YEAR: 1970

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: December

DATE: 19

STATE: Tennessee

COUNTY: Cumberland County

LOCATION DETAILS: Approx. 2 miles south of 369 (street address), home address of parents.

NEAREST TOWN: Crossville, TN

NEAREST ROAD: South Old Mail Road

OBSERVED: While home from college on holiday break I was out visiting friends one night. I had pulled over and was outside the car in a remote area near my home (parents home) with a friend. While outside the car, some movement caught my eye on a rock cliff on the opposite side of the road and approx. 100' away. I saw a figure approx. 7' tall, broad from shoulders down through torso, large head, covered entirely with dark (hair), standing upright with arms straight down by side. No eyes, mouth, ears noticeable. I stood still for 10-15 seconds starring at the image; then, it turned to it's left and disappeared. No sounds made. I hurried my friend back into the car and asked him if he saw what I saw and he said he only got a brief glimpse of a shadowy movement. Although I definitely saw as described, I have dismissed this as being a person, maybe a hunter in the area. And, I was looking upward at the time so the image could have been distorted. But, readings of other similar sightings since has prompted me to submit this occurrence.

ALSO NOTICED: I returned to the exact location the next day and looked around the spot on the cliff I saw the image but found nothing unusual.

OTHER WITNESSES: One friend was present but did not get good visual.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Approx. 11:00p. Dry and still weather conditions; temperature in the 40's.

ENVIRONMENT: Sighted from roadside not far from Byrd Creek bridge on S. Old Mail Road. It was standing on cliff approx. 100' from where I was standing outside of vehicle. It was on rock cliff overlooking road.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Rick Reles:

I interviewed the witness by phone on December 9, 2017. He reiterated the report details. He stated that he and his friend saw the 7' tall "hulkish" creature, observing them, from on top of a rock ledge approx. 20' above for 30 seconds. It had broad shoulders, no neck,and very long arms. Color was black, fur, except for face which was not covered. He saw eyes reflecting. Both men felt 'freaked out". The creature turned, and left in a single fluid motion.

The witness was back on holiday from college when he saw this, and thinks the date was around Christmas. He described the darkness, as “dusk-like”, because the moon was bright and it was clear out. He had a friend with him, who also saw the figure. They were both unnerved.

On December 12, 2017, I visited the site, and parked on the roadside, near the bridge, in exactly the same spot as the witness was, the night of the experience. Although he said it was 30 yards away, I found the distance to be less than 20 yards, much closer than he recalled.

I do not believe they would have mistaken the upright figure for a person at that proximity. I supplied the witness with pictures of the site for recollection and confirmation.

View from the witness' standpoint:



The location of the witness' experience, in this photo my car is on the left, same spot where the witness was. The ledge is immediately across the road:



I am standing up near the ledge when taking this photo. Note, it is not too high above me where the figure would have stood:

About BFRO Investigator Rick Reles:

Rick has been on numerous BFRO expeditions over the last 7 years, and has been investigating witness experiences for 5 years in Wisconsin and Tennessee. He has three times published a guide book to Stick Structures found in the woods.

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