- 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: 01120033
Class 3aMotorist has late-night encounter near Balcones Canyon Lands National Wildlife Refuge.
Report Details
Occurrence date: May/2009
Location: Burnet County, TX
Nearby/Vicinity: Smithwick
Time / Conditions: 03:00 — Warm, clear, low lighting except for headlights.
# of Witnesses: 1
Location: Burnet County, TX
Nearby/Vicinity: Smithwick
Time / Conditions: 03:00 — Warm, clear, low lighting except for headlights.
# of Witnesses: 1
Witness Account:
Driving home on FM 1431, about 3 A.M. just past Smithwick ,TX, I saw what I first thought was a person wearing sheep skin chaps running across 1431. I remember counting three strides as it ran across the highway. I slowed down, as I looked closer it was totally covered in hair and looked somewhat tall. It stopped and looked at my headlights. Its eyes reflected an amber color. It stopped because it could not jump the fence (I guess) because there is a very tall exotic game enclosure there. It tried to grab a limb that was hanging over the fence and hide its face, when it figured it was stuck. I stepped on the gas and got the heck out of there. After I realized what I just saw, I was pretty scared.
Physical evidence:
High fence, I was totally sober, its hair was matted, faded long hair, resembled a goat with long hair dark brown to tan at the ends.
Hand/foot prints:
n/a
Sounds:
n/a
Additional observations:
n/a
Investigator's Observations
Investigator(s): Shannon Graham and Shannon Mason
This investigation was conducted as a result of an incident that allegedly occurred in Burnet County, Texas, along Farm to Market Road 1431 on May 15, 2009.
The witness was interviewed via telephone on the evening of March 16, 2012. An investigator was unable to meet up with the witness due to the fact he currently resides out of state.
At the time of the sighting, the witness was an oil field worker and played drums for a local band. On the evening of the incident, the witness was driving home after a gig in Marble Falls, Texas. The route required travel along Farm to Market Road 1431. Just after passing through Smithwick, Texas (approximately 8 miles east of Marble Falls) the witness noted what he thought was a person running across the road in ?sheepskin chaps.? He recalled initially thinking that it was ?a large African American in a fringed leather coat.? The witness slowed his vehicle thinking that he was going to hit a pedestrian. As the witness drove closer, he noted that the subject was not wearing chaps or a fringed jacket but was covered in matted, dark hair. The witness described the subject?s hair as dark brown which lightened to tan at the tips. He also described the individual as being extremely large and broad in the shoulders. The witness estimated the height as being at least seven feet tall. He also noted that that it had ?no neck and the head/shoulders were shaped like the Alamo.? The witness specifically said the head was rounded.
The subject appeared to cross the two lane road in three strides. The witness noted a game fence across the road at a creek/water crossing. He reported that the subject ?froze at the fence? and did not attempt to negotiate it. There was a tree limb lying over the fence and it pulled the limb down, as if attempting to utilize it as cover.
The witness recalled that the subject had amber eye shine. He admitted driving an older model vehicle (1974 Volkswagen) and the headlights were functioning poorly. The witness was unable to see other facial features or sex characteristics. He recalled being scared and not wanting the ?thing to come closer.? The witness quickly sped away. He reported that there were no other witnesses and he was emphatic that he was sober at the time of the sighting.
The witness was happy to describe his sighting to an investigator; he relayed that he had nothing to hide or lie about. The sighting frightened the witness and he was surprised to learn that there were other sightings in Texas via internet searches. Our assessment of the witness is that he was a reliable and honest witness; he firmly believes that he saw a sasquatch.
It should be noted that the route the witness took borders the Balcones Canyon Lands National Wildlife Refuge and the Colorado River. The refuge comprises approximately 80,000 acres of land in Texas Hill Country.
Upon our physical investigation of the site, we noted multiple private ranches/hunting leases/religious camps with game fences in place. The Balcones website reports that there are large numbers of feral hogs, deer, coyotes, fox, and raccoons on refuge land. It is apparent that wildlife thrives in the area despite population centers within fairly close proximity. The nearby multiple waterways and surrounding riparian forests provide travel routes and ample cover for any number of large mammalian species to freely move about largely undetected by unsuspecting motorists.
(Shannon Graham is a Registered Nurse; Shannon Mason is retired from the United States Army).
This investigation was conducted as a result of an incident that allegedly occurred in Burnet County, Texas, along Farm to Market Road 1431 on May 15, 2009.
The witness was interviewed via telephone on the evening of March 16, 2012. An investigator was unable to meet up with the witness due to the fact he currently resides out of state.
At the time of the sighting, the witness was an oil field worker and played drums for a local band. On the evening of the incident, the witness was driving home after a gig in Marble Falls, Texas. The route required travel along Farm to Market Road 1431. Just after passing through Smithwick, Texas (approximately 8 miles east of Marble Falls) the witness noted what he thought was a person running across the road in ?sheepskin chaps.? He recalled initially thinking that it was ?a large African American in a fringed leather coat.? The witness slowed his vehicle thinking that he was going to hit a pedestrian. As the witness drove closer, he noted that the subject was not wearing chaps or a fringed jacket but was covered in matted, dark hair. The witness described the subject?s hair as dark brown which lightened to tan at the tips. He also described the individual as being extremely large and broad in the shoulders. The witness estimated the height as being at least seven feet tall. He also noted that that it had ?no neck and the head/shoulders were shaped like the Alamo.? The witness specifically said the head was rounded.
The subject appeared to cross the two lane road in three strides. The witness noted a game fence across the road at a creek/water crossing. He reported that the subject ?froze at the fence? and did not attempt to negotiate it. There was a tree limb lying over the fence and it pulled the limb down, as if attempting to utilize it as cover.
The witness recalled that the subject had amber eye shine. He admitted driving an older model vehicle (1974 Volkswagen) and the headlights were functioning poorly. The witness was unable to see other facial features or sex characteristics. He recalled being scared and not wanting the ?thing to come closer.? The witness quickly sped away. He reported that there were no other witnesses and he was emphatic that he was sober at the time of the sighting.
The witness was happy to describe his sighting to an investigator; he relayed that he had nothing to hide or lie about. The sighting frightened the witness and he was surprised to learn that there were other sightings in Texas via internet searches. Our assessment of the witness is that he was a reliable and honest witness; he firmly believes that he saw a sasquatch.
It should be noted that the route the witness took borders the Balcones Canyon Lands National Wildlife Refuge and the Colorado River. The refuge comprises approximately 80,000 acres of land in Texas Hill Country.
Upon our physical investigation of the site, we noted multiple private ranches/hunting leases/religious camps with game fences in place. The Balcones website reports that there are large numbers of feral hogs, deer, coyotes, fox, and raccoons on refuge land. It is apparent that wildlife thrives in the area despite population centers within fairly close proximity. The nearby multiple waterways and surrounding riparian forests provide travel routes and ample cover for any number of large mammalian species to freely move about largely undetected by unsuspecting motorists.
(Shannon Graham is a Registered Nurse; Shannon Mason is retired from the United States Army).
Photos
