YEAR: 2002

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: November

DATE: 24

STATE: Wisconsin

COUNTY: Price County

LOCATION DETAILS: edited.

NEAREST TOWN: PHILLIPS

NEAREST ROAD: HWY 13

OBSERVED: IT WAS NOV 2002 DEER SEASON IN PHILLIPS WISC, I WAS WALKING THE ROAD AND LOOKING FOR DEER, AS I LOOKED DOWN THE ROAD THERE WAS A LARGE BLACKISH BROWN OBJECT WALKING UPRIGHT COMING DOWN THE ROAD TOWARDS ME, SINCE WE HAVE A LOT OF BLACKBEAR IN THE AREA THATS WHAT I FIRST THOUGHT OF IT BEING, BUT WHEN I BROUGHT UP THE SCOPE TO GET A BETTER LOOK, IT WAS NO BEAR IT WAS LIKE A MAN. IT STOPPED AS SOON AS I MOVED INTO A CROUCHED POSITION TO STEADY MY VIEW. I KNOW BLACKBEAR. BEAR DO NOT WALK UPRIGHT FOR LONG DISTANCE THEY WILL STAND TO GET A BETTER LOOK BUT WHEN THEY RUN OFF THEY WILL DROP ON ALL 4 AND RUN.
THIS THING RAN OFF TO THE RIGHT INTO THE ALDER SWAMP ON 2 LEGS HUNCHED OVER LIKE A MAN SLUGGED IN THE GUTS. IT WAS NO BEAR.
I WENT TO THE AREA AND LOOKED FOR TRACKS BUT ONLY FOUND THE AREA OF MOSS THAT WAS DISTURBED FROM THE THING STEPPING THROUGH THE WATER. IT GAVE ME A STRANGE FEELING THAT IT WAS WATCHING ME AS I STOOD THERE LOOKING INTO THE ALDERS.
I AM A PRO OUTDOOR WOODSMAN AND I SEEN WHAT I SEEN.
AND AT 200 YARDS WITH A 3X9X40MM SCOPE IT WAS VERY CLEAR TO ME IT WAS NOT MAN OR BEAR.

ALSO NOTICED: IT HAD GOOD EYESIGHT TO PICK ME OUT AND COULD TELL I WAS A THREAT

OTHER WITNESSES: NO

OTHER STORIES: yes, my grandmothers big swamp

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 8am clear

ENVIRONMENT: ALDER SWAMP,CEDERS,DEEP WATER HOLES

Follow-up investigation report:

The witness said when first seen it walked to and fro on the road, crossing it several times as if it was looking for something. .When it noticed him it left by leaping and clearing a twelve foot expanse of water and then moving effortlessly into a bog. This creature went right through difficult ground. Its coloration was reddish brown.

Other things noticed were that it had no hair on its hands. The skin was dark gray. He said it was built like a large man and had "man height". Specific features were not noticeable and it seemed very dark at the distance he watched it from.

There is approximately 1500 to 2000 acres of swampland in that area that has little or no development. The habitat is substantial.

The reason that the witness did not shoot was he was concerned it was a man in a monkey suit. He tossed that idea aside after he watched its catlike agility. He thought if it was a man in a monkey suit it would be a very energetic person, but he ruled it out after he saw the ground it covered and the length of its jump. It covered ground in the bog very quickly which he felt also ruled out a person.