“Back in 1994, at about 4:30 in the morning, about three miles south of Pinckneyville, Illinois, I was driving toward the town on Rt. 13 when a coyote ran in front of my car. He seemed to be scared to death by something. As I hit the brakes, I looked in the direction that the coyote had come from, and the hairs on the back of my head and neck stood straight up. Something was running at a pretty fast pace, as if it was chasing the coyote.
 

This creature stood about 7-8 feet tall, was covered in hair and literally jumped up out of the field and crossed behind my car…

The body was massive. It never lost stride as it jumped up from the field and onto Rt.13 and crossed behind my car.

I sat there in amazement and fear thinking if what I saw was really what I have been hearing about for years. This was no bear. I know what a bear looks like, and I know that a bear can’t run as far as this creature did, on two legs…

I never told anyone about this encounter for about one year. Then I told a Conductor, who worked for AMTRAK, what I had seen.. I asked [him] … if he was going to laugh at me. He said no, there are a lot of things running around down here with SHAWNEE NATIONAL FOREST so close. This was the only time i have experienced this creature, but I do believe in them now!!!”

ED