YEAR: 1978

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: January

STATE: Ohio

COUNTY: Morrow County

LOCATION DETAILS: This incident took place two miles east of Fulton, Ohio about 200 yards north of County Road 25.

NEAREST TOWN: Fulton, Ohio

NEAREST ROAD: County Road 25

OBSERVED: My brother, dad and I had spent the day hunting behind our home. A ravine ran through the deep woods where we were fox hunting. The pelts brought a good price in those days. I was about 11 years old. While we hunted I had noticed large tracks in the snow. I tried to report it to dad but he was a very intense hunter and ignored me. As my brother and I drove the ravine I had this strange feeling of being watched. We had no luck that day and headed back home. We usually unloaded our rifles in the back yard before going inside. It was at this time that my brother yelled, "look." He was pointing to the back of the pasture behind the house. I saw something that I cannot explain. At first we thought we were looking at a bear lumbering on all fours but then it stood up. It was very tall and it was covered in a brownish fur. The fur on its arms was rather long. I could see the fur hanging from its arms as it reached out to touch the pasture fence in a posture more like a man. Then it stepped over a five foot fence and walked off into the heavy thicket completely out of sight. The pasture was owned by Jay Baker who is now deceased. My brother always called this the, "Freak of Nature Bear." I have never seen anything like this since. There was a creek that ran through the part of the pasture where the creature was sighted. This was also where I first had spotted the tracks. I have told this story many times since to various friends.

OTHER WITNESSES: My dad looked at it through his scope. My brother and I could see it quite clearly without any aid.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was around 5pm and it was a clear cold winter afternoon.

ENVIRONMENT: Pasture field with a creek bottom running through it. Some trees and a thicket nearby. Big woods further back.

Follow-up investigation report:

Patrick added that there was a musky smell in the air during that day. He estimates it was close to eight feet tall. He added how awkward it looked on all fours. Then it stood up and walked away. This is when it looked comfortable.