Incident #991603
Placida, Charlotte Cty, Florida
Feb 1971
Account
The Peninsular Archaeological Society was working on a large Indian mound, which Frank Hudson writes covers 34 acres. Buz Osbon is quoted as saying it is in Big Cypress Swamp, but Romona Hibner says it is on Cayu Pelau offshore from Placida. At 3 a.m. they heard heavy footsteps, looked out of tent and saw a huge creature just a few feet away. It ran off. Next day they found footprints, and Frank Hudson says more were found the next weekend within 25 feet of their camp. He said tracks found on the mound indicated that there were two large and one small creature frequenting it, but gives no details.
When
- Observation Date
- FEB 27 1971
- Month
- Feb
- Year
- 1971
- Season
- winter
- Time of Day
- 3 a.m. to dawn
- Duration
- considerable
Where
- State / province
- Florida
- County
- Charlotte Cty
- Nearest Town
- Placida
- Latitude
- 2650
- Longitude
- 8218
What was seen
- Individuals
- one large, sex unknown
- Total Individuals
- 1
- Population Status
- wild
- First Seen
- at
- Terrain Object
- camp
- Tracks
- found later
- Cast Made Y/N
- Yes
Witnesses
- No. of Witnesses
- several
- Witness(es) Sex
- Male
- No. of Track Witnesses
- several
Setting
- Terrain
- island
- Nearby Water
- oceanýswamp
Weather and light
- Lighting
- firelight
Source
- Source
- L. Frank Hudson, Box 10795, St. Petersburg, FL, 33733, writing to Ivan Sanderson, Dec. 24, 1971, and St. Petersburg, FL, Times Floridian, Mar. 26, 1972, quoting letter by H.C. Buz Osbon, president of the Peninsular Archaeological Society Inc. Also information from Ramona Hibner as to actual location.
Creature description
- Hair Covered
- yes
- Height
- 7-8 ft
- Posture
- erect
- No hair on
- on face
- Hair Colour
- light brown
- Movement
- staying still
- Later Movement
- fled
- Odour
- strong
- Reaction
- approached
- Evidence Left
- footprints
- Position when first seen
- erect
Footprints
- Set of Tracks
- 1
- Footprint Length
- 17.5
- Greates Width
- 11.5
- Number of Tracks
- many
- Track Condition
- very good
- Number of Toes
- 5
- Longest Toe
- first
Witness
- Witness Saw with
- naked eye
- Observer Was
- camping
- Closest horizontal distance
- 5 feet
- Action on sighting
- stayed still