YEAR: 1995

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: March

STATE: Ohio

COUNTY: Muskingum County

LOCATION DETAILS: Boat ramp off Rt 146 near Nashport, OH..then head up river to the first bend in the river.

NEAREST TOWN: Zanesville

NEAREST ROAD: Route 146

OBSERVED: This is something that happened 19 years ago while a buddy and me were fishing in the backwaters of Dillion Lake State Park in Muskingum County near Zanesville..Some of this was witnessed by 3 people as there are 2 different occasions that we saw & found evidence of Bigfoot..NO JOKE HERE I SWEAR!! First time in the same area we were fishing from the bank and ran into 2 different sets of foot prints that were going along the bank & the river..One set was very small..just like a child's but looked weird..second set was big! My friend has big feet & his boot went into this print we found..We found several prints..The thing is, it was spring and had been cold..No one would have been walking this bank in bare feet! Water was low because it was early spring..They drain water out of this lake in the fall to help prevent spring floods..A couple weeks later we were down at the same place but in my boat just 100 or so yards from where we were bank fishing the day we seen the prints..Anyway we were sitting in the boat and my buddy says "whats that!?" and down river at the exact spot that we had seen these prints was a very tall figure standing above the cattails on the edge of the river..very dark figure! BIG!! we were tripping out! This thing slowly stepped backward in where he had came from..The water was higher this day which makes the catfish bite good..This was near evening..I know this may sound funny but very true..Our lantern had quit working and because the fish were biting good we stayed..we had the moon to fish by and it was full that night so we could see pretty good..We stay when the fish are biting! We heard a noise on the bank like something big running toward us..heard a very big splash behind the boat..we were facing down river fishing horizontal to the bank..The boat ROCKED back and forth and we both hit the bottom of the board and hid! I was just waiting for something to bring his hand up on the boat..we were scared..I am fearless! We waited in the bottom of the boat for what seemed like eternity..We cut the anchor ropes and got outta there heading for the boat ramp..loaded that boat quicker than anything! I left my poles on the ramp because we were in such a hurry..We live 25 miles from this area and it was 10 or so years before we went back..This was a place we went every weekend as we are big time fishermen! Never witnessed anything like this ever before and we fish in secluded areas..I would like to show you this area and introduce you to the 2 other people..The other friend only witnessed the 2 sets of prints..I own my own business & am a Freemason..Thank you!

OTHER WITNESSES: 3

OTHER STORIES: Somewhat close

TIME AND CONDITIONS: first time with the footprints was afternoon..Second time evening.

ENVIRONMENT: Woods forever! river

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Bea Mills:

The following can be added to the report after a phone interview with the witness.

I spoke to the second witness who was present during all events, and found to be credible.

Witness #1: While walking on a footpath, near a boat ramp frequently accessed to fish, he and two other witnesses present found two separate sets of "footprints" paralleling each other. The men only observed the prints. Approximate measurement was determined as stated, "...my buddy's boot, and he wears a 12, and he stepped right in it." Dwarfing his boot on all sides. Witness estimates print length between 14-15 inches long with roughly an inch on either side. The second set of prints were described as smaller, and 'like a child's. Unable to recall the number of prints noted, only remarked that they were "huge".

Witness #2: The "woods are thick in this area" described the small trail in the backwater region of Dillion State Park, where the 2 sets of prints were found. Witness #2 states he had put his bare foot (12inches per witness) directly into the print, estimating the the print size to be 15-16 inches long. Regarding the smaller print, he remarked that he felt upset "that someone would let their kid walk barefoot", stating the area was still partially covered in snow.

Noted are differing estimates of print length, this is not uncommon as no tools were used for exact measurements.

The second occurrence took place approx. 2 weeks later, just upstream from the initial print find. The same ramp was accessed to boat fish. The witnesses report two, distinct events that evening.

Witness #1: While fishing at dusk, in his anchored, 14ft. v-bottom 'john' boat, his friend (one of the original witnesses), pointed out a large, dark colored figure standing approx. 1 ft. above a grove of (witness est.) 6-7 ft tall cattails. Description was: dark colored, with a "large build", and "strong arms", and that "it backed into the woods". No further details were provided of the figure. He stated that the creek was higher than usual and approx. 30ft wide at this particular 'spot'. There was a sandbar where the cattails were standing, approx. time was dusk.

Witness #2: Reports first seeing the figure at dusk, where it stood up, turning and began walking away, following a channel that, according to witness, led to a small pond. He described it as, “large and black”, and "the head and neck flowed together". Admitting that the bank stood higher from where they were sitting in the boat, he estimated its height to be at least 8ft. using the 'saplings' in the forest background for reference. Duration of the sighting was "seconds". He remarks that consensus was agreed upon not to follow the being through the woods.

The second event occurred approximately 3 hours later, while catfishing in the same location. Their lantern had ran out of gas, though noted a full moon out. With the boat facing south, the witness' recall loud noises, “like someone running on the shore”, followed with a large splash from behind that rocked the boat. Witness#1 remarked, "it wasn't even a beaver", as the splashing continued, they both "hit the floor" along the bottom of the boat and remained there until the water calmed. Witness#1 reported a strong odor immediately prior to incident, however, did not think that it was related.

Witnesses would not give exact location of this creek, only noted it was approx. 2 miles from a now derelict boat boat ramp off of SR146 near Nashport, Ohio, that feeds into a dam just north of Dillion Lake. Both gentlemen frequented this area often and described as "avid fishermen".

The area surrounding Dillon State Park, has ample farmland, rolling hills and numerous small bodies of water, including Dillon Reservoir.
Flint Ridge is to the West
Blackhand Gorge is due West
Wills Creek is to the North
Woodbury is to the NNW
Numerous state parks are to the North, South and West.
Muskingum River is nearby
Coal mines are in the area

About BFRO Investigator Bea Mills:

Bea Mills is an avid outdoors woman currently working in the medical field. A Certified Volunteer Naturalist for Ohio, primarily in the Hocking Hills region, and promoter of education and conservation of natural areas in Ohio.