YEAR: 2017

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: April

DATE: 04/13

STATE: Missouri

COUNTY: St. Francois County

LOCATION DETAILS: right next door to my camp lot

NEAREST TOWN: French Village

NEAREST ROAD: Hwy. Y

OBSERVED: Hello I live off grid inside Goose Creek Lake north of Farmington, MO. Its actually French Village, MO. but inside Goose Creek Lake community. And I am on the north side of Goose Creek Lake, Stone Horse Lane.

Last night 04/13/2017 I had just turned off my generator for a peaceful night of nature while I sleep. As I laid in bed I noticed that all the crickets, birds, frogs all stopped sounding or making noise. After about 20 or so minutes I heard what sounded like tree knocks but it was just one knock and I did not hear a reply. The direction in which I heard this sound was right next door on another lot beside mine. I thought to myself was that just what I thought it was a tree knock. I became frightened and I could hear my neighbors shed creak like something big pushed against it. I heard this for several minutes then it went silent again and still no sounds of any birds, crickets etc.

The only reason I know it was a tree knock is because I've studied bigfoot since I was a kid, watching stories etc.

Then I started hearing russling sounds coming from next door on same side I heard the knock come from. I could hear something pressing against the gravel driveway they have over there. At one time I thought I heard a growl and chewing sounds.

After a terrifying hour or so I could hear what ever it was walking but it did not sound like a person, a animal walking. After a few minutes I heard a whooping sound but I did not hear a reply to it. I would appreciate it if someone can call me maybe come out here because today I went looking for signs of what it could have been and found a foot print in the gravel road just feet from where I heard all the noise the night before. I also took it upon myself and took pictures of the print with a tape measure. I then called security about the matter and they came out and I showed Randy the foot print. It measured 17" by 6"
I am concerned that I may be in danger.

ALSO NOTICED: few nights before I heard whooping sounds but they were far off

OTHER WITNESSES: no, only witness is security who seen foot print

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 10:00pm - 12:30am

ENVIRONMENT: warm, no breeze or wind. no rain

A & G References: 12-7

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Carter Buschardt:

I spoke with David for over an hour, and have had numerous email and text communications. I found him to be very down to earth and matter of fact in his demeanor and sharing of the event. He lives "off the grid". Using a portable generator, solar, well water and similar other types of self sufficient means, he lives in a camper on raw land as he awaits the building of his cabin. The evening of his event was a quarter moon and comfortably temperate. He was relaxing and enjoying the natural sounds of the woods when it suddenly got dead quiet after he heard a "tree knock". This came from the next door neighbors property, or close to it. He was listening intently when he heard a "shuffling type of gait" on a gravel path with bi pedal steps. He timed it at 2.5 seconds (est) between steps for "a half dozen or less steps". It also sounded like there was "something being dragged along" as it was walking. He also noted what sounded like "something leaning, pushing" or perhaps trying to enter a storage shed on the neighbor's property.

By this time he was out of bed and trying to see out his window, but it was too dark. The general rustling, movement and eerie quiet went on for about an hour. His cat then went to the small window by his bunk when it "began hissing and freaking out" and a moment later he heard the lid close on his bait bed. (He has an old rusted out BBQ grill he uses as a bait bed, full of potting soil and worms). This is just a few feet from his camper. Photos of the bait bed (rocks placed on top by David):





This was when he had a sense of dread and the thought crossed his mind he might be in danger. I assured him that this was not the case in general. After a couple of hours of intermittent activity, he heard a "whoop" and then the forest around him came back to life.

He did take photos of the print:







He also noted that "someone" had "smashed in" a case of eggs left out on his neighbors porch. It looked like "someone had put their fist through the case and grabbed a handful of eggs". Photos of the eggs:





He felt, during the entire time of the event, that there was "someone or some thing" out foraging on his property. Since he had studied the BF subject closely, and during the activity, whoops and knocks, etc., he was fairly certain of the source of the activity, in his opinion.

I believe his story as told, and as a side note, when a grown man, or person of the woods, tells you they were terrified, it tends to add credence, in my humble opinion. It takes a lot of courage to admit to a perfect stranger that you are afraid of something in the night. This report has the mostly typical earmarks of a classic Class B event, in my opinion.

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.