- Class 1a
- Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.1a A sasquatch/bigfoot specimen has been collected (alive or dead).
- Class 1b
- Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.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
- Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.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
- Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.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
- Class 2, Competency: Reports involving sightings by professionally trained or highly skilled observers.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
- Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.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
- Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.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
- Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.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.
Case: 01030003
Class 3aRider on horseback encounters a Bigfoot.
Report Details
Occurrence date: October/1986
Location: Tom Green County, TX
Nearby/Vicinity: San Angelo Texas.
Time / Conditions: Between 1 and 2 pm. — Rocky, mesquite and juniper trees - West Texas. To the north are ranches that primarily carry sheep and cattle. The area now has been turned into a state park and you cannot access the trails at all anymore. They have dug up most of the roads that would lead you to the location.
# of Witnesses: 0
Location: Tom Green County, TX
Nearby/Vicinity: San Angelo Texas.
Time / Conditions: Between 1 and 2 pm. — Rocky, mesquite and juniper trees - West Texas. To the north are ranches that primarily carry sheep and cattle. The area now has been turned into a state park and you cannot access the trails at all anymore. They have dug up most of the roads that would lead you to the location.
# of Witnesses: 0
Witness Account:
It has been a very long time but I just can't seem to forget that day. Let me start by saying that I knew the area fairly well - I used the riding trails as relaxation for my horse. I would ride in the area at least once a week for a couple of years. I knew the different trails and the animals and birds that usually occupied the area. I had been riding for approximately 30 minutes when we came upon a ridge - my horse began to walk very cautiously almost as if he was getting nervous. He didn't make a sound but you could tell he felt uncomfortable. His ears were pointing towards the front and he was watching the ridge very closely. I noticed that it was completely silent which was strange for the area. Usually the mockingbirds and scissortails would follow you from tree to tree but not this day in this area. We came up to the top of the ridge and began walking down a narrow trail when my horse began to shake. I remember like it was yesterday that I began to feel like I was being watched and became a little scared myself. Then my horse jumped to the right, I looked over to the left expecting to see a rattlesnake and squatting in a large brush (a group of bushes - not just one bush) was something large - it was very dark and scared me to death! My horse took off running. I couldn't hold him back at all - he was scared, very scared. I remember looking back and seeing something come out of the brush but I never could tell height or weight because of the winding trail. You could definitely make out that it was covered with hair, I say that because I didn't see any clothing and it was covered - no skin was showing. We came upon an area with a small clearing and I forced my horse to stop - I looked back to see if anything was following us and I saw nothing. Regardless my horse wanted out of there and began pawing at the ground. He wanted out of the area. We made it back to the horse trailer in just a minute or two. My parents were there and saw the fear in my face and how scared my horse was. I told them what happened and they never questioned me - I was pale white and the horse was ready to leave - he never acted like that. I think they thought it was a person hiding out and didn't ask anything else. I would never go back to ride in the area again. I don't know if it was a transient or what but I can't imagine someone just hanging out there. Especially in the brush - I am not sure what kind of brush it was but it was the kind that would cut you to pieces. The area was mainly motorcycle/horse trails but very few people used them. The area was not far from the lake and there was ranchland to the north. The day was hot with a gusty breeze - I remember that because I was wearing a t-shirt and shorts. I know it was fall because I was back in school. I know the ecology doesn't seem to fit the habitat of a bigfoot but I just can't figure out what it was. It wasn't a black bear or big cat because it was coming out of the brush in a upright position not on all fours. You could tell it was going to stand up - thankfully my horse was scared enough I never had to see the actual height. There were some berries in the area and plenty of rodents so that might be able to sustain a large animal for a short time - perhaps he/she was just moving through the area.
Physical evidence:
I don't know - I would not go back to the area to investigate.
Sounds:
Not that I am aware of.
Additional observations:
Very dark - maybe dark brown but I think more like a black color. I did not see any features. I believe it was covered with fur because the sun was shining very bright and there was no reflection as you would expect from skin. I did not notice a smell but the wind was blowing pretty good that day so perhaps we were upwind.
Investigator's Observations
The sighting occurred in an area of O.C. Fisher Lake called Red Arroyo. It is near the spillway area for the reservoir. The area is very thick with mesquite and cedar and at the time of the sighting had motorcycle/horse trails going through it. I rode dirt bikes there and am very familiar with it. It is thick enough cover to support Bigfoot and it has an abundance of wildlife including numerous deer. O.C Fisher Lake and its tributaries are the water source. Construction of some housing additions was occurring during this area on private land adjacent to the lake property. The housing was being constructed on areas that were not as densely covered as the riding trails. The parking area for this part of the park is at the corner of Arden Rd. and Mercedes St., which is where the witness parents had the horse trailer parked. This area is part of a State Park now and is not accessible through the old means of getting there.
The weather was clear that day. The main thing that the witness noticed was that there were no birds singing and the usual escort from mocking birds and scissortails was not there. Mockingbirds and scissortails will follow and harass animals intruding in their territory including horses.
The witness saw a figure crouched in a bush that startled the horse. The figure when crouched was still approximately five feet tall, which is larger than any known animal in the area. It was dark and covered with hair. There were no detected odors. Its body was a V shape, which would suggest a waist and upper torso. The witness did not get too long of a look since the horse fled with her on it. The witness did see it start to emerge from the bush but the horse fled too fast for her to see anything else. The witness is still shaken from the incident and is very leery about being in the woods alone even though it happened almost 17 years ago.
Due to the actions of the horse, the absence of birds, and the sincerity of the witness still being shaken by the incident to where it affects the ability to enjoy the outdoors, I conclude that this was a genuine sighting.
The weather was clear that day. The main thing that the witness noticed was that there were no birds singing and the usual escort from mocking birds and scissortails was not there. Mockingbirds and scissortails will follow and harass animals intruding in their territory including horses.
The witness saw a figure crouched in a bush that startled the horse. The figure when crouched was still approximately five feet tall, which is larger than any known animal in the area. It was dark and covered with hair. There were no detected odors. Its body was a V shape, which would suggest a waist and upper torso. The witness did not get too long of a look since the horse fled with her on it. The witness did see it start to emerge from the bush but the horse fled too fast for her to see anything else. The witness is still shaken from the incident and is very leery about being in the woods alone even though it happened almost 17 years ago.
Due to the actions of the horse, the absence of birds, and the sincerity of the witness still being shaken by the incident to where it affects the ability to enjoy the outdoors, I conclude that this was a genuine sighting.
