YEAR: 1999

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: April

DATE: 24

STATE: Missouri

COUNTY: Barry County

LOCATION DETAILS: From Shell Knob take MO 39 to MO 76 go east on MO 76 about 7 miles or so till you see the sign for Piney Creek Wilderness Area. Park at the fire tower and take the main trail southeast towards the lake. It's only a mile or 2 down to the valley but very steep hills.

NEAREST TOWN: Shell Knob

NEAREST ROAD: MO 76

OBSERVED: I saw one when I was down in Piney Creek Wilderness area turkey hunting with a friend of mine from California. It was very early in the morning and we were going down to where the creek runs into Table Rock Lake. As we started down into the valley we spotted the thing going across the floor of the valley. We were too far away to get an accurate idea as to the size. I just know it was a large creature similar to the one I had seen a year earlier near Mt. Vernon. I figured they were either related or possibly the same thing.

When we got down to the area where we had seen it there was a definate path it had followed and there were about 8 or 9 footprints in the mud. I placed my foot next to it and it made my feet look small and I wear a 14 EEE.

I've lived in this area since 1978 and had heard several people claim that we had bigfeet around but I kind of blew them off. Now I believe they are around here but they don't bother anybody so I put them in the catagory of native wildlife you don't see much like bobcats and mountain lions (cougars) which we also have around here.

ALSO NOTICED: None.

OTHER WITNESSES: One person besides me.

OTHER STORIES: None.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Morning just after sunrise. Chilly.

ENVIRONMENT: Hills with lots of trees and brush.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone and can add the following details to the report:

- The witness stated that the animal was over six feet tall.
- The animal's hair was dark reddish brown.
- The animal appeared to stoop forward as it walked.
- Because the animal was at a distance he was not able to make out any facial details.
- The footprints were between sixteen and seventeen inches in length.
- The footprints were eight inches in width at the ball of the foot and six inches in width at the heel.

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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