Geographical Index > United States > Tennessee > Polk County > Report # 10771
(Class A)
Submitted by witness on Friday, February 25, 2005.
Motorist has close roadside observation of animal near Chilhowee campground.
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YEAR: 1986
SEASON: Fall MONTH: October STATE: Tennessee COUNTY: Polk County LOCATION DETAILS: Hwy 64 in Ocoee, TN then take forest road 77 up to Chilhowee campground but do not enter campground stay straight along gravel road toward Greasy Creek N.C. It was about 10 miles down this winding steep dirt forest road I saw HIM! NEAREST TOWN: Greasy Creek, N.C. NEAREST ROAD: Forest road 77 off Hwy 64 OBSERVED: I saw what I thought was a bear. Alongside a creek bed at the bottom of a mountain off state forest road 77 in the Cherokee National Forest. About 10 miles down a gravel road past the Chilhowee Campground I stopped to take a break.
I smelled a strong musty urine scent. Then I heard a low deep slow grunt not 25 ft. from me. I looked in the direction of the noise and standing behind some underbrush at the creek, I saw a large black and gray thing standing looking right at me! It's not no bear I thought immediatly. It had a rather large roundish head with a lot of gray on it with a very noticable eyebrow and mustache accent. It's nose was large and mostly flat and blackish in color as well as it's lower lip. I remember it having a large square shaped lower jaw. I was very upset as my heart was pounding like a drum as I worked my way back to my car door, it just stared at me. It's eyes I recall is what scared me the most. They were large also and had a bright brown appearance and I never took my eyes off him.
I saw how really big this thing was when it turned and disappeared into the thick brush. It's shoulders were massive with a very short neck and more gray hair than black hair on his back that seemed to be about 2-3 in. in length. The whole sighting only lasted for 1-2 minutes and I'm glad, but for me I'm in the know. I know something is out there that only another eyewitness could understand. Only bigfoot or whatever you call him will let you get a glimpse, you just have to be ready! ALSO NOTICED: Strong oder (urine, musty almost a faint sulpher smell mixed in). No other wildlife sounds including birds. OTHER WITNESSES: Just me and bigfoot! OTHER STORIES: I wrote of my encounter after seeing the story of dredgers in Cherokee National Forest had seen what appears to be of the same type creature in 2000, some 14 years after I saw it! This area is within 20 miles of one another! TIME AND CONDITIONS: 1 - 4 p.m. ENVIRONMENT: Creek ran along road at bottom of one of these mountains, thick brush surrounded by thick deciduous forest.
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:
I spoke with the witness by phone.
The witness stated that the features in general were very humanlike. After looking at each other for a couple of minutes, he slowly made his way back to the door of his vehicle. As he did so the animal took two steps and left through the brush. The witness could only see the top half of the animal not hidden by vegetation so was unable to describe its movement.
He returned the next day with his uncle to look for evidence and footprints. It had been very dry in the area and nothing was found. They measured the area where the animal had been standing and estimated that it was at least seven feet tall.
The witness supplied these two drawings:
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
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