YEAR: 1980-1999

SEASON: Summer

DATE: 1986

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: La Salle County

LOCATION DETAILS: js when u go over the bridge in ottawa. take rt.71 to starve rock.. after about i say 5 or more miles you will see off to the left a gravel road. and a sign for caitlin park..take that road . from then up thru to deer park school in them timbers you shouldnt have a problem finding him,

NEAREST TOWN: Ottawa

NEAREST ROAD: Illinois Rt 71

OBSERVED: From as long as i can remember.. in deer park township about a mile from caitlin park, just outside of illinois state starve rock park.. on my grandparents land..who are now deceased..from the earliest i remember 1980 to 1999..it first started with my younger cousin tony about age 5 then, came running in the door out there on the farm, screamn about a hairy monster eatn a rabbit..grandparents raised rabbits and from time to time would find cages smashed and lil furrys ripped apart. night was the scariest time, none of us youngsters would go outside. the timber was to dark on them country roads. we would all gather around and hear loud walkn and branch breaking thru the night.. grandma found them big footprints. well since grandpa was indian he says leave it alone never bother the hairy beast or shoot at him youll anger him, well one night i had to go outside i was about 10 maybe 12 at that time. to take the food to the dogs pen. all was quiet and dark and sure did smell bad. on way back to the house just near the driveway right before the door i was stopped in my tracks..i was frozen with great fear. he smelled bad and eyes were red and dark and he was hairy. i didnt scream i couldnt move. he stood there and looked at me bent down and stared right in my eyes. i shook afraid to move i whimpered. i can hear and feel the breathing and the smell. my grandma came to the door see what was taking so long she stood on the porch and gasped he looked up and gracefully turned and walked away. after that no one was allowed out at night at all, but we would continue to hear him out there and smell him and see prints, and at times he would twist and rip the metal sheeting on the rabbit cages and other farm stuff. a human couldnt even do that kinda twisting bare hand on metal. im 36 now i often walk the trails of starve rock close to my grandparents old property in hopes to find him again.. i had only saw him two more times before..once when i was 13 out in the back timber by some cave. wading in the water and once again at night when i was driving up the country road hill near caitlin park. i was about 25..he was crossing the road..starve rock has been his home for many years, not to many people talk about him out there, guess they dont wanna be bothered with reporters and people judging kind folks.so if ur ever gonna search for him, i think that area would be a great place to look and i would even be willing to show u a few spots

ALSO NOTICED: just woud get real quiet before he comes and an aweful egg smell almost like a rotten egg or skunk smell

OTHER STORIES: well some campers had reported a sighting near seneca, two towns over from ottawa and it was in the paper. i think in the year 2005 or so..i had only heard stories from other folks friends of grandparents that lived in same area out there they have long since passed away

TIME AND CONDITIONS: twice on a summer cool night and once on a nice fall day

ENVIRONMENT: forest gravel roads and farms small creeks not far from river

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

Although the witness has had three sightings, the one when she was 10 years of age was the closest.

In summary:

• The animal was seven feet tall.
• The animal's estimated weight was 250 lbs.
• The animal described as being really big, her grandfather was 6' 4" and so the witness knew this animal was much larger than her grandfather.
• Hair was black in color.
• The witness was very close to the animal, close enough that it could have touched her.
• The witness could see very well as there was a large security light between the house and outbuildings.
• The witness stated that although her family and neighbors never spoke about it publicly, the other farmers would discuss among themselves about losing pigs and other livestock from their farms.

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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