Lumpkin County, GA near Dahlonega

Blueridge WMA north of Bull Mountain

The sighting occured on the backside of a DNR maintained food plot. The location is a small clearing on the side of the mountain, sloping away from the road towards a sharper drop off that leads down to Jones Creek. Elevation at the sighting location is 2,493. This area is mountainous with numerous valleys, ridges, and gaps. Hardwood and pine forest surrounding a maintained food plot. At the time of the sighting the plot was and had been planted with grass for some time. Mountain laurel, rhododendron, holly, and wild grapes are common. Later that night we saw a coyote and raccoon in camp. Whitetail deer, turkey, bear, coyote, fox, rabbit, raccoon, and possum are all plentiful in this area. A large amount of fresh bear sign was recorded along Jones Creek earlier in the day.

Hwy 52

16 Feb 2007

6:00 PM

Slight overcast with an occasional light breeze., 39°F (4°C)

Sighting

Myself and three others had pitched camp between the road and the food plot. At the time of the sighting I was in my vehicle (which was pointed towards the food plot), mounting a tripod and video camera for use later that night. The sighting occurred after I had prepared and eaten dinner and while the others were still cooking.

I was accompanied on the trip by three film students from the Savanna College of Art and Design. They were there to film me for a documentary they were producing on the sasquatch phenomenon.

After eating dinner I went to my vehicle to mount and rig up my tripod and video camera for use later. I was seated in the driver's seat and attempting to level the video camera when I looked up to get a line of sight view for the camera. When I looked up I saw a large, dark figure passing quickly across a small opening at the back of the food plot from my left to my right. Directly behind the food plot, and separated by a thin line of trees, is another small, circular clearing. Roughly in the center of this clearing is a large hardwood tree. The figure was crossing in front of the tree when I saw it.
Before I realized what had happened and what I had seen I was already glancing back down when I did an immediate double take. The figure had already crossed the opening and was nowhere in sight. In hopes that it was still there but obscured by the trees I exited the truck and moved around to the passenger's side to remove the video camera. After dismounting the camera I shot approximately two minutes of video using the full optical zoom. After two minutes with nothing in sight I stopped recording and remounted the camera to the tripod.
Because I was with a film crew and because I was fairly certain the figure had already come and gone I decided to wait before approaching the area to look for tracks or any other sign. I was also somewhat hopeful that if it was still in the immediate area and I feigned ignorance that it might make another, closer appearance.

The subject appeared as a uniformly dark, bipedal figure. My view of the subject was a profile of the right side. The head was set very low to the shoulders. The shoulders blended into the back of the head, which went up in a line parallel to the angle of the back and ended in an obvious point or crest. The head then sloped back down to the forehead. The chin was either tucked in to the chest or very low in comparison to the shoulder. It gave the impression of blending straight up from the front of the torso to the face. The overall build was robust but not massive. The arms were long. The legs appeared proportionate to the body, but seemed short in comparison to the arms.

There were four vague impressions in the grass in front of the tree. There was a trail of disturbed leaves leading up to the clearing on the left, and a second trail of disturbed leaves exiting the clearing on the right.

We heard a lengthy, unidentified vocalization at the same location in July of 06.

Final analysis:

I visited the witness on Sunday, May 5, 2007 and discussed the sighting in length. We also visited the sighting area and did a lengthy on-site investigation. Although the sighting occurred almost 3 months ago, we did scout the area and determined possible paths and destinations of observed subject. No trace physical evidence was found or documented. Although the witness's account is anecdotal, knowing the witness's demeanor and skeptical nature, along with his knowledge of the area's native wildlife, I find this witness's account valid. I believe he saw what he saw.

Nearby reported vocalization reports and the area is rich in possible encounter reports.

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