YEAR: 1986

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 13

STATE: Georgia

COUNTY: Emanuel County

LOCATION DETAILS: 32.401392, -82.316257

NEAREST TOWN: Twin City

NEAREST ROAD: GA 46

OBSERVED: My wife and I were fishing in the Ohoopee river in a Jon boat when we heard something come running thru the woods towards us. Tree branches and bushes were being snapped off. It stopped short of the edge of the creek and was behind the bushes standing about 7-8 feet tall. We saw the top of its head which was a reddish brown with hair covering its facial features. It made no noise as it stood there watching us. We quickly paddled to the opposite shore where our campsite was set up. The creature paced back and forth along the bank, but just behind the bushes. We could plainly hear each step and each limb being broken as well as getting glimpses of it thru the brush. It stayed until late pm, early a.m. when we heard a loud splash into the river. We heard it scramble back up the bank and run thru the woods away from us. It sounded like a horse running thru the woods (noise from the breaking of limbs and heavy foot steps pounding the ground). Next am we saw where it had clawed its way back up the bank, leaving impressions from hands and fingers, not hoof marks like a deer or hog would leave. We had no camera to take photos.

OTHER WITNESSES: Me and my wife. We were fishing from a jon boat during initial contact.

OTHER STORIES: We did not know of any other sightings in the area until discovering your website today. The 3 sightings previously reported in this county are very close to where ours was, although years apart.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: From Afternoon until early am.

ENVIRONMENT: Pine/oak forest, thick underbrush, sandy soil

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator David Bakara:

I spoke with the witness by phone and he seemed quite sincere and honest in his recollection of events. He and his wife were camped in a clear cut area right alongside the Ohoopee River. A small creek near the intersection of Interstate 16 and US1, just north of Oak Park. The couple had set up camp approx. 60 feet from the waters edge. They were tent camping, and had also brought their camper shell on their truck. Later that afternoon, they were fishing in a small jon boat. They were on the North side of the small river, tied to a tree branch as an anchor, fishing and chatting in the early afternoon. The river is only 60-70 feet across at this spot. The husband hears what he initially thinks is a horseback rider crashing through the woods heading in their direction. When he first spots it he realizes it is not a horse. It stands between 7-8 feet tall and stops about 30 feet away from them. It is observing them from the cover of bushes that aren't quite tall enough to fully hide it. They can still see the upper half of its head, and it is covered by long reddish, orange, brown hair. The face is completely covered, but they can plainly see it is a human shaped head with a slight point to it. The witness states he is more curious than frightened, but his wife is determined to get out of there, so he paddles the boat back across the river to the safety of their campsite. There they continue to observe the animal pace back and forth covering about 20yds. They catch glimpses of the large body through the leaves, and it is covered in the same color hair as the head. The sighting lasts for approx. 5 minutes, but they occasionally hear a twig snap or footfall. The wife wants to pack up and leave, but the husband tells her it is staying away from camp, and just to be safe, they'll sleep in the camper tonight. Later that night when they are sleeping, the couple is awoke by a large splash in the river, then the sound of something thrashing about in the water, and finally it sounds like it comes out of the water, but on the opposite side. The couple is too frightened to leave their camper and when morning arrives, they get up to inspect their area. Nothing appears to have been tampered with or moved. but when they get in their boat to inspect the rivers edge, they find marks on the opposite side, where something had climbed up out of the water and over the bank. No hooves were noticed, just large hand/finger marks in the mud. Neither he or his wife had a camera, so they took no photos. The couple packed up their gear and vacated the area.

About BFRO Investigator David Bakara:

David has three daughters and a wife that shares his interest in research, both having developed a deep respect for nature and knowledge of the outdoors and wildlife. Attended Northern Florida Expedition 2011, 2012 Washington Exp., and 2012 North Florida exp. Prior US Navy and currently works as a Leasing Agent, spending his time off in the woods as often as he can investigating Bigfoot reports.