Geographical Index > United States > Florida > Hillsborough County > Report # 62240
(Class B)
Submitted by witness on Friday, December 7, 2018.
Possible daylight sighting by motorist on Highway 301 near Dead River Road
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YEAR: 2018
SEASON: Fall MONTH: November DATE: 20 STATE: Florida COUNTY: Hillsborough County LOCATION DETAILS: We were going north. NEAREST TOWN: Thonotosassa NEAREST ROAD: 301 OBSERVED: My husband and I live in Florida in Hillsborough County next to the wildlife preserve. One day about 2 weeks ago we were traveling on highway 301 and I saw a sign that said Dead River [Road]. I glanced to look at the river as this was in broad daylight. What I saw I'll never forget. I didn't even believe in bigfoot before this. I saw a big white furry animal standing straight up like a human crossing over the stream. We were traveling fast on the road so we couldn't just stop. I told my husband I just saw an animal as I was in shock about what I saw. He didn't see it as he was driving. It took me two days to realize I just saw a bigfoot. I think I was in shock about what I had seen. ALSO NOTICED: Where I saw it it was very close to our RV park. River Palm. When we entered the park there a horrific smell. Didn't connect the two things at the time but some say they smell rotten. Don't know it it was connected to the incident or not. OTHER WITNESSES: No witnesses. Just me getting a quick glance TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was around 2pm. ENVIRONMENT: It's a very wooded area with a wild life preserve close by. Florida State Park just up the road from where I spotted it.
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator R. Monteith:
The witness and her husband recently moved to Florida. On Tuesday, November 20, 2018 they were returning from the store at approximately 2 pm heading north on Hwy 301; a two lane road in Thonotosassa. It was a sunny day with a high of 77 degrees. The speed limit on Hwy 301 is 60 mph but they were slowing down as their turn was less than ¼ mile away. She was the passenger and as they passed over Two Hole Branch Creek she noticed a large bipedal white figure off to the right. It appeared to be stepping over the creek, heading south.
It was standing upright and she saw a leg in mid-step. Her sighting was a second or two but she realized it wasn’t a man. It didn’t have clothes or shoes on and it appeared to have white hair all over its body. The height of the figure was hard for her to judge as the road is higher than the creek and she was looking down on it. But it seemed to be similar to a large human. The head appeared rounded, its hands were at its side. She estimated the figure to be about 20 yards from the car. It never looked at the car, it appeared to be walking confidently with purpose.
She claimed she had never thought these creatures existed. When her husband mentioned to his brother that his wife may have seen one, the brother told them of a sighting he and his mother had had at their childhood home many years ago in Iowa. His mother confirmed the sighting. They had seen a bigfoot eating mulberries in the yard.
The witness, her husband and I went to the location at about the same time of her sighting.
The sign she speaks of in her report of saying “Dead River” is just before the small bridge but refers to the next road, “Dead River Road” not the name of the creek.
The creek is called Two Branch Creek and it is one of the creeks that flows off the Hillsborough River. This section of HWY 301 runs along Hillsborough State Park and the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve. There is a small bridge over the creek.
The witness claims there was more water in the creek in November than the day we were there in March. This is most likely correct as this is Florida’s dry season and the rains don’t really begin until May.
The area is heavily treed. The old Atlantic Coastline Railroad used to run along this road. Remnants of it are still visible. (Photo 6) It is about 50 yards away from the highway. Where the railroad was is much higher then the surrounding forest. The bigfoot was walking in between the old railroad and the highway.
Footprints around the creek bed were deer, pig, and alligator. It is evident many smaller animals walk the area too.
Just east of this area are many strawberry fruit farms. North is a dairy farm. Following the Hillsborough River going north leads to the Green swamp, heading south leads to the Cypress Creek area – of which both have had many bigfoot reports.
About BFRO Investigator R. Monteith:
Re Monteith has had a life-long interest in Bigfoot and has an extensive background in outdoor land and ocean survival as well as mountaineering. She has tran-sailed the Atlantic, backpacked in remote places throughout the world and has climbed three of the seven summits. She studied International Relations at Florida International University, and is a Financial and Real Estate Consultant. She has participated in many private expeditions as well as the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015 BFRO North Florida Expeditions and the 2013 BFRO UP Michigan & Alabama Expedition. She also organized Florida's 2017 Town Hall Meeting. She was an Executive Producer of the documentary film, "Skunk Ape Lives" and featured as a Crypto Expert on The Science Channel's television show, Strange Evidence for seasons 2 - 5.
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