YEAR: 2013

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: February

DATE: Sat 18th

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: McHenry County

LOCATION DETAILS: It happened on my street in Lake in the Hills. At my house. Behind my house by my neighbors pool, right behind my house.

NEAREST TOWN: Lake in the Hills

NEAREST ROAD: Algonquin Road

OBSERVED: I woke up on the 18th as I did almost every a.m. at the same time. Except at that time I smoked, I quit since then. But at 3:30 a.m. I stepped outside on my back patio to have my morning smoke and coffee. When I looked up towards my neighbors above ground pool I saw it, him walking from the corner of their house towards the pool on the north west side of it. And it was tall, I would say maybe 7-7and a half feet tall and muscular. It wasn't huge but very tall, but muscular. Like a younger one. That's why I call him the youngster. He's curious. Anyway he hit the pool with his right hand as he was heading towards the only set of tree's around. Which is my neighbors to the north of me. i went up stairs in my son's bathroom to look out the window and he must of saw me and didn't like me watching him because he threw something at the house, so I stopped watching him.He was a darker color, I would say almost black but a little lighter. I don't think he thought anybody should be awake at that time in the morning. Because it seems almost like I not scared him but we both did not expect to see each other that a.m.

OTHER WITNESSES: None, just me no one else gets up at my time in the morning.

OTHER STORIES: Yes, you have two other cases in the same area. case # 29448 which is just south of me but the one that is most closest to me is case # 32400, I live right by the gravel-sand pit the the witness jogged on. The trail is right by my house.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 3:30 a.m. My back light was on and I had a 60 watt bulb in. It was cold but there was no snow on the ground at that time.

ENVIRONMENT: Behind my house.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

In summary:

• The animal was 7 to 7 1/2 feet tall and muscular.
• The animal's hair was grey-blackish in color.
• The witness watched the animal walk through his neighbor's back yard.
• There is a 4 foot fence between the witness's and the neighbor's yards.
• The animal was about 90 feet from the witness.
• Prairie Trail is a short distance from the home.

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