YEAR: 1996

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: June

DATE: end of june

STATE: Washington

COUNTY: Lewis County

LOCATION DETAILS: Quarter Mile down river from Gus Backstrom Park, South side of Hwy 508 and North of Hwy 12 and the Tilton River. Private land posted no trespassing.

NEAREST TOWN: Morton

NEAREST ROAD: Between Hwy 508 and Hwy 12

OBSERVED: R. and I had been fishing all day at the Duck Ponds. It started to get dark and we were walking out. We heard splashing in the big pond to the west of the gravel road and went to check it out. On the far southwest corner in the water up to it's chest was a sasquatch slapping the water. The water is way over my head at the place were it was. The size of him and depth of the water clearly indicated it was not human but something much larger. R. and I ran to a near by friends house and told them what we had just seen.

ALSO NOTICED: The sasquatch was real dark in color. I could not make out the color, it was getting to dark and we were about 125 yard away when we saw it. The animal was wading away from our position with it's back to us. The shoulders were very broad. The hands were down under the water and every once in a while it would bring its arms up and slap the water.

OTHER WITNESSES: R. C. was the other wittness. Both young men still reside in Morton as of 2001

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It had been a clear day. It was begining to get dark when they saw it.

ENVIRONMENT: Abandoned gravel dredging operation along the Tilton River. the Duck Ponds were created by this dredging operation. The area is brushy with alder and cottonwood trees growing all around the ponds that have outstanding bass fishing in them. there are intertwinded roads and trails throughout the 150 some acres. The Tilton River Valley is surrounded by high rugged mountains, elevation appox 900'.

A & G References: Pg. 47, D6

Follow-up investigation report:

This was the first report brought to my attention the school year after that summer (96-97 school year). I spoke to Z.O. at that time in 1996 and his story has never changed or been embellished in any way to this day (winter 2001). R.C. testimony was the same. I have also spoken to the friends who were at the house where they ran too. K.D. (friend) told me they did not believe them at first but soon changed her mind hearing and seeing how scared they were. Both these boys were and still are known as tough guy's hunters and atheletes at the local high school and they would have nothing to do with going back down there that night to check it out.

R.C. is a very skeptical about almost anything, with a show me type attiude. He firmly believes in the existence of sasquatch as does Z.O. after their experience. Both young men are experienced hunters, woodsmen and fishermen.

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