KICKAPOO STATE PARK, ILLINOIS - 2015

A man bow-hunting deer took his place in his tree stand, located a couple miles from the Kickapoo State Park. Hunting was never the same for him after November 12, 2015.

It was nearing evening and dusk when he heard what appeared to be a deep growl and then screams coming from deep in the woods. As he sat there wondering what was going on, several frightened deer came running past where he was hidden, coming from the direction of the screams. He recovered enough to shoot at them, hitting one of the deer.

He waited a few minutes, not sure of those sounds, then dismounted the stand, ready to track the wounded deer. It was getting dark now as he continued down the hill. He called his father in law to come help him get the deer. His father in law explained he was at least an hour away from arriving home and would not be able to get there anytime soon. So the hunter continued on his own.

"As I started down a small hill I began hearing these noises again. It was as if I could feel these screaming growling noises in my body. I kept hearing what I thought may have been falling tree branches or something. I looked up on this hill side 30 yards from me and seen a silhouette of something huge. I quickly headed out of the woods and continued hearing the noises all the way out."

The hunter again called his father in law and told him of the encounter. The man laughed at his son in law reminding him that he had made fun of him when the father in law had told him of his encounter with something huge and making strange sounds.

The next day the hunter returned to the area with his father in law to look for the wounded deer. They were following the blood trail when it ended. With no deer in sight. They began looking around the area, but could find no further trace. Then a terrible odor began to fill the woods.

"A very strong pungent odor. Kind of a cross of something dead and the urine of many different types of animals."

It felt like they were being watched while they were out there. When the feelings became too intense, and the odor unbearable, they left. Without ever finding the deer.

In April, 2016, the hunter again returned to the wooded area, this time to gather mushrooms. He was having little luck. The forest around him was very quiet and he decided to call it a day. As he was heading out and had reached the edge of the woods at what they called the "grassy area", he made a discovery.

"A single foot print it was the left foot and was very large. The print was a good one very detailed you could see the toes and everything. I wear a size 13 and this print was way bigger than my foot."

As he paused to quickly take  a photo of the print, that smell surrounded him again and he hurried to leave. 

He reported his experiences to the BFRO (#55144) and posted the photo of the footprint. The investigator states the print was 18 inches long; 11 inches wide at the ball of the foot; 6 inches at the heel.

The hunter added that his brother in law will not talk about his own encounter in those same woods. He no longer hunts in that area.

Nancy

"I'll spark the thought; what you do with it is up to you."