BFRO #17388: Possible vocalizations heard by bow hunters near Malaga
π Location
Malaga area, Belmont County, Ohio, Malaga, OH
Specific Location: Harper Ridge Rd near Malaga
Coordinates: 39.96050, -80.90050
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39.9605Β°, -80.9005Β°
π Description
I have been an avid hunter for over 25 years and I am convinced that bigfoots are out there. This encounter happened in mid to late october in the 2002 deer bow hunting season. I was working 2nd shift at the time. Their were four of us who experienced this. I got off work at about 11pm. picked up my hunting buddies and drove down to southern ohio where we hunt. We arrived at about 2:30 to 3:00 am. Parked the truck and decided our next move. Everyone was hardcore ready to go. I personally have no problem with cat-napping in a tree-stand , We piled out of the truck and proceded to get our hunting clothes and gear ready. Down the road in both directions (east-west) you could here two barred owls hooting back and forth. I personally thought nothing of it. I've heard and seen lots of owls and they did'nt sound any different than owls I've heard before. We got ready and then proceeded up the hill to where we were going to split up. This was a large hill we climbed and when we reached the top we followed the ridge out to where it converges into a larger ridge. When we reached the top of the hill we took a breather and I had noticed the two owls had crossed the road and were in the hollows on either side of us. One on one side one on the other. We caught our breath and proceeded to follow the ridge top to where we were headed. The owls followed us down the ridge in either hollow but now they were not only still hooting they were making one hell of a racket (branches breaking and stuff). Not like normal owls at all, let alone following us. We travel close to about a mile down the ridge to where we split up. The owls (which I don't think are owls anymore) followed us on either side the whole way. We get to the place where we are supposed to split up and stop. A couple of the guys ask me about the owls and all the stick snapping commotion as we came down the ridge. I tell them I have no clue other than maybe the owls were pushing deer. We talked about the hunt and where we would meet up at noon. unless one of us took a deer. We were there about 15 minutes and all of a sudden we here this noise that I can say kinda started as a growl that turned into a scream. This had to be close(within a hundred yards) because it was like you were at a rock concert and you feel the base drum reverberating in your chest. It was really loud! Everyone was like "what the heck is that!" We were all a little mortified and I think they did'nt want to split up. We waited about another twenty minutes trying to figure that scream out and get our nerve up. We decided to hunt anyway and all kinda joked about it being a couple of bigfoots and how if one of them came by our treestand we would kick it in the teeth. We split up and got into our treestands. It was probably about 4:30 now, I personally couldn't get over how quiet the woods were from then on out. The sun finally came up and I was pretty glad. We hunted until noon and then met up with each other. Everyone had the same story, It was absolutely death quiet until about 11:00am, no birds, no squirrels, no nothing, you could hear a pin drop. We decided to get out of there and hunt somewhere else. I firmly believe that the moment we stepped out of the truck that they were watching our every move and followed us. I think we got a little too close to one or more of their positions and they gave us a warning. I think they are nomadic in general and were just passing through that area. I'm hunting on over 2000 acres of private land that has lots of logging roads all through it. We have a lot of the locals tresspassing on atv's and railcars. I really don't think the bigfoots would permanently live or hang out in there.
π Circumstances
There was four of us all together
π€οΈ Weather Conditions
At or around 3:00am till about 4:30am, what light? we had a waining moon, weather was clear, no clouds, about lower 40's temp.
βΉοΈ Additional Details
At or around 3:00am till about 4:30am, what light? we had a waining moon, weather was clear, no clouds, about lower 40's temp.
π Sources (1)
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Case Information
- Case ID
- cmiz73m3y02bm8fysk92b7d09
- Primary Source
- BFRO
- Added to Map
- December 9, 2025
- Last Updated
- December 10, 2025