YEAR: 2013

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: August 6-9

STATE: Iowa

COUNTY: Boone County

LOCATION DETAILS: Exact location withheld by request of the witness.

NEAREST TOWN: Fraser

NEAREST ROAD: (omitted)

OBSERVED: We went looking for Sasquatch in the woods surrounding our favorite campsite east of Fraser. To our surprise we actually heard something. On the first night we heard a very loud tree knock followed by something BIG walking down a slope away from us. Two nights later we saw red glowing eyes that followed us. On the third night we heard howling, tree knocking, and grunting. While one member of our group was taking a pee he said he saw a figure about 5 feet tall start to walk away from him, then it stood up even taller, about eight feet tall. Heard bi-pedal footsteps following us back to camp. We left a glow stick on the road when we left. When we returned to check on it, it had been placed in a hollow tree base.

OTHER WITNESSES: 6 witnesses total.

OTHER STORIES: Yes, various incidents over the years.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Clear skies, about 11pm all three nights.

ENVIRONMENT: Edge of hardwood forest near a road, the Des Moines River, and a corn field.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Scott Allen:

The location near the Des Moines River where these events occurred is part of my main research area. The area contains public access boat launches and campsites along the river surrounded by other public and private land. Most of it is heavily wooded but there are also nearby row crop fields. Roads are gravel.

The incidents happened over three separate nights in August 2013. After the second night, I received notification from a mutual acquaintance who works in the area that the witness and his group had experienced something unusual and disturbing. I encouraged my contact to have the witness submit a report to the BFRO.

Normally I would be suspicious when I read a report from people who intentionally went looking for Sasquatch. In this case, I know from the witness and others familiar with the situation that the exploration was made sincerely to follow-up on knocks, tree breaks, rock-throwing, howls and grunts seen and heard over many prior years that were never reported to the BFRO or any local authority.

I contacted the witness by phone shortly after he submitted his report to the BFRO. We talked for over an hour. I can add this detail to his report.

Tues Aug 6. Five people with flashlights went for a walk at about 11 pm a few hundred yards north of their campsite. They found a clearing in the trees and sat in a circle for 10 minutes with flashlights off to allow their night vision to set in. One in the group commented that he might have seen a walking figure move through the trees on ridge line above. They left the area and returned back to the gravel road intending to return to their campsite. On the road heading south, another in the group performed four quick howls described as “terrible.” There was an immediate wood knock response to their right in the direction of the river perhaps 100-200 yards away. They walked 20 yards further, stopped and heard a loud wood knock up and to their left, but this time only about 20 yards away in the trees along the road. Then from the same direction and even closer, the sound of a small tree or large branch crashing or being thrown to the ground. They continued back to their campsite in haste and nothing further happened. The next morning no broken trees or branches could be seen along the road leading to speculation that it may have been just violently shaken or stepped on as the unknown subject walked away, and not thrown.

Thurs Aug 8. The witness and five others returned to the same general area north of their campsite at about 11 pm. After a few minutes, four left with the intention of returning to the campsite. Witness and one other remained behind. At this point witness observed what he described as two red glowing eyes about 30 yards away in the trees. Unexpectedly, the four who had left moments before returned thinking they were being followed. The witness actually observed the glowing eyes turn their attention from him to the returning group. All six then returned to their campsite together. A sound described as a sapling whooshing to the ground was heard as they departed.

Fri Aug 9. The group planned to return to the same general area north of their campsite at around 11 pm. Along the way, one of the guys stepped 20 feet away on the river side of the gravel road near the tree line to urinate. At this point, the guy heard leaves rustling just ahead of him. Then he saw what he described as a five foot shadow stand straight up to become eight feet tall, then turn and walk away. He returned to the group noticeably pale and eager to leave. A glow stick was activated and left in the middle of the road, then they returned south to their campsite along the gravel road all the time hearing rustling just inside the tree line to their right and left. After about 10 minutes back at camp, witness and two others returned north back up the road and found the glow stick had been re-positioned at the base of a hollow dead tree. Nothing else strange was observed.

No similar occurrences happened on any of the three nights once the group was back at the campsite.

About BFRO Investigator Scott Allen:

An Iowa native, Scott has explored Iowa and many other parts of the US while hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, caving, canoeing and more. He brings to the investigation process a lifelong interest in natural sciences supported by formal education in biology and chemistry as well as training and professional experience in audio and video production.

Scott attended the Iowa Hill Country 2012 and Iowa Big River 2014 expeditions and has participated in several private expeditions in central and southeastern Iowa. He is currently conducting exploration and research focused along Iowa’s Des Moines River and its many tributaries.