DATE:                    June 1975

TIME:                     10:00 P.M.

LOCATION:           South of Murphysboro, Illinois,  Jackson County
 

TERRAIN:             Shawnee National Forest, mountains
 

OBSERVED:
My family and I decided a primitive campsite away from
noise and playgrounds would be good for the children.
There were only two other campers in this large desolate
part of the National Forest.  It is approximately a 45
minute ride off the nearest paved road.
There is a long river close to the camp ground that we
planed to go canoeing.  We camped away from everything,
close to a small lake, swampy area.

The second night we were there, the children were asleep
and my wife and I were settling the gear in the tent. We
heard a loud piercing scream/holler right outside the
tent.  I was quite startled.  It was more of a series
of "whooping/screaming/hollering" sort of noise. It was
not a single yell, and not a series of yells.  I would
describe it as though it was a single "breath kinda"
exhallation, but very long in duration.  I unzipped the
case that held my 12 gauge, 8 shot, riot shotgun [I know
illegal] and started out the tent. My wife lost control,
and broke down sobbing terribly.  I wouldn't leave her
in that state.  I had no idea what it was or could be,
but it was very loud.  To this day I am very sorry I
didn't go out and look around. Shortly latter, there was
a one more scream out in the distance, a couple hundred
yards away.

One thing that struck me funny, the children didn't wake
up.  I still wonder why a scream so loud, hurt and
vibrated inside the tent didn't wake the children who
normally wake easily.  Of course I tried to calm my wife
by telling her it was a owl or loon in the lake.  I know
it wasn't, I've heard these animals before, heard things
while in service, heard animals hunting, but this is
different.

I never said a thing about sasquatch but that is exactly
what my wife said it had to be.  We went to the ranger
station the next day, and they were angry at us for
saying what we thought we heard.  I never did figure out
why they were upset with us, either.

I pretty much put it out of mind [if that's possible]
until at a family picnic, my nephew heard my wife
talking about our camping trip, [I would never discuss
it] he came back with a book, Strange Stories and
Amazing Facts.  There is a article telling of  bigfoot
sightings in this exact area.

ACTIVITIES OF WITNESS(ES):     We were preparing the sleeping bags in the tent.  We had just finished eating and put the children to sleep, and
the coleman lantern was still lit.

DESCRIPTION OF CREATURE:
 

OTHER SIGHTINGS IN THIS AREA?:  I went back to this same spot a couple of times by
myself and never saw or heard anything.  The stories
died away.  My last trip there, in the eighties, the
camp site was closed and a chain across the road.  It
peaked my interest even more, and hiked back in there
but found nothing.