YEAR: 2013

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: October

DATE: 23?

STATE: Illinois

COUNTY: Wabash County

NEAREST TOWN: Keensburg

NEAREST ROAD: Route 1

OBSERVED: I reported a sighting a while back. I went to Beall Woods State Park, it was summer but getting near fall. I took my dog out for a walk for the first time ever, as we got to the very first fork in the trails my dog became very scared like he smelled something but I couldn't. So I took the plum tree trail which goes off to the right and next to a very large ravine. As I got closer to the spill way of it my dog would not move as he was looking at something at the bottom of the ravine. I watched for about thirty seconds and then it moved. It was tall and lean like a track runner. As he turned he saw me, no sound but just wide eyed and opened mouthed. As I backed up he took two steps toward me, that is when my dog barked a very forceful bark that then it stopped and took a step back as I got farther back. I turned and walked very gingerly out of there. As I did i could hear it climb the wall of the ravine in like two steps then through the woods. We left and we have gone back but no face to face like that but whoops and wood knocks

ALSO NOTICED: It was very quiet, didn't even hear the black birds, there was no sounds.

OTHER WITNESSES: me and my dog

OTHER STORIES: just mine from last time

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Mid afternoon maybe four, bright and buggy. It was a very heavy rain two days before we went to check on the rivers there for fishing,

ENVIRONMENT: It was in a very large creek bottom or ravine

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Stan Courtney:

I spoke with the witness by phone.

In Summary:

- The witness estimated the animal's height at 7 to 7 and 1/2 feet.
- The animal's weight as over 300 lbs.
- The animal was lanky and the witness could see muscle tone.
- The hair was dark, burnt auburn brown.
- The witness was less than ten feet from the animal.
- He was able to see the face very clearly.
- The animal had a large flaring nose.
- The animal had a large eye brow.
- There was no hair on the face.

Beall Woods is one of the few remaining tracts of virgin timber east of the Mississippi River where one can see trees 120 feet tall and over 3 feet in diameter. In 2007, the Park was designated as an 'Important Bird Area of Illinois'.

The witness had previously submitted another report, see: Report # 37856.

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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