North American Wood Ape Conservancy

Late night encounter near Benton.

Report#: 03080032
Occurred October 1994: (Submitted February 3, 2005)

Witness Observation

We had just moved into our home here and the deer were always coming up to our back fence and causing these little wimp dogs of mine to go into cardiac arrest, especially at night when I was trying to go to sleep. So I was in the habit of taking a small rifle and shooting a round into the trees to frighten the deer away and shut the dogs up. One night I decided to take my single shot, break-over .410 into the woods on the trail to really scare them away.

So carrying a flashlight, the gun (broke open, 1 round loaded) and two more rounds, I went off into the woods. About 30 yards into the woods, I heard movement to my right at about my one o'clock. Shining my light at the brush, I saw the thing standing stock still. I could tell it was about 7 feet tall, and it was half again as broad across the shoulders as me. I'm 6'1" and weigh 300 pounds so I'm not a little fella by any means, but I was next to this thing. It had a brownish - orange long fur over what I could see of it's body and its face was dark. My light reflected in its eyes like an animal. At that time it grunted and made a move towards me. The first thing I did was to close the gun, aim and fire. I know I didn't miss because he was only about 30 to 35 feet away and I saw fur fly. It yelled and began to move towards me again and I began to walk backwards, reloading the gun and never taking the light off of it. I fired again, not missing and it really started move on me, so I did this one more time, this time firing one handed. I turned and ran from the woods to my house. My wife was on the back porch when I came out of the woods and I yelled for her to get my 8mm rifle. She met me with it, I spun around, fully expectng to see this thing on me. It wasn't there. I could hear it running through the woods, which isn't easy with all of the under growth here. It let out a long loud yell that reminded me of sounds you might hear at the primate house at the zoo.

Sounds

Grunting and a long loud "warbeling" yell.

Additional Observations

There was also a lot of wild pigs up here but they seem to all have disappeared about that time.

Time and Conditions

11:00 pm - Clear fall night.

Investigator's Comments

John Morley

This investigation was conducted as a result of an incident that allegedly occurred in Saline County, Arkansas, in 1994.

I interviewed the witness at length about his submitted report. He had no additional details to add and believed with certainty that what he saw was a sasquatch.

Additional reports in this county

Occurred Fall 1985 in Saline County, AR

Submitted on October 7, 2004

Deer hunter encounters two huge ape-like creatures fighting. Read more...

Occurred 3/26/2004 in Saline County, AR

Submitted on March 27, 2004

Motorist has early morning visual encounter on the way to work. Read more...

Occurred Fall 1998 in Saline County, AR

Submitted on April 29, 2000

While hiking in the woods, boy and friend are chased by upright animal. Read more...

Class 1a: A sasquatch/bigfoot specimen has been collected (alive or dead).
Class 1b: A report investigation results in a sasquatch observation or the documentation of clear tracks or other forms of physical evidence by an investigator.
Class 1c: An investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot by a very reliable observer is a distinct possibility, tangible corroborating evidence is documented, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Class 1d: A visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility involving two or more reliable observers, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Class 2: Investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility, the observer is exceptionally trustworthy, professionally trained, and experienced in the outdoors and/or is accustomed to looking for and recording details (e.g., biologist, anthropologist/archaeologist, ranger, trapper/tracker/seasoned hunter, bird watcher, game warden, naturalist, law enforcement), and other explanations can be reasonably excluded.
Class 3a: Investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility, the observer is credible, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Class 3b: Unidentifiable vocalizations were reported and there is accompanying tangible evidence to possibly indicate the presence of a sasquatch/bigfoot, the observer is very reliable, and other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Class 3c: No visual encounter occurred, but physical evidence was found to indicate the presence of a sasquatch/bigfoot (tracks, hair, scat, etc.), the observer is very reliable, and other sources can be reasonably ruled out.