BFRO #28679: Hiker finds possible footprints in Timber Ridge Forest Preserve (w/photos)

📍 Location

📝 Description

I went for a hike at lunchtime in a newly made path that cuts through the Timber Ridge Forest Preserve. This path is surrounded by about 8 ponds. It has been very cold and snowy here in the teens and 20's for almost a month except for one warm day that melted the snow. All this melt caused the crushed gravel path to act like a white clay, making all the hikers/dogs/coyotes footprints visible in a 30 foot area. Along with these prints are bare footprints about 13 " long. Looking at the 5 pictures I took, they're deeper set than all the other shoe prints, with 5 distinct toes. I've read BFRO reports before, but I didn't think this area of Illinois would ever have any kind of activity. I took a few pictures with my glove for scale. I measured the gait with my walking stick (3ft 10") I'm 5' 9" & tried to walk the gait of the prints but it was almost impossible. I followed them back to see where they started and they gradually came from the thick grass on the left.I just kept saying 'who would walk barefoot out here it's way too cold?'

🔍 Circumstances

I'm sure other dog walkers have seen them. They're still there until we have rain or melting snow.

🌤️ Weather Conditions

About 12:30 pm (lunchtime) it was mostly sunny, very cold about 20 degrees

ℹ️ Additional Details

About 12:30 pm (lunchtime) it was mostly sunny, very cold about 20 degrees

🔗 Sources (1)

👥 Community Contributions

Help improve this case by adding notes, observations, theories, or tags. Your contributions help the community understand patterns and connections.