YEAR: 1973

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: September

STATE: Indiana

COUNTY: Hamilton County

NEAREST TOWN: Sheridan

NEAREST ROAD: County road

OBSERVED: I was around 8 years old. It was about dusk when I walked into the cornfield that was directly behind our house. I played there alot. The corn was very tall. I first heard a noise, which sounded like heavy footsteps,and corn being pushed aside. I froze fearing that it was an escaped sow, but the footsteps sounded like a two legged step, not four. I froze when suddenly the corn in front of me split apart, and standing in front of me was a very tall, and very thick dark figure.I did not look all the way up: I was very startled.There was a very strong odor.I can still smell it when I think about it. It was a very musky smell, and very strong. I was within arms length of whatever it was when it made a heavy sigh or grunt, kinda like a strong exhale, and then suddenly it just ran around me. Before I could turn to look again it was gone. My mother heard the footsteps, and the corn breaking, but did not see what I had seen.

ALSO NOTICED: There were sightings reported in a near by town called Sharpsville, about a week later. Thats less than 20 miles.That incident was covered on the Indianapolis news.

OTHER WITNESSES: One - Gardening

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was late afternoon, about 6 oclock. It was about dusk.

ENVIRONMENT: In a cornfield

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone. He was very serious about what he had experienced but was unable to give any detail being too frightened to totally look up at the animal. He did feel that it was very large, tall and walking on two legs.

I also spoke with his mother. She said that her son had come to her from out of the corn exclaiming about the huge animal that he had seen.

She said that they did have a creek with trees that were about one-half mile distant. She also remembered that summer there were several sightings about ten miles from their home. One of these sightings was near Westfield which is Report #10538.

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