's right next to Farm Service.

NEAREST TOWN: Hampton

NEAREST ROAD: Highway 3

OBSERVED: My husband was outside our apartment building on the outskirts of town, when he heard what seemed to be something very large and heavy running through our backyard by the fenceline. He came into the house and told me about it. About ten minutes later, I went outside, and I saw something that looked very large and hairy moving in the shadows in my barn. My three dogs were barking up a storm and suddenly stopped. I went back into the house. The next night, my husband heard it once again, but this time it was right outside our bedroom window. He saw a shadow move across outside, and our window is about 9 foot off the ground on the second story. He could see from it's shoulders up. It had a dome-like head. He then heard it make its way around the house torwards the bean field across the street. It let out a moan-like cry that just sent chills down his spine. The following two nights, us and a couple friends from out of town were outside playing hide-and-seek on our property when we heard strange noises again. My husband and his friend went to investigate the noises, and came running back to the house. It was only 50 yards away hiding between two large silos. It had goldish eyes that reflected light like a deer's. There seemed to be another one just like it only a little smaller with it the last night it was spotted. We've heard it every night for about 5 nights now, and have grown accustomed to hearing it and seeing it. It's not really frightening, but it is intimidating because of it's size and our lack of knowledge as to what exactly it is.

ALSO NOTICED: My husband and his friend went to investigate it and found tracks of something that walks on the balls of its feet. They were about 16-17 inches long, about 6 inches wide and about 3-4 feet apart. There have also been alot of tree branches down in our yard like it was looking for something.

OTHER WITNESSES: There were 5 witnesses. They were outside with us getting ready to play hide-and-seek when we heard the noises.

OTHER STORIES: None that I'm aware of, but I did hear two farmers talking yesterday about 3 cows disappearing from his pasture. The fence was not broken and the gate was still locked. There was no trace of blood, or foul play...just three cows missing.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was sighted both during the day and at night. It is more active at night. The weather conditions have been cool and clear.

ENVIRONMENT: There is a silo, a barn, train tracks (which my husband thinks it came in on), and a large garden.