YEAR: 1980

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: October

DATE: nk

STATE: Ohio

COUNTY: Hocking County

LOCATION DETAILS: Near Ash Caves State Park

NEAREST TOWN: Goes

NEAREST ROAD: SR 56

OBSERVED: First encounter: Ron,his Father, son and family friend were hunting. Ron bowhunting for deer. Father and friend squirrel hunting with shotguns.Ron's brother was to go but could not make it so Ron took Son Scott with him. Ron set off down gasline towards SR 56 ( we had parked on a gravel rd that intersected the gasline). We were to meet at lunch. Scott went with Grandfather and family friend (family friend is Bob). About 1/2 mile in they passed an old deserted cabin. After passing it Scott smelled something putrid, like rotting meat and asked Bob what that smell was. Bob shrugged and said "rotting vegetation". Bob and Scott walked many ridges and hollows then re-entered the same gasline. At this point Scott saw a bare footprint approx 11-12 inches long. He pointed it out to Bob saying "someone has been running around barefoot" Bob just looked at it and said "yep". Nothing Scott was seeing or smelling was registering until later. Scott had smelled the same smell several times during the morning.
Ron, his dad Bernard, son Scott and family friend Bob met back at the cars at lunch. Scott went to the edge of a clearing to urinate and once again smelled that same smell. He said later a strange feeling like he was being watched came over him, but her shrugged it off.
For the afternoon hunting they entered the gasline from the other end off SR 56. Ron & Scott went together this time so that Scott could observe bowhunting to see if he would be interested in doing it later on. Bernard and Bob took off with shotguns to squirrel hunt. After a small climb we got to the area that looked promising for deer. Scott sat down about 5 yds behind Ron. They both started hearing movement behind them towards a ridge. Scott turned towards where he thought the sound was coming from. The sound was like heavy movement in the brush and small limbs breaking. Most of the sound seemed to slowly circle its way around us to the left, with a little noise still behind us. After several minutes Ron was looking intently into one area,but it was obscured from Scott's direct sight by brush. Although he could see some movement at times. Ron held his hand palm back telling Scott to stay put. At this point he descended a hill they were hunting on by about 15 yards. Ron stood there for about 5 minutes, then turned and walked back to Scott and said "lets go". Scott told him he saw something moving and Ron asked where and Scott pointed. Ron asked Scott what color was it and he said black, Ron once again said lets go.
We got to the top of the ridge and met up with Bernard and Bob. Still not making any connection.
Bernard had a box and some shells and had Scott "practice" shooting then they headed for the cars. About 20 yards down Scott smelled that same smell, everyone did except Ron ( he has a bad nose). We left in separate cars and headed home. Bernard/Bob in one, Scott/Ron in the other.
Scott fell asleep on the way home, about 45 minutes from home Scott woke up and jokingly asked Ron if he saw Bigfoot today.. Ron turned and looked Scott in the eyes and said "yes". He then proceeded to tell what he had seen. In the afternoon when Scott and Ron were together and they heard the sounds.. Ron saw movement that is when Ron told Scott to stay put. He moved down about 15 yds. for a closer look, he said the first few times something moved out from behind a tree,but only about 4-5 inches. The next time it stepped out further exposing half of its body, with a large arm hanging down to its knee. He described it as at least seven foot tall, huge torso, big muscular arms down to its knees and head set on shoulders with no neck and reddish eyes. Ron said the effect on him was like someone had lit match at his feet and the heat travelled all the way to the top of his head. Ron said he wasn't sure how he would have reacted had he not had Scott to be concerned about getting out of there. He was intent on getting out of there when Bob and Bernard met up with them.
Other sightings by Ron:
Ron and his brother Mike were hunting another weekend in the same area. Ron heard a sound like a log or tree being thrown behind him, but didn't turn around to look. About a half hour later Mike came along on the other side of the hollow and said he saw a figure on the opposite hillside. He thought it was Ron, but Ron stood up later on and he was about forty yds further down the hill than where Mike saw the figure. Mike turned and looked again but the figure was gone.
Third sighting by Ron:
Same area, same season, another weekend. Ron and Mike were hunting. Ron was in a treestand this time and Mike was on the ground hunting. About 9am Ron heard dogs barking and yelping down the hollow to his left. The sound became louder and he heard dogs running below him in the hollow followed by loud stomping sounds breaking deadfall branches. They circled around him back up the ridge in direction Mike had gone. At this point Mike says he had a pack of dogs come in front of him. They stopped and looked at him,growled then ran on. Minutes later Mike heard a high pitched scream and a dog yelp like in pain and he headed to where Ron was. Ron and Mike both told what they had seen and heard then they left.
Later on Ron and Mike went back to the same area and did some scouting for the upcoming gun season. They saw several large footprints with narrow heels and wide toes. The prints were about 14 inches long.
At this point it needs to be told that after Ron made the intial contact with the sheriffs office and they didn't seem interested nor follow-up, the succeeding sightings were not reported.
Bernard has hunted that same area for at least 35-40 years and Ron for atleast 25-30. This area was never posted. The following year this entire area was posted.
Scott and Ron hunted near that area in 1999 during gun season (late November).Scott was at a spot about a mile from the original siting. He never saw anything but he did hear movement towards his left and got an odd feeling. He had climbed a gasline/powerline where about five ravines intersect. He heard movement around 8:30am moving right in front of him, crossing the gasline below his field of vision. The sound then came up along his right side ( this was unlike a deer sound) the it circled behind him. About that time he heard a branch break like something stepped on it about 30 yds behind him. At that point Scott decided to leave.

ALSO NOTICED: as stated before the putrid smell... the land never being posted prior to 1980 but in 1981 the land was posted.

OTHER STORIES: During this time there were reports in area newspapers about sightings by individuals, and children on a school bus reported it crossed the road in front of them

TIME AND CONDITIONS: dawn on a typical fall day. No extreme overcast

ENVIRONMENT: Appalachian foothills with many hollows, ridges, caves in sandstone and limestone rock. Growths of old forest hardwoods and planted pines

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Jim Osborne:

When I spoke with the witness he stated that the face of the creature was definitely ape-like, but with a more human-like nose, thick brow ridges, sloped forehead (not cone-shaped), and hair that was dark brown, almost black. At the time of this observation he was only about 10 yards from the creature. He also reported that in addition to the large prints they have also found much smaller prints.

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