YEAR: 2011

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

DATE: july 2, 2011

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Kankakee County

LOCATION DETAILS: south of route 102, on s warner bridge road. under the bridge crossing

NEAREST TOWN: manteno,il

NEAREST ROAD: route 102 & s warner bridge road

OBSERVED: The day was july 2,2011 we decided to go fishing at the kankakee river out in manteno, il. Ive been fishing there for about 10 yrs. just recently about 4 yrs at the new location between the wilmington and momence dam. it was about 11pm when me and my nephew decided to go and check the lines we had set about 50 yrds or so away from where we had set out chairs and fire. my gf and other nephew stayed behind. this has happened before on past occasions where i have the feeling someone or thing is watching me run my lines at night. i dont make any big fuss about it as i dont want to startle my nephews, or who is with me on that day. this occasion on july 2 2011, i noticed my nephew that was sitting with my girlfriend at the time i was checking lines that he was fueling the fire to get brighter. when we got back he and my gf both said they heard footsteps behind them with brush moving. i paid them no mind as i didnt hear anything. about 10 min later i heard what sounded like someone walking behind us. i asked them to turn off the flash lights and i went and stood in the little path we walk threw in pitch black just watching. and in the distance to my right about 20 or 30 yards i hear a sort of grunt/growl. but i didnt see anyone. as i walked back to my chair and told them to keep there lights off. my nephew asked my other nephew if he keeps farting hes gonna punch him, i told him thats not a fart its to pungent to smell that way. as i have encountered that smell before on previous visits to that site to fish. after that i here a whooping noise noise behind us in the direction i heard the grunt/growl. i always thought it was like a big geese/goose at night, but we have never seen any at night. since ive herd that noise before it didnt bother me none, as ive herd it before. we ran our lines and packed up to leave about 12:30am as the 4 of us are walking out i got that feeling again that someone is following us back to the bridge to our right. again i dont mention it to my nephews or gf as i dont want to startle them of get them worried and panic as there easy to frighten. 2 days later i had seen one of your shows and herd the exact whooping noise that i had herd. and it got me to think what if it is you know! THE SQuatch. i asked my dad if hes ever herd these noises also as hes gone a few time with me fishing and when he herd the whooping noise and the tree knocking in the distance, he confirmed that he has heard that as well. and my dad is a believer but doesnt acknowledge it. He is the type that says things are out there but if you dont believe it it wont happen, if you go messing with it your gonna find yourself getting the you know what scared out of you. i did some digging on your website and found that there has been sightings near that area/town or county.

ALSO NOTICED: when ever we are at the parking lot getting ready to leave, i always get asked if im ok as im always ccaught staring into the trees, with the feeling that someone is watching us behind the tree line in the darkness.

OTHER WITNESSES: 4, its hard to include them into to as they only abserve certain things. im the one that always keeps a eye out and ear when we are there.

OTHER STORIES: we are not from that area. as we travel from chicago, il to fish there since about 1998. all i know is what ive read on your site for the surrounding counties.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: about 11pm, dark with very little moonlight, slight breeze

ENVIRONMENT: not much of a woods guy, just know theres forest area, camp sites and state national parks and what not in the area and old bridge pillars from the 1800's

A & G References: DeLorme's Illinois Gazetteer page 36 grid 3C

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Eric Lester:

In late July 2011 BFRO investigator Steve Moon and I met with this witness and his family at his fishing spot where they had experienced 'stalking', whoops, strong odors, and the feeling of being watched. The family members present told us what they had individually experienced, which correlated with the witness' written report.

They never felt threatened, but nervous and a bit wary at the feeling of being watched and the footsteps following them as they would collect their lines or leave the area. These incidents do not happen every time they fish this spot. In total, over the years they've been going here, they've experienced these occurrences about 3-4 times.

The witness has shined a flashlight into the forest where he's heard something walking and paralleling him, but he's never seen anything out of the ordinary. The odor they smelled was described as very strong, like a musky wet dog, and very intolerable.

The witness and his family will continue to fish this area, and will inform the local BFRO investigators if they have more unusual occurrences.

Kankakee River State Park is located in northeast Illinois and is nearly 4000 acres in size.

Looking west from the fishing area:



This area is where the whoops and odor were noticed:

About BFRO Investigator Eric Lester:

Eric Lester is a medical professional and has been investigating possible Sasquatch sightings since 2004.
BFRO expeditions include:

• 2005 CA Redwoods Expedition
• 2006 Ohio Expedition
• 2006 Wisconsin II Expedition
• 2006 West Virginia Expedition (Pocahontas County)
• 2007 Michigan UP, Utah, Arkansas
• 2008 Texas, W. Virginia, Michigan U.P.
• 2009 Tennessee, Wisconsin, Michigan U.P., Oklahoma
• 2010 private expeditions in Illinois/Iowa
• 2011 Minnesota, private expeditions in Illinois/Iowa
• 2012 private expeditions in Indiana/Iowa
• 2013 private expeditions in Indiana
• 2014 Iowa, Kentucky expeditions
• 2016 Iowa expedition

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