YEAR: 2005

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

DATE: 8

STATE: Minnesota

COUNTY: Fillmore County

NEAREST TOWN: Spring Valley

NEAREST ROAD: County Rd 1 (3 miles away)

OBSERVED: I tell this very hesitantly because I'm certain this will probably be ignored and maybe laughed at or eyes rolled back by you in disbelief. But, here goes, just the same;

Around the first week in October of this year, I had decided to go out squirrel hunting since it was such a nice day. I went out to a piece of land we had previously owned and have retained hunting rights on it. I had just left my truck and headed down into the woods, checking out a large rock/over-hang formation when something moving to my right (southwest) about 175-200 feet away, caught my eye. I was looking thru rather thick brush, separated by a barbed wire fence, a creek bed and lots of vegetation and thick brush. At first, all I could see was what looked like "the biggest turkey I'd ever seen' flapping its wings in a very strange way. All I could make out was something that appeared to be a very large black turkey flapping its wings in a very strange, but fast manner. I moved around to the right a little bit to try and get a better look, when all of a sudden this thing gets up on two feet and starts running like a bat out of hell. It no more got up when suddenly another one, much larger and reddish brown in color jumped up behind it and in its attempt to catch up to the black one, appeared to almost fall forward, all the while moving very, very fast and disappearing just as quickly, but amazingly quietly thru some of the thickest brush we have down there. I think I was frozen stiff in disbelief, trying to gather what I had just seen. I stood there, dazed for about a minute and decided to cross the barbed wire fence and creek bed and go over to where I had seen "them" get up and run. Once I got over there, I found indentations in the soft grassy, almost marsh-like terrain, but no real discernable tracks. what is interesting is that what I thought I had seen as a turkey flapping it's wings,was probably the black animal sitting or kneeling, and reaching up for choke-cherries on the tree it was nearby. I followed their brief trail right up to where they silently entered the thick brush and decided not to go any further, thinking that if two creatures so huge could go thru that thick brush so quitely, how would I ever know they hadn't circled back and were watching me from behind? I got spooked at that thought and got out of there. I told my wife what I saw and the friend of our's we had sold the land to.

ALSO NOTICED: No

OTHER WITNESSES: NO

OTHER STORIES: I've heard other stories and witnessed at least three other incidents with members of my family.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Around noon. Very sunny day, warm.

ENVIRONMENT: Lots of mature Oaks, Hickory, scrub brush, hills, ravines.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Andy P.:

I spoke with the witness by phone and found him to be very credible, and his description of his experiences to be detailed and complete. I have the following details to add to his report:

- The first animal he saw was approximately eight feet tall and was black all over. He estimates its weight at around 600 pounds. It was about three and a half feet wide at the shoulders. Its hair was short, about two to three inches in length. Its head came to a crest. He describes this animal as being massive and yet much slimmer than the other animal. Though he did not see breasts, it is his impression that this animal was a female.
- The second animal was also about eight feet tall. It was about four feet wide at the shoulders. Its hair was dark red a flowed, like an Irish Setter’s. He estimates its hair to have been between four and five inches long. He did not notice a crest on this animal, instead noting that its head was more domed like a human’s. He describes this animal as being very massive, especially in the chest and shoulders. His impression is that this animal was a male.
- Both animals had flat faces, no obvious necks, and arms that were longer than the legs and that hung to near the knees.
- Originally, the black animal was squatting and reaching up picking choke-cherries. When it noticed him, it stood up and ran with amazing speed south toward the swamp. At that point he first saw the other animal, which jumped up so fast that it tripped and almost fell, but got a foot under it. After that it put on an amazing burst of speed and ran into the under growth following the black one. He repeatedly commented on how incredibly fast they were and how silent, even in the thick brush.
- He followed them nearly to the edge of the swamp and then began to get frightened. He decided that continuing was not wise and he left the area.
- The animals were about 175 feet from him.
- This encounter lasted for around fifteen seconds.

About BFRO Investigator Andy P.:

Andy P. lives in Minnesota. He is a professional writer with a degree in English and Biology. His interest dates back to his first sighting in 1985.

He attended the following BFRO expeditions:

- 2006 Wisconsin I
- 2007 Michigan
- 2008 Michigan
- 2008 Minnesota (private)
- 2009 Wisconsin
- 2009 Minnesota (organizer)

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