YEAR: 2020

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

STATE: Ohio

COUNTY: Perry County

LOCATION DETAILS: Directions to the General Stone Church Trail System Campground, as per the US Dept. of Agriculture’s website.

To find this campground and trailhead west of Shawnee, OH:
• Take State Route 93 out of Shawnee.
• Turn left on County Road 38.
• The Horse Camp and main trailhead is on the right, the old primitive campground trail head is further on to the west.

GPS Location (Site of encounter(s) on the trail): [39.632544, -82.264629]

GPS Location (specific trailhead of Stone Church Trail System): N 39 37’ 49”, W 82 15’ 19”

[Investigator Note: For the Google Maps pin for the location where the witness was standing, click here.]

NEAREST TOWN: Shawnee

NEAREST ROAD: State Route 93

OBSERVED: My husband and I have been hiking a local trail system in our area nearly every day since we got our dog in 2013. Over the years we have experienced several instances of wood knocking and did not think much of it in all honesty. More recently we have stumbled upon small trees (4-5 inches in diameter) that were twisted/broken in ways that a human could not achieve (in our opinion). All these instances combined over the years have not really made us feel unsettled or afraid, nor did we think it was anything too worthy of note; however, our most recent experience, which occurred over a period of a few days in September 2020, was unexplainable and I cannot go without reporting this any longer, as it has truly been bothering me since it occurred.

In September 2020, my husband and I were on an evening hike (approximately 4:30-5:00 pm) at the Stone Church Horse Trail System, which is a part of the Wayne National Forest in Shawnee, Ohio (Perry County) when heard what we can only describe as a “howling/roaring” sound. The noise occurred twice, and there was approximately a minute of silence between the two “howls/roars”. Sadly, I was unable to get my phone out quickly enough to record the instance, as it all happened so fast. My husband and I have never heard anything like it before. I was a bit unnerved by the sound and we quickly left the area and headed back home. We spent that night looking up the calls of animals native to Ohio, but none of the sounds we listened to even remotely resembled the sound that we heard that evening.

A couple of days later, we went back out to the same trail system where we heard the noise. We stopped along the trail to allow our dog to get a drink of water. My husband was preoccupied with the dog, and I was just taking in the scenery. I happened to hear some rustling on the ridge above us, and when I turned to look, I saw what I can only describe as a very large, bipedal creature, walking between the trees and brush. The creature was far enough away that I could not make out its features specifically, but it was very large. It had dark colored fur/hair, dark brown or black in color. I cannot give an exact height measurement, but the creature appeared to be approximately 6 ft tall—This estimate is based upon our survey of the surrounding trees where the creature was sighted on the ridge. I called for my husband to look over at the creature, but it disappeared over the crest of the ridge into the forest before he was able to see.

Additionally, more recently, specifically, February 13, 2021, at 4:57 pm, I unintentionally recorded a wood knock while recording video of my dog. This instance also occurred on the same trail where my husband and I heard the howling/roaring and I saw the bipedal creature in Sept. 2020. I do have that footage, and the wood knock can clearly be heard.

ALSO NOTICED: Wood knocking, trees broken in ways that are not normal, howling/roaring

OTHER WITNESSES: Two witnesses were involved, myself and my husband. Prior to the first incident (howl/growl) my husband and I were hiking along the trail, and during the second incident (sighting of the creature), I was observing the scenery while my husband tended to our dog.

OTHER STORIES: Others have reported hearing wood knocking in the area, I do not have specific details to speak upon.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: The incident(s) occurred in the evening, around approximately 4:30-5:00 pm. It was a warm, sunny evening, and the area was well lit.

ENVIRONMENT: The environment around the sighting is heavily wooded and secluded. There are ridges on each side of the trail. There is also a creek that runs parallel with the trail for about a mile until you ascend a ridge and into the forest further. There are also several ponds in the area, located along the many trail sections of the trail system.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker:

I spoke with witness Amber Isham. She's a counselor for the state of Ohio. She takes her dog for a walk on this particular trail almost every day. Only rarely has she seen another person on this trail. Hunting season is when she has seen others out there.
She says there are always lots of deer tracks on Stone Church trail in all seasons.

The figure was up on the ridge directly to the south of her position on the trail. It was approximately 50 yards away. She saw it for 6-10 seconds before it crested the ridge and went out of view. Her husband was further back on the trail when the sighting happened. He didn't see it.

A few days later she returned with her husband and asked him go up to where she saw the figure. Her husband is 5'6''. She said the figure was at least one foot taller than her husband. The body much more robust.

There was full sunlight. She is certain the figure was all dark and covered with fur.

She has been to the location many times since those observations, at the same time every day, except the weekends where her walk schedule varies. She hadn't seen or heard anything else relevant until February 13, 2021 when she heard a distinct wood knock.

For the Google Maps pin for the location where the witness was standing, click here.]

About BFRO Investigator Matthew Moneymaker:

Matthew Moneymaker is originally from the Los Feliz District of Los Angeles, California.

- Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

- Juris Doctorate (Law degree) from University of Akron School of Law

- Founder of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization,1995.

- Writer and co-producer of the Discovery Channel documentary "Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science", 2001.

- Co-producer of the TV Series "Mysterious Encounters" for the Outdoor Life Network (OLN Channel), 2002.

- Producer of the "2003 International Bigfoot Symposium" (Willow Creek Symposium) DVD set, 2004.

- Co-host of "Finding Bigfoot" on Animal Planet Channel, 2010 - 2017.

- Current Director of the BFRO

- Available for private bigfoot expeditions and conferences. To inquire please email ContactUS@BFRO.net