A guy like me is hard to find.” -Bigfoot
I have family in Ohio. The last time I visited there the scariest thing I saw, besides a Pileated woodpecker the size of a housecat, was a feral family shaving their back hair before breakfast in a Bob Evans restaurant parking lot. Ohio is a fun place. And it seems that recently for some residents there, the volume of excitement has been turned way up. Apparently, Bigfoot has come to visit.
For those who don’t often ponder strange and mysterious happenings in the world and need a Bigfoot refresher, these particular cryptids are unverified creatures, sometimes referred to as Sasquatch, said to inhabit the fields and forests of North America and beyond.
Bigfoot is most often described as a large, muscular, bipedal human or ape-like creature covered in black, dark brown, or dark reddish hair, standing between six and nine feet in height. Bigfoot is often said to emit a foul dead animal or skunk-like odor. Allegedly authentic footprint casts have been made showing feet as large as 24 inches long and eight inches wide, hence the name Bigfoot.
Many indigenous cultures across North America have shared stories of mysterious giant hair-covered wild men. And as early as the 16th century, European explorers in the New World related tales of giant hairy beings prowling the forests. These stories and reported sightings continue today, most recently in Ohio.
Last month there were eight reported sightings across northeastern Ohio within just four days. All described black-haired or brown-haired creatures walking upright with long arms making “grunting” noises and looking for trouble.
The first sighting occurred near Mantua, a small village in northern Portage County near the Cuyahoga River, 25 miles northeast of Akron. An unidentified researcher for the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime) described seeing a nine-foot-tall male creature. He was hiking when he spotted the critter standing about 120 yards away. It appeared to know he was there. The man paused, and then calmly retreated back to his car to change his pants.
The next day, Mantua resident Dylan Obney reported seeing an eight-foot-tall brown creature about 11 p.m. While hiking a trail near the edge of the woods Obney heard heavy un-human like footsteps and deep vibrating grunts. He originally thought he was hearing a deer or another person walking. But he said the steps were slow, spaced out, and much heavier than a human would make. Obney noticed movement minutes later. About 50 yards from where he was standing, a tall figure stepped out from between two trees. He described the brute as seven to eight feet tall, with long arms dangling low at its sides, covered with dark brown hair. Obney said the creature walked upright and seemed aware of his presence.
“The craziest part was the sound it made, a deep grunt that echoed through the woods before it stepped back behind the trees and disappeared after that,” he said.
Two more intense sightings were reported to the Sheriff’s Department the next day in Garrettsville, Ohio. Jacob Taylor and his friend (who asked to remain anonymous) recounted their encounter while hiking Headwaters Trail. Just before noon, Taylor and his friend noticed movement in the trees approximately 30 feet ahead of them. Suddenly, they saw a giant figure covered in black hair standing and watching them. The duo froze and looked on in awe. They said the monster had broad shoulders and unusually long arms. It walked upright on two legs, and must have been heavy, because the ground shook slightly as it passed between the trees.
“We also noticed a strong, musky smell in the air. It turned its head toward us, let out a deep, grunt-like noise, and then quickly stepped back into the trees. We were both pretty shaken up and didn’t approach the area any closer. It all happened so quick,” Taylor’s companion said.
Garrettsville is in Portage County. Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski said they’d received reports from ten individuals in the area who had sighted the creature. Many reported smelling a musty odor before the animal scampered back into the woods.
Another incident occurred around 6 p.m. in the evening near the town of Windham. An elderly lady looking out her living room window saw something unusual running from the woods onto her neighbor’s property. She described a creature about six feet tall, completely brown, and moving with long strides.
“I know what I saw, but I don’t know what I saw,” the woman said.
Another encounter was reported the next day in Newton Township. In an emotional interview a man recounted that he’d let his German Shepherd out at 4 a.m. The dog immediately started “freaking out” and lunged towards some trees. In the commotion, the man described seeing a very large 9–10-foot shadow crashing away through the woods. When the man finally brought his dog inside, it was scared and shaking.
With all of these recent reported sightings in Ohio, Bigfoot enthusiasts have been flocking to the state. If you are so inclined and find yourself in the woods with a Bigfoot in sight, please grab your phone and take a picture. We would all love to see it…