Incident #991095
Ottosen, Humboldt Cty, Iowa
Jul 1978
Account
The Bennett, Masters and Wolfe boys saw the creature at the Northeast edge of town. The Register says it was in a sales barn and the boys first saw its face in a window when they heard a scratching noise in the building and threw in a rock. Hall says it was near a boarded-up shed. Both say it ran into a cornfield. Hall says it ran mostly on all fours. The mother of one of the boys told the Fort Dodge Messenger that after reporting the incident the boys saw the creature again near the county shop and ran after it. They "figured it was more scared of us than we were of it." Her son said "it just stood there and wondered about us", and the boys and Mrs. Henkins both said it "doesn't do anything until you do" but when it moves it moves real fast."
When
- Observation Date
- JUL 31 1978
- Month
- Jul
- Year
- 1978
- Season
- summer
- Time of Day
- day
- Duration
- brief
Where
- State / province
- Iowa
- County
- Humboldt Cty
- Nearest Town
- Ottosen
- Latitude
- 4254
- Longitude
- 9423
What was seen
- Individuals
- one small
- Total Individuals
- 1
- Population Status
- rural
- First Seen
- in
- Terrain Object
- empty building
- Near or/at
- farm field
- Multiple Sightings Y/N
- Yes
Witnesses
- No. of Witnesses
- 3
- Witness(es) Sex
- Female
Weather and light
- Lighting
- daylight
Source
- Source
- Mark Hall in Minnesota Archaeologist, Feb 1979, giving newspaper sources, and Des Moines Sunday Register, Sep 25, 1978, both quoting three boys, age 10 to 12, from the Bennett, Masters and Wolfe families.
Creature description
- Hair Covered
- yes
- Height
- 5 ft
- Posture
- slightly stooped
- Hair Colour
- dark brown
- Shoulders
- wide
- Nose
- no snout
- Movement
- staying still
- Later Movement
- got downýfled
- Reaction
- fled from
- Estimated Top Speed (mph)
- fast
- Position when first seen
- erect
Witness
- Witness Saw with
- naked eye
- Observer Was
- outside on footĂ˝
- Action on sighting
- fled