YEAR: 1978

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: June

DATE: mid-June

STATE: Georgia

COUNTY: Stephens County

LOCATION DETAILS: Approximately (as best I can recall) from Toccoa, about 5 miles west on GA 123, then north about 5 miles. I do not have a map that has this specific road on it, but I can try to track one down.

NEAREST TOWN: Toccoa

OBSERVED: I was 12 years old and visiting friends (13 year old twins) who lived in this mountainous area. It is not very densely populated, and most inhabitants of the mountain are members of the family. We were walking into the woods but were still within eyesight of two houses and a field. The boy and I noticed it about the same time. We saw a tall (about 7 feet tall), bulky, lumbering figure coming toward us, from about 30-40 feet away. It was lumbering upright but was hunched over. It had a very large head. It was coming toward us. We turned around and ran toward the clearing, yelling for the girl to follow us. It chased us and got to within probably 15 feet of us. It stopped before the edge of the woods. We didn't see where it went, because we ran until we were out of breath, well away from the edge of the woods

The boy and I were trying to come to terms with what we had seen. We both agreed it looked like a cross between a man and a bear, or a man in a bear suit. For some reason I associate the color blue with it, as well. The girl said she never saw it, but she actually ran out in front of us. The boy and I didn't get a good look at facial features, as our main goal was to get the heck out of there. I do recall its face was hairy, not smooth. I do not recall any type of a noise, though I vaguely remember a strong, musty animal smell. I do not recall if we told any of their family what happened. I am thinking that we thought no one would believe us, and he and I were so very certain about what we had seen and experienced that we did not wish to have to defend ourselves. The fact that WE knew what had happened was enough. I did tell my parents, who thought it was a little incredible but never said that they didn't believe me. To this day, 19 years later, the only other person I have told is my husband.

ALSO NOTICED: As mentioned before, we were concentrating on getting out of the woods. The only thing I seem to recall, other than what I have already noted, is that even though it was running behind us, I don't recall hearing it as it ran. I know that I could hear my heart pounding in my ears and we were crunching leaves and running through brush. We were too terrified to yell, I think. I remember thinking it was strange that the creature didn't seem to be making any noise as he ran after us. He definitely seemed as though he was trying to chase us away, though I do not know if he had an intent to catch us.

OTHER WITNESSES: As in the description above, we were just walking through the woods, talking as teenagers will do. We were all honor students and were content to just walk and enjoy and look at things and talk about silly or serious things. We never felt compelled to invent things to amuse ourselves or pass the time.

OTHER STORIES: No. In all the years since, as I have read articles and books and even looked on the Internet for GA sightings, I have not heard of any.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: It was a warm, clear, sunny summer day. The time would have been, probably, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

ENVIRONMENT: This area of NE Georgia would be in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It is a very rural, remote area where houses can be miles apart. The small mountains are very densely wooded with hardwoods. There is one two-lane highway which traverses this mountain. The family's mountain has a fairly large pond and about six houses, none of which can be seen from the others because of the trees. I do not recall any specific features of the area.

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