YEAR: 1973

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: June

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Knox County

LOCATION DETAILS: located in the strip mines just around Victoria Illinois

NEAREST TOWN: Victoria

NEAREST ROAD: Illinois Route 167

OBSERVED: This occurred in the summer of 1973. I was 10 years old at the time I am currently 50. The area in which this is located was around Victoria Illinois. It was all strip mine areas run by the Peabody coal Company. Myself, cousin and 2 friends were hiking on the hills. We were standing on top of a tall hill that we Called Highest peak. We heard a cow bellowing about 150 yards away. I was the highest on the hill. Out from behind a small hill into a clearing out walks a large White Creature that was very tall and very large. It walked on 2 legs. When I saw it, I screamed to my cousin and friends. As soon as I screamed It immediately stopped Turned towards me and stared at me. We had direct eye to eye contact for probably several seconds. It then turned back and walk the direction that it was coming from. As young boys we were petrified and ran back to the areas where we were camping. We told the adults but no one paid attention that we'd seen a monster. It was only then about a month later one of the parents gave as an article describing exactly what we saw but located to the South in Murphysboro Illinois. I have never seen anything similar to it or heard anything about it. I was given your organization's name by Stan Courtney. I am now 50 years old, a medical neurologist. But this event has been etched to my mind Like it was yesterday.

ALSO NOTICED: a screening cow, is what drew our attention to that area.

OTHER WITNESSES: yes, friends

OTHER STORIES: I've never seen anything or heard anything since around this area except for the article that was given to us about a month later or so from Murphysboro Illinois

TIME AND CONDITIONS: afternoon

ENVIRONMENT: strip mines, lots of September lakes

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with two of the witnesses by phone.

In Summary:

• The animal was between eight and nine feet tall.
• The animal was heavily built.
• The hair was creamy-white in coloring.
• Although the face was visible all they could make out was that it was hairy and pinkish colored.
• The animal made no sounds as it watched the boys and then walked back into the woods.
• The article the boys were shown a few weeks later was "Big, muddy 'critter' sighted at Big Muddy" and was published on Tuesday, June 26, 1973.

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