YEAR: 1968

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: September, 1968

PROVINCE: British Columbia

COUNTRY: Canada

LOCATION DETAILS: This happened 33 years ago and the place is built up though some of the forest still stands. Both incidents happened on the corners of Marsden and Lake Trail Road, Courtenay, B.C.

NEAREST TOWN: Courtenay

NEAREST ROAD: Lake Trail Road

OBSERVED: We had been away for the weekend at my Aunt's place in Coombs, B.C. We arrived home late, about 2:00 early Monday morning. I can remember the moon was so bright it was just like day time.

When I got out of the car I looked around the area stretching my legs after the long drive home. We lived right on the corner. We were the only ones that lived on the corner. On one corner was a pasture with trees and brush around it perimeter, on the next was forest, and also on the other was forest.

As I was looking around my eye caught on something across the road. In each of the corners were telephone poles and on the telephone pole just kiddy-corner from me I noticed a large form standing in the ditch behind the pole looking at us. I could make out the shape of the head and the body. The head was to one side of the pole while I could see the shoulders sticking out from both sides of the poles and I could see the shape of legs down to its knees and the rest was in the ditch.

It was dark but yet it wasn't because I could make out lighter patches on the body and the face. And it stood absolutely still. Even when I said to Dad, "Look over there, Dad, what is that?" Dad was tired from the drive home and he just wanted us kids to get in the house and to bed. But he did look in that direction for a few seconds and the next he was hustling us into the house.

The next day I went over to the area and looked around the telephone pole looking for tracks. I noticed the ditch was about 2 feet deep so whatever was there was quite tall. I found nothing there but muddy water.

The feeling I got when I saw this thing was very eerie. Growing up in this area there is always some noises (dogs barking) going on but that night it felt like a heavy silence.

A few months later when there was about 4" of snow on the ground I was outside across the road at one of the trails that led into the forest and I noticed footprints in the fresh snow getting closer I noticed the prints were made by barefeet. I know what big feet are for my three brothers all wear size 12 shoes but their's were no comparison to these.

I went back inside and told Dad about the footprints and he joked around asking my brothers which one of them was running around outside with no boots on. I could see every toe mark and the sole mark. It had been very crisp outside so the prints looked quite new. It got to the point that I didn't like going along the trails in the forest anymore. It always made the hair on my neck stand on edge.

Until my son was older and interested in Bigfoot Sightings I have not repeated this story to anyone but close friends and to him. My friends laugh and say what an imagination I have but my son was very interested.

ALSO NOTICED: Everyone had dogs even we had two dogs and everything was so still and quiet that night.

The thing I found unusal was it just stood there and watched us, not like a bear. I think a bear would be sniffing the air or clawing at the pole but this thing just stood there. All in all it took Dad, Mom, and two of my brothers a good 5 minutes to get into the house and I kept glancing back and it never moved.

OTHER WITNESSES: My Dad (deceased), but I clearly remember that he looked in its direction and the next thing he was doing was hustling us into the house.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Around 2 a.m. There was a full moon because I could see clearly, the road, telephone pole, house, etc. I think we were ending an Indian Summer.

ENVIRONMENT: It was mostly wooded back then. In one part there was a swampy area but further back in the woods. The trees were mostly fir and cedar.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Blaine McMillan :

In 1968 this part of Courtenay was on the outer edge of the town. Bear, deer and other wildlife were quite common in the area. The witness stated that she had seen bears near her home before and this was not a bear. What she had seen was extremely big and man-like.

The witness also spoke of hearing indicative noises in the nearby woods during her childhood, such as knocking and whistling.

About BFRO Investigator Blaine McMillan :

• Retired Canadian Military (Reg Force) Safety Systems / Aviation technician with experience fighters and various SAR platforms. Author of Wood Knocks and Tossed Rocks:Searching for Sasquatch with the BFRO


• Married with two young sons. An avid camper, hunter and fisherman.


• Holds a BA in Criminology from the University of Manitoba, courses in Alternate Dispute Resolution, Anthropology and Political Science


• Attended the BFRO BC Expeditions in August of 2005, 2006, 2012 as well as Vancouver Island 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.


• Organized the 2007, 2008 Vancouver Island as well as 2009 North Vancouver Island Expeditions.


• Author of "Woodknocks and Tossed Rocks: Searching for Sasquatch with the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization.

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