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

El Dorado County California (Class A) BFRO

Man has sighting after massive landslide on Highway 50

I think the year was 83 or 84. That year there was a huge mudslide on the south (River) side of Highway 50. I remember because we had to turn around, go back up around Tahoe, and take Highway 80 back ...

January 1983

Jefferson County Ohio (Class A) BFRO

Evening sighting by ice fisherman near Friendship Lake

Two large white hairy creatures. The creatures where larger than man, both in build and height. The creatures were carrying a item which appeared to be the size of a pickup truck's bed. They were carr...

January 1988

Caddo County Oklahoma (Class A) BFRO

Creature observed running across the road.

We were driving north about a mile or two from my moms house in the back roads of Stecker , driving about 40 miles an hour (we were taking my sister back home who lives about 8 miles away)when all of ...

March 1992

Snohomish County Washington (Class A) BFRO

Large footprint find, large creature witnessed by a school bus driver

Hubert & Doris Smith were my uncle & aunt. He is deseased & she lives in Texas. They sold out in 1968. They had never heard of big foot prior to this incidence and thought they were having contact wit...

January 1958

Pickens County Alabama (Class A) BFRO

Witnesses spot a tall, brown object moving on a hill, also reported are moans and a sighting where red eyes are described

First, my friend Mike and I, along with two girls, were at the city park and heard it from bellow from the hill behind us. Three days later we went back again and this time I saw it. I thought it was ...

November 1980

Lake County Florida (Class A) BFRO

Large tracks found investigated by Federal authorities

Newspaper Article : Chronicle (Houston, Texas), July 2, 1980 "POLICE THINK MYSTERY FOOTPRINTS ARE FAKES" ALTOONA, Fla. (UPI) - Most investigators figure its a hoax, but there is enough doubt in ...

July 1980

Latah County Idaho (Class A) BFRO

Dark colored biped crosses highway 6 in front of vehicle

We saw a large dark image by the road and thought it was maybe part of a moose. My husband slowed the car down and then here came this large tall, dark green and black figure across the road. He was a...

April 2003

El Dorado County California (Class A) BFRO

Placerville track found and cast

I have recovered a foot print last year (July 17th I believe ). The print does not really match what a big foot print would look like according to some research that I have done after I found it. It i...

July 1996