YEAR: 1981

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 4

STATE: New Jersey

COUNTY: Monmouth County

LOCATION DETAILS: I would like to remain anonymous as I don't want people to think I'm crazy. You know the stigma that comes along with people judging others that see similar things... This happened behind Wall Central School in the school field between Scott Farms development and the woods that connect to Woodfield Ave. There was back then 2 rows of pine trees that were between the school field and the Scott Farms neighborhood. It was behind 3407 and 3409 Brandon Road on the school field side.

NEAREST TOWN: Wall

NEAREST ROAD: Brandon Road/Allenwood Road

OBSERVED: I had some strange experiences in my childhood. A friend from up the street, she and I would walk through the woods. There was a path that went in a big circle where the older neighborhood kids would ride dirt bikes. It was about a mile around, I'd say. When we'd get about 2/3 the way around this 'circle' we'd hear single short whistles and small stones would be tossed near us. We thought it was the neighborhood kids, so kind of ignored it, but this would happen every time we walked around in this section of the woods. About 3/4 the way around the circle, we saw some matted down dry grass, that looked like a bedding area. Also, some strange footprints as well in the muddy areas. They were huge footprints and the toes seemed almost rectangular in the dried footprints. We'd also smell a wet dog type smell in this area. The last time I was in that section of the woods was 1975/1976.

A couple other times, I'd go with a friend to the Howell/Farmingdale area. We'd walk back to an abandoned house in the woods and drink a couple beers. We'd hear noises and saw some of the same size footprints that the neighbor and I had seen in the woods behind my neighborhood.

Fast forward 5 years or so, a boyfriend and I were smoking cigarettes in the school field by the house I grew up in. It was Fall, just at dusk, probably 6pm-ish. I happened to look up and look across the school field and saw this HUGE shadow standing on a slightly raised hill across the school field, by another neighborhood...I stared at that figure for a minute thinking that person sure has long arms, It was probably 60 feet away from us at that time. I stared a minute more and suddenly I could see that figure crystal clear as it bolted across the school field towards us. As it got closer I could see reddish brown shaggy fur on this huge man/ape type creature. It ran towards us silently, but with huge strides, as it came closer and closer. All I could do was yell, "RUN!" and we ran through a neighbor's yard and back to my house. I told my mom what happened and she said we shouldn't have been in the school field when it was getting dark...I was petrified and the next day my boyfriend and one of his friends went back to look for this thing, but we never found it again. I recently talked to my son about this incident and wrote it out for him, as I wanted my story documented. I still to this day get goosebumps every time I talk about it.

ALSO NOTICED: I just remember seeing that thing across the school field from us as we finished up a cigarette. I will never forget watching it run full speed towards us, silently, and it was huge...reddish brown fur with a few dried leaves in its fur.

OTHER WITNESSES: 3, one was a neighborhood friend. We'd walk through the woods together sometimes with my dog. She moved away when I was 10 or 11 and I never heard from her again.

The second witness was a friend who would drink a beer or two in the woods in the next town over. He knew of an old abandoned house we'd walk to in the woods in the Howell/Farmingdale area and we'd see footprints that were huge like the others near my house and we'd hear whistle type noises as well.

The third witness had his back to the school field but he did see my demeanor change as this thing approached us., I talked to him about 17 yrs ago and he asked me about that evening again and I told him everything I saw and reported above.

OTHER STORIES: Listed above.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was just as the sun was setting. Dusk, but just light enough to make out things around us.

ENVIRONMENT: A very open field where soccer/baseball are played, I know it was about 60 yds away from us because we'd run the 50 yd dash in school and it was just a little further than that distance when I first saw this creature.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Eric Spinner:

I was finally able to connect with the witness after many failed attempts. She had moved out of the area many years ago, but I was thrilled when I received a response from her saying that she would speak with me. We set up an appointment to speak by phone and she restated to me the events of that evening in fall of 1981.
She also shared with me more details about her experiences with another friend dating back to the mid 70s when they would hike through the woods behind her friend’s house, and would have pebbles tossed on the ground near them, and hear distinct whistles, and also found what appeared to be a nest off the trail in the woods. This nest was around 6'X6' and resembled a bedding area like those that gorillas make. The girls found some tracks near some homes under construction on the opposite side of the school field that were three times the size of their nine year old feet. They often smelled a wet dog odor in these woods and felt as if they were being watched at times, but kept this to themselves.
She also told me about the times with another friend who would take her to the next town over to hang out in the woods near Allaire State park and they found large tracks that resembled the ones she and her other friend found near a neighborhood under construction on the opposite side of the school field. They also heard whistles while out there as well.

She then told me about the encounter at the school, and how she and her boyfriend were hanging out smoking before he had to go home. She glanced over his shoulder and saw this shadowy creature standing across the field from them, and she cocked her head to get a better look. He noticed her quizzical expression just as the creature started running straight at them, and she yelled "Run, Run!" and bolted through the neighbor’s backyard to her home. She didn't even know if he was with her until they got to her front door and they rushed inside shutting it behind them. She tried telling her mother to lock the doors, and her mom told her that she should not have been at the school at this hour.

The next day Nancy and her boyfriend along with another friend drove over to the school, but she was so shaken by the previous night’s events that she wouldn't even get out of the car and pleaded for them to leave. She never shared the events with anyone until many years later.

She stated that it stood about 7 to 8ft tall, and that its hands were down to its knees. She recalled how the hair resembled the fur of an Irish Setter with curls near the wrists and knees, and that she could see leaves and other materials matted within it. She said it was auburn colored, and that she could see it clearly as it ran very quickly at them. It took very long strides, but she couldn't hear it hitting the ground. It was halfway to them in only a matter of a few seconds. She truly felt as though it meant them harm. I mentioned to her that it is what we commonly refer to as a "Bluff charge" and that its main objective was to scare them away, which it succeeded in doing. I also confirmed that the area she lived in was ideal for such an encounter, as it is within a mile of a large quarry and a reservoir, and very close to other large tracts of forest like Allaire SP. The town back then was much sparser, and had fewer homes than it does now.

I found Nancy to be a very credible witness, and have no doubt that she had this encounter as a teenager. She agreed to allow us to use her first name and initial in the report. The area has had other reports filed over the years, and I have done many hikes in the Allaire State forest and have spoken with other individuals who have had strange events over the years. I therefore give this report a solid Class A rating.

About BFRO Investigator Eric Spinner:

Eric Spinner is the owner of a health food store in Medford, NJ - a town that borders the Pine Barrens. He is a Certified Nutritional Consultant, and a Shiatsu Practitioner. Eric has attended the 2008 NW Pennsylvania Expedition, the 2009 Sunshine Coast BC Canada Expedition, the 2016 & 2020 So NY Expeditions, and 2021 & 2022 PA Expeditions. He also organized the 2023 PA East Expedition. Eric has been an investigator for the BFRO since 2009 and has been organizing New Jersey Expeditions since 2014. He makes numerous solo excursions into the NJ Pine Barrens, and Pennsylvania, and has done investigations in Missouri and Florida. He was most recently involved in the production of the South Jersey Sasquatch episode of Finding Bigfoot and was one of the witnesses featured during the Town Hall meeting.
Eric is cofounder of NASBRO, and host of Squatch Talks Podcast.