YEAR: 2007

SEASON: Winter

STATE: Florida

COUNTY: Marion County

LOCATION DETAILS: There is a large swamp there that runs along Oklawaha river up to Silver springs theme park. Hwy 40 west out of Ocala to 314 north to about 5 miles from fort mcoy sign for Gores landing turn right follow signs.

NEAREST TOWN: Fort Mcoy

NEAREST ROAD: 314

OBSERVED: My daughter and i were camping at gore's landing a small camp ground near fort Mcoy fl, a very small camp ground with around 10 sites. At about 3am we both heard a long high pitched whoop that i've never heard before and i've lived and hunted in fl my whole life. I have never experienced anything like it, the way it made the hair on my neck stand up. I told my daughter it was nothing but needless to say i was awake the rest of the night. this was in 07 and i havn't thought much about it until last night i was watching Finding Bigfoot and BoBo made a call and the hair stood up again, it wasn't exactly like it but pretty close. Maybe someone can tell me what this was because the closest animal i can link it to is a Panther witch sounds like a woman screaming but this wasn't a panther.

ALSO NOTICED: we had fished from a small boat that day and i had a feeling of being watched that i couldnt shake off.

OTHER WITNESSES: yes my daughter who was 19 we were in tent asleep when the calls woke us up.

OTHER STORIES: There has been some sightings out there in Ocala national forest over the years and around fort mcoy.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: very dark night next to oklawaha river and swamp. it was around 3am

ENVIRONMENT: swamp\ River

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Cathy Betz:

I spoke to RK over the phone and he gave me more details of what he heard.

About 3am RK was awakened to the sound of a long, moaning call coming from a swampy area approximately ½ mile away from his campsite.

He said that there were four calls in a row with 30 seconds between the first two calls and about 10 seconds between the next three calls and lasted about four seconds apiece. They started out with a sort of groan and then tapered off to a higher pitch and that they were very powerful.

He stated that the call closely resembled the 1994 Ohio - Moaning Howl. He also stated that the call Bobo made on the TV series ‘Finding Bigfoot’ was similar except that Bobo’s voice was lower than what he heard.

RK mentioned that he was born and raised in Florida and is very comfortable in the woods. He stated that what he heard that night was unlike any animal he had ever heard before, including panthers, bobcats, coyotes, hogs and alligators.

Gore’s Landing sits right on the edge of the Oklawaha River, in the middle of a huge tract of State owned lands that is part of the Ocala National Forest. The BFRO has held three public expeditions in this forest to date because of the reports we receive.

This satellite map shows just how remote the area is…

About BFRO Investigator Cathy Betz:

Cathy has been a nurse for over 27 years and currently works in a busy ICU. An amateur naturalist, Cathy has been intrigued by the bigfoot phenomenon from an early age.
Attended the following expeditions:
- The 2006 Florida Expedition
- The 2007 North Carolina Expedition
- The 2008 South Florida Expedition
- The 2008 North Florida Expedition
- The 2009 Central Florida Expedition
- The 2009 Utah Expedition
- The 2010 TN Survey Expedition
- The 2011 East Texas Expedition
-The 2012 North FL Expedition
-The 2013 Michigan Upper Peninsula Expedition
For more information, please see the Florida BFRO

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