YEAR: 2014

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: May

DATE: 21

STATE: New Jersey

COUNTY: Sussex County

LOCATION DETAILS: Omitted for privacy reasons.

NEAREST TOWN: Sussex

NEAREST ROAD: Neilson

OBSERVED: I was outside walking around the yard looking at birds then they all disappeared so I decided to walk to the hedgerow to the woods to see if there were any deer out there and I leaned against a tree and looked out into the woods and I saw a black figure on all fours. I just saw the legs and knew it was not a bear, coyote or bobcat cause they don't have legs or arms like a human so I ran to another tree next to me to see if I was just seeing things and then I looked back up and it was still there and it rocked back and forth from left to right and when that happened I ran back to my house grabbed my Buddy to come up into the woods with me to see what it was and it was gone. But I got chills on my deck and my hair stood up and I looked at him and without saying anything to him he said my hair just stood up so we got out of there as quick as we could. I'll be honest with you, I have hunted these woods my whole life and never been afraid ever of any animal and I served in the marine corps so being in the woods at dark is nothing. But this happened and I was literally freaked out. I never felt like this ever. I have no idea what that was, but it was like a dog, but dogs are not built like humans. I'm so shaken up over this and quite frankly I don't want to tell anyone because I can't explain what that was that I saw.

ALSO NOTICED: The birds I was watching just disappeared and that it rocked from left to right just once like it was trying to stand

OTHER WITNESSES: Just me

OTHER STORIES: I have not but I looked up online and it brought me to this website

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Before dusk 9 pm weather clear

ENVIRONMENT: Woods not too thick 30 ft from my house. Figure was on top of a gully. Gully dips down then goes up, figure was about 40 yds from me.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Larry Rippon:

Spoke to the witness by phone and also at the 2014 Northern NJ town hall meeting. This witness was featured on the North Jersey Finding Bigfoot episode. The following details can be added:

* The witness could not describe seeing facial features
* The witness described the creature as performing a push-up type motion, lowering down to the ground on one arm and then back up, then repeating the motion with the other arm
* The location of this sighting is at the north eastern base of Stokes State Forest. Stokes has a history of sightings
* The Appalachian Trail is very near to this sighting location. This trail is believed to be used as a travel path by Bigfoots
* Based on this witness' description of the size and actions of the creature, it is possible the witness saw a juvenile Sasquatch
* The disappearing of the birds in this instance (And insect sounds, crickets, etc. in other Bigfoot reports) before the encounter is often reported with Bigfoot sightings

About BFRO Investigator Larry Rippon:

Larry is a lifelong New Jersey resident, having lived the past 26 years in the northern part of the state. He became interested in Bigfoot after seeing the Paterson-Gimlin film when he was a young boy. Larry likes spending time with his family and is an avid hiker. He is the curator of all BFRO northern New Jersey sightings, reports and investigations. Larry has attended the following BFRO expeditions:

2014 northern New Jersey
2016 southern New York
2017 northern New Jersey
2018 southern New Jersey
2019 northern New Jersey (co-organizer)
2020 southern New York #1
2022 northern New Jersey spring (organizer)
2022 northern New Jersey fall (organizer)
2023 northern New Jersey spring (organizer)
2023 northern New Jersey fall (organizer)
2024 northern New Jersey spring (co-organizer)
2024 northern New Jersey fall (co-organizer)

If you have seen a Sasquatch anywhere in northern New Jersey, please contact me immediately.

Email: NJ_BFRO@yahoo.com
Twitter: @NewJersey_BFRO