YEAR: 2014

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

DATE: October 9

STATE: Missouri

COUNTY: Jefferson County

LOCATION DETAILS: Omitted, private property

NEAREST TOWN: Festus/Selma area

NEAREST ROAD: Old Highway 61

OBSERVED: Where I work, they let us hunt and fish on the grounds. The last few years I have been hunting the west side of the property and every early Fall they or it is there. A few years ago, I had one violently shake a tree and run off just out of sight. Then, last year one let out not a scream and not a howl but a cross between the two so loud and close that I could feel it in my chest. I got to tell you it scared me half to death about a half hour before dark. I waited a little bit because I didn't know if it knew I was there or not and then I left. About a month ago I was doing a little scouting before deer season and heard some whoops and on Oct.9th I had, only what I can compare it to, is either 3 large rocks slammed on the ground or something stomped the ground hard enough to feel it in my feet three times and just far enough out of my view that I could not see it. I spoke out but got no reply. Nothing ran away or moved in the woods. I took it as a warning that I am here, go back, and that's what I did. I have hunted all my life and I know what a deer sounds like when it stomps its hoof, it was not that. I got to tell you, I have never been uncomfortable in the woods but this is getting kinda spooky.

ALSO NOTICED: I have looked for tracks but have never found any. However, I do find lots of trees bent over and/or twisted around 6 to 7 feet above the ground.

OTHER WITNESSES: If so they are not talking. I was told by a guy that interviewed me for a job there that about 15 years ago a guy had quit his job because he saw one and it scared him enough to quit.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Each time it was late afternoon for conditions except the stomping was in the early morning and rainy and foggy.

ENVIRONMENT: It borders the Mississippi River railroad tracks with large hills and flat bottoms. There are large bluffs and densely forested areas.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Chris Callahan:

I spoke to the witness via telephone.

In summary:

The witness was bowhunting on 10/09/2014. It was between 0800-0830 hrs, rainy, and foggy with about 40 ft of visibility all around. The nearest water was 150 yds away surrounded by large hills and bluffs combined with expansive sections of timber. It was here that the 3 loud stomps or rock drops were heard and felt.

In 2013, early Fall while scouting for deer hunting, the witness heard what is described as the cross between a scream and a howl. Its origin was a creek bottom with the witness being 35-40 yards away. He felt it in his chest. The description of it is similar to the Ohio Howl and he did not return to that location for 9 months.

Several years earlier, no later than 2010, the witness saw a tree shake (3" diameter, 20 ft tall) violently and then saw a figure run off through the forest. Yet, the figure could not be identified as being on 2 or 4 legs. It was large and dark red in color. This event occurred while in a treestand around 1000 hrs on a calm day. There was thick brush, but decent visibility.

These three incidents occurred within a 10 square mile area. The witness stated that he is confident no one else was in the woods. Also, he describes the odd creepy type feeling he gets upon arrival most of the time when he begins his hunting or scouting. Especially since the creepy feeling is accompanied by a lack of wildlife sounds.

This is solid habitat, visited very rarely by only a dozen or so people.

About BFRO Investigator Chris Callahan:

Chris is a professional Fire Captain and EMT. He holds a BA in History/Anthropology, an MA in Historical Archaeology, and has attended numerous public and private expeditions.