YEAR: 2008

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 25

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Madison County

NEAREST TOWN: Edwardsville

NEAREST ROAD: Illinois Rt 143

OBSERVED: Watched something in my backyard. Subject was sitting down at first, was making a strange sound like a weedeater. Watched it leave the area.

ALSO NOTICED: Just the sound it was making.

OTHER WITNESSES: Just myself.

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 8:00 p.m. clear weather

ENVIRONMENT: Fields and some houses. Woods and a bike path nearby.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I met with the witness and he showed me the location for the sighting. I noted several street lights from two different directions.

The following is an interview with the witness at the location.

Stan - So on that evening what happened?

Witness - It was just dusk and I heard something, sounded like a weed-eater I think. And I was wondering why someone was out there. Of course down by the bike trails it pretty well gets dark by 8, or it gets darker earlier and you really can't see what you are doing. I knew it was getting ready to get dark so I brought my night vision with me. I was wondering what in the world why someone was out in the woods weed-eating for because it sounded like a weed-eater.

And so I walked back there because every time I hear strange noises it is not because of bigfoot but because we get a lot of kids doing stupid things too. When I started to walk back there I saw something sitting with its back to me. And as I was watching it started to make that whirling noise, it wasn't quite like a whoop, it was a mechanical noise, I can't describe it too well. But I suspected that was what I was hearing, her making this weed-eater type sound.

I guess I stepped on a branch or crunched a leaf. As soon as she heard it she didn't look at me, she just stood up, as she got up she scooped something up. I don't know what it she scooped up, I thought it might be a cantaloupe because I was raising cantaloupes at the time. As she grabbed something and got up she leaned over and cupped it to the front of her and that's when I noticed it had to be a female because I saw breasts.

And I went wow, that was interesting, and whatever she picked up she cupped it to the front of her and took straight off into the woods. At that moment I felt like I needed to get out of there.

Stan - Was this in your back woods by the brush?

Witness - Yes I was standing by the back shed and this was where the woods cuts across the back yard. I was in my yard.

Stan - And how far were you from her?

Witness - I was within about 30 yards.

Stan - And how tall do you think she was.

Witness - She was about 6 foot tall.

Stan - And what about weight?

Witness - I would say between 250 and 300 lbs. She was built like a line-backer.

Stan - And could you tell color?

Witness - Dark black or really dark, dark brown. Like a dark tree bark.

Stan - Tom, thank you for allowing me to come to your home and allowing me to interview you about your sighting.

Witness - You're welcome Stan.

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