YEAR: 2012

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

DATE: 27

STATE: Missouri

COUNTY: Bollinger County

LOCATION DETAILS: We own a cabin at this camp ground where this took place. We'd rather not have our names on this!

NEAREST TOWN: Grassy Missouri

NEAREST ROAD: Intersection of Hwy 34 and Hwy Y

OBSERVED: While at our cabin at Castor River in Bollinger Co Missouri our 14 yr old son and his friend witnessed what they said appeared to be a 7-8 ft tall human like creature knock down a dead tree across the river in their direction. (my wife and I were at the spot the day before and the tree wasn't there..when we went the next morning we seen it in the river) It then landed in the water and stood there, it started towards them and they ran back to our cabin. Before this happened they heard rocks or something being thrown into the water. This occurred about 10-11 at night while the boys were in the river gigging. Which is knee to waist deep. These boys are all boy and spend nights out in tents at the river and woods.. This night they were extremely upset and scared and wouldn't stay in the tent. They wanted to leave that night and come home! I don't know what they seen, but I don't think they are making this up, they were truly scared!!

OTHER WITNESSES: 2 and they were at the river gigging for fish

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was about 10-11 at night. Moonlit and calm

ENVIRONMENT: Small shallow river. Forrest area

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Carter Buschardt:

I spoke with the young man and his father. Both very familiar with the woods and all animals residing there. In that they are familiar, there is virtually nothing they are afraid of. The young 14 year-old son, relived the events. I will add here, some of what was mentioned in the original report, as well as some following items remembered as he relived the events. The tree pushed over into the river was 20-25 ft. tall. Their attention was drawn to the area of the tree due to some splashing (rocks or objects being thrown into the river). As they shined their flashlights at the area, they saw the creature "riding the tree down" as it crashed into the river. (like riding a surfboard). The river was about 40 ft.wide, and the tree covered at least half the width of the river. They then heard something walking or moving in the river. River was about 5.5 to 6ft deep at that point. They shined their small flashlights in the direction of the sound and saw something moving from the base of the tree across the river at a diagonal direction away from them. They saw "a silhouette and arm swinging movement" and an upright creature that was blackish (it was dark) moving upstream away from and in front of them. At that point, they left in a big hurry. These are boys who are quite familiar with the woods, and pretty much scared of nothing. They have seen, and been in the presence of bears, and this was not a bear. When they went back the next morning, they saw the tree and there were "large scratches" on the tree. As stated in the original report, they had been to the exact spot the day before and the tree was not in the water.

About BFRO Investigator Carter Buschardt:

Carter is originally from Texas & moved to Missouri in 1988. Professional drummer for 20 years. Improv & sketch comic and writer for 5 years. Lighting technician for major touring groups for several years. Experienced outdoorsman and was a trained investigator for MUFON. Studied Herpetology in college. Longtime special interest in Sasquatch long term habituation, burial research, infra sound, language & stick structures. He led three Missouri BFRO Public Expeditions:, 2012 & 2013 & 2014. Led public expedition for BFRO in Illinois in 2019.Participated in Iowa, 2012 Illinois. Michigan 2016. Private Expeditions: Illinois 2011, 2012, 2013. Missouri 2011, 2012 (3) 2013(2) 2014. Iowa 2012, 2014 & 2015. Consulted on two Animal Planet Finding Bigfoot TV shows. Expedition leader in Missouri 2013 (1) & 2014 (2) & Illinois Expedition 2019 (1). Led night ops on numerous BFRO expeditions. Hosted a public Town Hall meeting in Missouri in 2017.