Lake County, Florida

Near Ocala

Open Map

Lake County Florida (Class B) BFRO

December 1974

I was about fifteen at the time, traveling with my mom and two younger siblings (brother and sister), driving from Atlanta to Ft. Myers to visit my grandparents (as we did every December). We stopped in Ocala National Forest ' I don't remember the campground because we didn't get there until after nightfall, and I remember we went to Alexander Springs the next day, which was close by. Anyway, we drove through the campground and picked one of the last spots, several empty camp spaces away from the closest camper. The night was mild (certainly compared to North Georgia), and we all had sleeping bags, so we just pitched them on the sandy ground under the stars. My mom and my brother and sister were together near the road, but I wanted some space, so I was about ten to fifteen feet away closer to the end of the space. I wasn't afraid of the outdoors; I had already been whitewater canoeing, spelunking, camping, hiking, etc. I loved to hike, and catching snakes was a particular interest. Anyway, I loved being in the woods, and I knew that even bears are scared of humans, and didn't think anything would bother us in a camp site, even if we were on the fringe, for there were a dozen or so other campers around, particularly a small group about four or five campsites away who were having a bit of a party. Anyway, it was late, probably around 10 PM, and so we got in our sleeping bags and went to sleep. I dozed off for...I don't know, maybe an hour...and suddenly woke up. It was pitch black and very quiet, except for the footsteps. At first, I thought it was some big man walking through the saw palmetto; it was definitely bipedal, which is what threw me later. I figured someone was either drunk, looking for a place to pee, or lost. I remember cocking an eye to the trees and could see no light reflected from a flashlight. I remember thinking it odd how someone could navigate the woods in total darkness without a flashlight (which is why I figured it was someone drunk out to relieve himself). After about fifteen or twenty seconds (perhaps a dozen footsteps, crunch'crunch'crunch). I realized it was coming into our campsite; I say IT because I could now hear it breathing, and whatever it was, I realized it was not human. It sounded like something huge, like a Santa Gertrudis bull. I lay very still, listening. Suddenly I heard it very close to my head, no more than a feet away, and it sniffed deeply several times as if it was checking me out. I was suddenly seized with terror, and I have never been afraid like that before. It was an odd reaction; the back of my mind was telling me that it was probably just a bear (the only thing I could think of that would be that big) and that it was simply looking for a pic-a-nic basket. I was wide awake, and I never have had those "night terror" dreams; I was fully conscious. I simply did not want to move. I must have flinched, because whatever it was suddenly went silent. Although I could not hear it, I was certain that it was still there, watching me. After what seemed an extremely long time (it was only about ten or fifteen minutes), the regular noises of the woods stated to come back, and I could hear small animals rustling about the dried palmetto leaves around the camp. I quickly got up and went over to wake up my mom, and I told her that there was a bear in the camp. She grabbed a flashlight, but all we could see was a short way into the woods around the camp. She laughed at me for being scared of nothing. Well, I went to the car, locked the doors, and lay down in the back seat. I had a hard time going back to sleep. At first light we packed up and headed off to Alexander Springs, and that entire trip my mother teased by about how I was so frightened by an armadillo (yeah, an 800 pound armadillo.) I didn't think to check for prints (I did run and quickly snatch my sleeping bag where I had left it), and I neither saw anything nor smelled anything. But I convinced myself that it was a bear, for whatever it was had enormous lung capacity, but it always bothered me that it was obviously walking on two feet, and it left without making a sound.

View Full Report and Investigation

Discuss report

Got a sighting to report?

Lake County Florida (Class A) BFRO

Stranded motorist has a daytime close encounter with an adult and juvenile near Lake Mack

I want to start out by saying that I have never discussed this with anyone except for one other person. I have not discussed it with my wife, my best friend, or any other person close to me in my life...

January 2012

Lake County Florida (Class A) BFRO

Man driving to work has two early morning sightings on the same road near Sorrento

On the twenty sixth and again on the twenty seventh at approximately 5:00-5:15 am, I was on my way to work. I travel down Mt. Plymouth rd.in Sorrento FL. This is an area directly in the Wekiva River b...

July 2011

Lake County Florida (Class B) BFRO

Ongoing activity on a family farm near Paisley

Late at night as my family and I were setting off fireworks, we heard something growl loud enough for all of us to hear. My daughters boyfriend, a policeman said he thought it was a "bear" just in the...

July 2011

Lake County Florida (Class B) BFRO

Possible stick structure and track found in the Ocala National Forest (w/YouTube videos)

As I was hiking in Ocala National Forest I noticed a suspicious-looking formation of small trees off to the right side of the trail. I have seen videos of similar structures that were attributed to Sa...

April 2008

Bond County Illinois (Class A) BFRO

Deer hunters have close sighting along Dry Fork Creek

Me and my son and daughter were hunting deer during the 2006 youth deer season. My son shot and wounded a deer and it ran into the woods. We all three went into the woods looking for it. Something sta...

October 2006

Madison County Illinois (Class A) BFRO

Nightime sighting and possible footprints found by homeowner near Edwardsville

Object was standing near a bush. Coloration was a gray or white. Thought it was odd for some person to be standing out in the country at that time of night. Object was about 7 foot tall....

June 2006

Jack County Texas (Class A) BFRO

Youth has daylight sighting along Texas highway near Jacksboro

I was driving to Wichita Falls Texas with my family. I was looking out the window and saw this big black figure running fast on two legs. It ran off a hill into a little valley. It was dark black, had...

July 2016

St. Clair County Alabama (Class A) BFRO

Roadside Sighting near Moody

We were riding along cherokee road in Prescot, a comunity near Moody Al.when rounding a curve we saw what looked like an ape man but humanlike exept for the hair,which was all matted and black.it was ...

July 2007

Ontario Canada (Class A) BFRO

Two witnesses (Truck drivers) spot a Bulky, Hairy (Brown Hair) being walking under the bridge

Bulky Hairy (Brown Hair) being walking under the bridge. We are Tractor Trailer Drivers and both saw a bigfoot Sept. 3, 1997 3:00PM Central Time. Hwy. 406 in Hamilton, Canada. We were crossing a bridg...

September 1997

Washington County New York (Class A) BFRO

Hikers find footprints and see 10 foot tall creature outside home

We saw footprints while walking in the woods that must have been 20 inches long and found some tree branches broken down. They were originally about 15 feet high. We decided to head back to his house ...

January 1989

Warren County New York (Class A) BFRO

Stand-off with motorist at 6AM in fall, near town of Brant Lake

It was about 6 am on my way to work at [R**** Ranch] when something came from the right side of the road, out of the woods, and forced me to stop or run into it. It is dark that time of morning so i...

October 1992

Allegheny County Pennsylvania (Class A) BFRO

Daylight sighting behind business near Allison Park

I was at work with my uncle. Its a family business, and it is located near the forest, with a huge open field across the creek. Anyways, we weren't very busy at work, so my uncle is walkin around and ...

January 2006