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Geographical Index > United States > New Jersey > Ocean County > Article # 744
Media Article # 744
Article submitted by New Jersey BFRO Investigator Eric Spinner
Monday, April 23, 2018 Bigfoot in New Jersey? 7 dozen sasquatch sightings across the Garden StateBy Susanne Cervenka
app. PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK
A husband and wife just finished walking their dog in the Pine Barrens on April 7 when the wife spotted a tall, lanky brown creature dash on two legs behind their car.
Could it be — (insert dramatic pause) — Bigfoot?
Who knows for sure, but their detailed description was deemed credible enough to be listed among the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization's database of sasquatch sightings.
BFRO — which describes itself as "the only scientific research organization exploring the bigfoot/sasquatch mystery" — was founded in 1995 to suss out the existence of the Bigfoot species. Watch the video at the top of the page to hear about their efforts in Florida.
More: UFOs in New Jersey: What has been spotted above the Shore?
Its database publicly lists nearly seven dozen reported sightings across New Jersey. Here's a look at what counties have the most.
Think Bigfoot is all hooey? Well, maybe there will be puppies waiting for you at the end.
Note: The ratings come from BFRO's database. Their experts deem Class A as clear sightings in circumstances where misinterpretation of other animals can be ruled out with greater confidence. Class B are sightings at greater distances, poor lighting or situations where witnesses don't get a clear view.
Camden County, 1 sighting
Most recent: March 2016
Location: Near Atco
Details: Mother and daughter reported hearing screaming/howling coming from the forest near their home. The noises were described as sounding angry, guttural, extremely loud and lasting for 30 to 60 seconds. The mother and daughter also reported seeing Bigfoot cross the road the prior August. It was described as being about 7 feet tall with a muscular build, a 5 to 6-foot stride and brownish black matted fur.
Rating: Class A
Mercer County, 1 sighting
Most recent: Spring 1977
Location: On a trail near John A. Roebling Park near Bordentown
Details: A man recalled seeing Bigfoot as a young boy on his way to go fishing at about 5 or 6 p.m. The creature was about 6 to 7 feet tall with dark brown to black fur. It crossed the trail about 50 yards in front of him and his friend, pausing for a moment to look at them.
Rating: Class A
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Monmouth County, 1 sighting
Most recent: August 1966
Location: Allaire State Park
Details: A man recalled seeing Bigfoot 40 years earlier as a teen when he was out driving with three of his friends. The group of boys was out at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. when they heard a high-pitched scream directed at them. As they turned on the road, they saw a reddish brown creature towering in front of their car. He estimated it to be about 7 feet tall. They also noticed a musty smell in the air.
Rating: Class A
Somerset County, 1 sighting
Most recent: Summer 1976, 1977 or 1978
Location: Between Mendham and Bernardsville
Details: A husband and wife were driving home from visiting family when a creature on two feet walked in front of their car, turning its head to look at the couple as it passed. They estimated it to be about 6 feet tall in a hunched position, about 200 to 250 pounds and covered in straight brown hair except for on its face.
Rating: Class A
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Hunterdon County, 2 sightings
Most recent: August 2007
Location: Flemington
Details: A couple of outdoorsmen heard vocalizations at about midnight while out fishing Round Valley Reservoir. One of the outdoorsmen said the noise did not sound like a coyote, but the "Ohio Howl," a moaning howl sound caught on a recording that is attributed to sasquatch.
Rating: Class B
Middlesex County, 2 sightings
Most recent: July 2000
Location: Route 535 Cranbury
Details: A family was driving home from fireworks when the parents heard shrieking as they passed a wooded area. Unable to determine what caused the sound, the family turned around and again heard the shrieking noise. About a month later, the parents returned to the area and spotted a depression in the ground that appeared to look like a footprint. It measured 15 inches long, 7 inches wide at the ball of the foot and 4 inches at the heel. They also noticed a passing "skunky" smell.
Rating: Class B
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Salem County, 2 sightings
Most recent: December 2012
Location: Woodstown
Details: A man was driving home from his girlfriend's house when he noticed something reflective by a telephone pole. As he got closer, he realized the reflectors were eyes on a figure, about 7½ to 8½ feet tall, that ran into the woods. He stopped his truck and heard grunting, a screech and a grunt in the woods. The creature had dark brown to black matted hair with long arms, hands and feet. He also saw a dead deer in the adjacent field.
Rating: Class A
Cape May County, 3 sightings
Most recent: November 2016
Location: Ocean City
Details: A group of friends watching football at home noticed a humanlike creature walk away from the front of the house. The creature was described as "long-limbed" but not human. Because of the lighting, the men could see a silhouette but said it appeared to be covered in hair. It was about 5 to 6 feet tall hunched over with broad shoulders.
Rating: Class B
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Essex County, 3 sightings
Most recent: April 2006
Location: Kennedy Parkway near Livingston
Details: A motorist was driving home when a deer ran in front of the car. The motorist looked for other deer when he saw what looked like a hunter in a dark-colored ghillie suit chasing after the deer. He estimated the hunter/creature to be about 6 feet tall and 200 pounds but running faster than a human could run, especially for a person in one of the camouflage suits. The "hunter" also did not have a weapon. The BFRO investigator who went to check up on the sighting also found a possible Bigfoot track in the area.
Rating: Class B
Passaic County, 3 sightings
Most recent: Fall 2004
Location: Near Wanaque Reservoir
Details: A deer hunter was walking back to his truck when he smelled a strong odor that was sour and musty but different from deer urine. He prepared an arrow for a potential deer, but a different creature that was neither deer nor bear stepped into the trail in front of him. The creature looked at the hunter and returned to the woods. The hunter estimated it to be 7 or 8 feet tall and 400 to 500 pounds.
Rating: Class A
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Warren County, 5 sightings
Most recent: February 2007
Location: Mansfield
Details: A motorist was driving home from a criminology class when a creature ran in front of his car on two legs with its arms swinging at it ran. The motorist described the creature as covered in black hair about 4 to 5 inches long but running faster than a bear. He estimated it was 4 to 5 feet tall, weighing 150 to 200 pounds.
Rating: Class A
Morris County, 6 sightings
Most recent: April 2011
Location: Mahlon Dickerson Reservation
Details: A man, who was camping with his sons, returned to his campsite from a hike when he saw a tall, bulky figure that was entirely black. It had a dome-shaped head that was close to the shoulders and swung its arms in large motions. After meeting with a BFRO investigator, the camper estimated the creature was 7½ to 8 feet tall and "much wider" than a human man.
Rating: Class A
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Ocean County, 8 sightings
Most recent: April 2018
Location: Pine Barrens off Routes 70 and 539 near Brown Mills
Details: A couple finished walking their dog in the woods and were driving away when the wife saw in her rearview mirror something about 6 feet tall sprint on two legs behind their car. They turned around in an attempt to spot the creature again, they hear something crash through the woods and splash in nearby water. Before leaving, they also huffing or grunting noise. They checked their car to see if something was stuck under the car, but there was not.
Rating: Class B
Burlington County, 13 sightings
Most recent: May 2013
Location: Godfrey Bridge Road by Wading Pines
Details: A camper was setting snares to catch food at about midnight when he heard rustling about 50 feet away. As he turned to walk back to his campsite, he heard something walking on two legs parallel to him before he heard a loud crack and a large branch land in front of him. He fired his flare gun as a warning, and the creature took off crashing through brush and trees. The camper described the creature sounding liked "a very overweight person running" but at a fast pace.
Rating: Class B
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Sussex County, 17 sightings
Most recent: June 2015
Location:High Point State Park
Details: Two brothers believe they encountered a Sasquatch while camping. One brother was sitting near a lake by their campsite when he had a feeling he was being watched. Soon after, he heard something that sounded like a "very large man aggressively exhaling" at him. The brothers also heard something walking on two feet into the forest, breaking branches as it went. The next morning after sleeping in their car, the brothers inspected their campsite and found what they described as a "makeshift bed" of matted down vegetation and a possible partial footprint. They again heard the aggressive breathing as well as humanlike screams
Rating: Class B
No Sasquatch
These counties have had no credible Sasquatch sightings, according to BFRO database. (Or just none reported yet.)
Atlantic
Bergen
Cumberland
Gloucester
Hudson
Union
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