YEAR: 2016

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: December

DATE: Dec. 2nd

STATE: Arkansas

COUNTY: Polk County

LOCATION DETAILS: Heavy forest in the Ouachita National Forest, 8 miles north of Acorn, Arkansas.

NEAREST TOWN: Acorn, Arkansas

NEAREST ROAD: US71

OBSERVED: While south bound on US71, 8 miles north of the Ouachita River, observed a very tall, dark-colored, upright, bipedal creature crossing the highway and disappearing into the forest.

ALSO NOTICED: Vehicle had been traveling at 55 mph when sighting occurred, but was stopped at location of the creature's crossing, but nothing else could be observed.

OTHER WITNESSES: 1, driving

OTHER STORIES: N/A

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 5:10 p.m., dusk, clear visibility for at least a half mile, weather clear, temp. in the 40's.

ENVIRONMENT: Mixed hardwood forest, mountainous, rocky creek beds and underbrush.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Carter Buschardt:

I spoke at length with this witness. He has nearly 40 years in military and law enforcement service, and his powers of observation are at, or above what you would expect from a trained observer. He also has a degree in Anthropology and is a self described expert in Darwinism, and has also studied quantum physics and math. The event is as follows:

Witness, and his wife and 12 year-old were driving in the Ouachita National Forest around dusk, 5:10 pm to be exact. He had been joking a few minutes before that if Sasquatch really exists, this forest would be the perfect habitat. Since they were aware of his incident as a police officer, his child and wife were both looking to either side of the highway, just in case there would be a chance sighting.

He saw it first at a distance of about 400 feet when he said something to his wife and daughter. He was closing in at about 80 feet per second since he was going 55 mph. They were both still looking out the respective sides of the vehicle, looking in the woods. They both turned in time to see "something", but their observation was "less than a second". His entire view was 3-4 seconds tops. They were driving south and the creature was going west to east.

Description was black or dark brown, at least 8ft tall, and "nearly as wide as a deer is long", no less than 4ft width at the shoulders. It crossed the 25 ft road in three steps. It was first just standing at the crest of a small hill, and "it could see traffic coming from both directions". In his assessment, it had chosen to cross the road at this hill so it could see what was coming. His words and opinion. He stopped the car where it had disappeared into the woods and saw nothing but very rocky terrain that dropped 16-20 feet very sharply, and then heavy woods beyond that.

It was mentioned earlier in this report that he had had a sighting, when he was a police officer in Louisiana, in 1970. He and his partner responded to a prowler call, and long story made short, they chased it for 2 city blocks before it disappeared into the canals and marshes. See Report #56017. Although he had a degree in anthropology at that time, he had no knowledge or belief system in Sasquatch.

Once he answered that prowler call, there was no mistaking what he saw, along with his partner. He knew what it was and has been a believer ever since, though he has not gone out of his way to follow the subject until recently.

About BFRO Investigator Carter Buschardt:

Carter is originally from Texas & moved to Missouri in 1988. Professional drummer for 20 years. Improv & sketch comic and writer for 5 years. Lighting technician for major touring groups for several years. Experienced outdoorsman and was a trained investigator for MUFON. Studied Herpetology in college. Longtime special interest in Sasquatch long term habituation, burial research, infra sound, language & stick structures. He led three Missouri BFRO Public Expeditions:, 2012 & 2013 & 2014. Led public expedition for BFRO in Illinois in 2019.Participated in Iowa, 2012 Illinois. Michigan 2016. Private Expeditions: Illinois 2011, 2012, 2013. Missouri 2011, 2012 (3) 2013(2) 2014. Iowa 2012, 2014 & 2015. Consulted on two Animal Planet Finding Bigfoot TV shows. Expedition leader in Missouri 2013 (1) & 2014 (2) & Illinois Expedition 2019 (1). Led night ops on numerous BFRO expeditions. Hosted a public Town Hall meeting in Missouri in 2017.