YEAR: 2000

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: January

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Schuyler County

LOCATION DETAILS: North 67 maybe within 10 miles of Rushville. I'm not familiar with the area and have not been back through since.

NEAREST TOWN: Rushville

NEAREST ROAD: Hwy 67

OBSERVED: My sister and I were driving North on Hwy 67 just past Rushville, Illinois. It was about 3 am, we came up on a part of the road that veered left in a wooded area. I saw an image up ahead in the road so I started to slow down. At first I thought it was a big big bear but I realized it was slimmer with very broad shoulders and black. It was bending down standing on the back legs, it picked something up out of the road with great care, looked right up at us and then took off so fast in the woods on its two back legs standing up caring for whatever it was that it picked up. My lights shined on it, it was not a bear. I've never seen an animal like that before and I have traveled the roads a lot. I've been hesitant to say anything because it just sounds crazy but it still bothers me because I don't know what it was. My sister saw it as well.

ALSO NOTICED: It stood on two legs and carried another black animal like a person would carry a child with its arms out and then pulled it close to its chest. I don't remember noticing the other animal moving at all but I was beside myself in shock.

OTHER WITNESSES: My sister and she said watch out. We both got very quiet because we were in shock.

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: About 3 am, it was dry out and dark.

ENVIRONMENT: On the hwy within a wooded area.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with both witnesses by phone.

• The animal was 7 feet tall.
• The animal was huge with very broad shoulders.
• The hair was very dark brown or black in coloring.
• The animal was very close to the car, perhaps 30 feet.
• As it was late at night and a very rural area the witness kept the vehicles headlights on bright.
• The witness could not see the eyes but did describe the face as looking like a Neanderthal with a heavy eyebrow ridge.
• It was the witness' impression that it picked up a juvenile and cradled it to its chest as it moved quickly into the nearby woods.

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