Incident #1000110
Chetwynd, Peace River Dis, British Columbia
Aug 1977
Account
John Ross, Marilyn Wiles, Brad Wiles, Don Watson and Morgan Watson were on a fishing trip up Bull Moose Creek when Ross found six four-toed footprints with a stride over six feet leading from the creek to rocky bush country. They were 17 inches long, 10 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches deep. A week later a group returned and made photos and casts. Fred Harper of the Fish and Wildlife Branch saw them August 28, still visible but only nine inches wide and 1 1/2 inches deep in the sand, three of them obscured from casting. Photos are clear and show four huge toes. Casts show heels almost as wide as front of foot. Don Watson has the casts at his ranch in the Cache Creek area west of Fort St. John. They were made by a neighbour, Norman MacKenzie. Note indicates a copy of one sent to John Green. Location is a mile from the nearest road. Tracks had been rained on and were estimated a week old when found. Weight estimate was 1000 pounds.
When
- Observation Date
- AUG 08 1977
- Month
- Aug
- Year
- 1977
- Season
- summer
Where
- State / province
- British Columbia
- County
- Peace River Dis
- Nearest Town
- Chetwynd
- Direction from Town
- South
- Distance from Town
- 50
- Population of Town
- 1500
- Elevation/Altitude
- 25
- Latitude
- 5515--
- Longitude
- 12120--
What was seen
- Individuals
- one large, sex unknown
- Total Individuals
- 1
- Population Status
- wild
- First Seen
- on
- Terrain Object
- shore
- Near or/at
- water
- Shot Hit
- No
- Track Photo Y/N
- Yes
- Cast Made Y/N
- Yes
Witnesses
- Report type
- 2nd person
Setting
- Exact Terrain
- beach
- Slope
- valley bottom
- Nearby Water
- creek
- Distance to Water
- 5 feet
- General
- none
- General undergrowth
- none
Source
- Source
- Van. Sun, Aug 27 & Sep 2, 1977. Alaska Hwy. News,
- Source Type
- newspaper
- Source Date
- AUG 77
- Source reliability
- 1
- Incident reliablility
- 8
- Jwg file date
- SEP '77
- Incident type
- 2
Footprints
- Footprint Length
- 17.0
- Greates Width
- 10.0
- Heel Width
- 9.0
- Average Depth
- 3.00
- Observer Print Depth
- 0.00
- Observer Weight
- 200
- Estimated Animal Weight
- 1000
- Stride in Inches Average
- 72
- Estimated Age
- 1
- Age Unit
- weeks
- Number of Tracks
- 6
- Trail Followed Y/N
- Yes
- Trail Ended Naturally Y/N
- Yes
- Track Condition
- good
- Track Drag or Slide
- no drag or slide
- Ball of Foot
- normal
- Arc Y/N
- No
- Ridge Behind Toes Y/N
- No
- Number of Toes
- 4
- Bumps Y/N
- No
- Claw Marks Y/N
- No
- Size of Toes
- toes all about the same
- Footprint Cast Y/N
- Yes
- Footprint Photo Y/N
- Yes
- Human
- No
- Material Tracks Made in
- sand
- Relation to Water
- near water
- Tracks Came From
- water
- Tracks Went to
- bushes
Witness
- Witness Saw with
- naked eye
- Observer Was
- fishing, shore
- Track witnesses
- several