YEAR: 2021

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: November

DATE: 1

STATE: Idaho

COUNTY: Shoshone County

LOCATION DETAILS: 47 degrees 32'18.65"N
115 degrees 56'49.24W
elevation 4089 ft

[47.538514, -115.947011]

NEAREST TOWN: Osburn

NEAREST ROAD: I-90 to NF424 to NF271

OBSERVED: Knowing that today was going to be one of the last sunny days, my husband and I went for a drive in the nearby mountains. I spend a lot of time in this specific location when I go four wheeler riding. From here I can hear anyone driving around this section of mountains.

We got to the top of the mountain around 1:30 PM and decided to play a game of cribbage on the tailgate of our truck. We were there for about an hour listening to the quiet and birds and other little critters, when we heard what sounded like someone hitting a home run with a wooden base ball bat. The sound came from the southeast of us, maybe about 100 yards away. We both look at each other and we agreed that was a tree knock. We continued playing our game. I noticed that after this the birds stopped chirping for a while. It was very quiet, very quiet.

Then at 3:14 PM we heard another knock. This one appeared to be about 50-75 yards north of the first knock. At this time I told my husband let's hurry up and finish our game and walk over the direction the knocking came from. We finished the game then walked about 20 yards at this time I decided to do a howl and then I did one tree knock. Within 5 seconds we heard a knock back. This one came from the same direction of the second knock but sounded farther away. At that time we decided we should go back towards the truck. As we started walking back, we heard a fourth knock this one came from the west on the other side of our truck. We walked back, past the truck and walked about 20-30 yards but heard nothing more.

ALSO NOTICED: The birds got quiet after the first knock

OTHER WITNESSES: 2 playing cribbage talking

OTHER STORIES: Yes. October 3, 2021 3:15pm. I was on a four wheeler ride by myself. When I was taking a break I heard a gun shot. Shortly after the gun shot I heard three knocks within a few minutes from different locations around me. I left quickly. That happened within 10 miles of todays incident. Also filed a report on January 24, 2004 when we heard howls. That would be within 20 miles of todays incident.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 2PM, Sunny about 40 degrees, frost in shaded areas

ENVIRONMENT: Pine and cedar forest mountain ridge close to where the 2021 Character Complex wildfire occurred

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Darrell Oyler:

I spoke to this witness at length about this encounter. I found her to inquisitive, articulate and sincere.

The witness described going to this saddle periodically over the past several years. She would drive up there on an ATV to enjoy the mountains and was able to access cell phone reception in this area. She said the road was more of an ATV trail until this year when the road was improved for access to the wildfires being fought in the area this summer. She advised this was the first time they have driven a pickup truck to this location.

The witness said she and her husband were playing cribbage for a length of time and there was no evidence of anyone else being in the area. She said if a vehicle does approach the area she can hear it well before it arrives and that day they didn't hear or see any human activity.

The witness said when they heard the first knock it was loud, clear and distinct. She reiterated that it sounded like someone hitting a home run. She had heard knocks at this location previously so they just continued to play. She did say that after the first knock the forest went silent.

She said when they heard the second knock they went to investigate to see if they could see anything. She said she was initially driven by curiosity due to her previous experience. However when she made a howl and knock which was answered by a knock within seconds her feelings changed. The witness said she went from being curious to almost peeing her pants. They walked back to the truck, heard the fourth knock on the other side of the truck and they decided it was in their best interest to leave.

The witness has had a curiosity about the Bigfoot subject when her and her husband heard two possible Bigfoots howling back and forth one night over the course of a half hour. They had checked multiple animal sounds on the Internet and when nothing was close. She took the Bigfoot dive and found the Ohio Howl recorded by Matt Moneymaker. She said the Ohio Howl is the only thing that matched what they heard that night and ever since she has been curious about the subject like the rest of us. This incident was reported by her husband to the BFRO in 2004, see report 7864.

Towards the end of the conversation I asked her if there was anything I forgot to ask her about. That is when she mentioned a possible sighting. She said she was driving on I-90 over the Fourth of July pass at mile marker 26 many years ago when she saw a large upright figure traversing through the deep snow on a mountain. She said she only had a brief view of the figure since she was driving on the interstate. I asked her if she could describe what she saw in that brief moment and she said it looked like a huge man in a fur coat easily navigating through the deep snow. She described it as a very unlikely place for anyone to be and didn't look like someone snowshoeing. She said since her view was brief, she didn't want to count it as a sighting, but often wondered if she actually witnessed a Bigfoot.

The witness agreed to keep me updated on any additional activity.

About BFRO Investigator Darrell Oyler:

Bigfoot enthusiast, drone pilot and I am a retired Detective.