On Monday, September 29, 2003, at about 5:00 PM, an off-duty, New Jersey State Police Officer reportedly encountered a huge, hair-covered, bipedal creature while taking a solitary stroll through a section of the Bass River State Forest. This officer’s claims are most intriguing as he is a seasoned state trooper who allegedly came within 100 feet of an animal for which he had absolutely no frame of reference. Though he was thoroughly unnerved by the sight, he had ample daylight with which to observe the animal’s form and physical characteristics. The officer claims that as he returned to the parking area for his vehicle, the strange animal followed him through the woods ultimately revealing itself to other witnesses.
This investigation was a unique opportunity. In fear of professional reprisal, it is quite rare for law enforcement personnel to come forward with sightings of this nature.
A comprehensive report on the Bass River Forest Encounter can be found at the following link: http://www.research.umbc.edu/~frizzell/BRSFreport.html
jamie smith
I just wonder why they do this , because they choose to watch . Maybe we are the intruders of their space and they are just hearding us away from where they don’t want us to go .
Brett C
The link is no-longer available!! ???
Candy M
Here is a good link,
http://userpages.umbc.edu/~frizzell/BRSFreport.html
Jack33
Yeah…..what gives?
Kim G
I’m sure LEO’s & Park employees are witness to or are made privy to a multitude of encounters. Would love to hear their stories.
craig b
I know the area well, I grew up right by there. My parents owned a capmpground on Rt. 72, called Scrubbie Pines, right in the heart of the Pinelands National Reserve forest of NJ. I was in a town called Barnegat, just a few miles north of Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor (where the Bass River park is). My dad was a NJ State Trooper but he never heard of that sighting.
There are a couple of factors about that area that make sense for a sighting. There is a ton of creeks, bogs, swamps in the area, and there is a military bombing range right there, called the Warren Grove Gunnery Range. Those two factors seem to be very common in sightings….swamps/rivers and military bases. Strange.
I grew up there and NEVER thought twice about going into the woods because Jersey is so built up and heavily populated. I’d still go out without a worry but it’s interesting there was a sighting there.
William N
Here is part of an News report of a missing hunter in the area this officer had his encounter. Which is the same area a guy on one of the early call in shows ( I’m not sure what episode it was ) was talking about.
BASS RIVER, N.J. – October 14, 2013 — Authorities continue to search for an elderly man who went missing while hunting at a park in southern New Jersey last week.
State police say it appears that 74-year-old Barnett Zeldin of Mays Landing was hunting by himself at the Warren Grove Recreation Area, a 617-acre parcel of undeveloped wilderness in Burlington and Ocean counties.
Zeldin was reported missing Friday, and authorities believe he was in the Burlington County side of the park when he disappeared. But an exhaustive search of the area over the weekend produced few clues.