My Favourite Bigfoot Report: The 2009 Temagami Cottage Encounter

MY FAVOURITE REPORT

Temagami Cottagers Encounter a Very Large Hair-Covered Creature

Ontario Bigfoot | Public Report OB1204

We all remember the stories of "Old Yellow Top," the mysterious hair-covered creature reportedly seen around the Cobalt area beginning in the early 1900s.

Over the years, the Temagami region has produced numerous reports of unusual vocalizations, enormous footprints and alleged close encounters with large, upright, hair-covered creatures.

Of all the reports I've investigated, this particular encounter has remained one of my favourites. Not only did the witnesses provide a detailed account of what happened, they also managed to photograph the creature.

This is their story.

Encounter Details

Location: A remote cottage on a small lake just outside Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, Temagami, Ontario

Witnesses: Mr. and Mrs. D. Heibert

Date: April 15, 2009

Time: Approximately 2:39 p.m.

Photographic evidence: Three photographs reportedly taken during the encounter

The Encounter

On the afternoon of April 15, 2009, Mrs. Heibert was opening the blinds in the back bedroom of their cottage when she noticed something unusual standing on the hill behind the building.

Approximately 50 to 70 yards away stood what she described as an enormous, upright, hair-covered creature.

She immediately informed her husband, who grabbed his digital camera and headed outside.

Mr. Heibert was carrying an 8-megapixel Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT equipped with a 300 mm lens.

As he rounded the back corner of the cottage and powered up his camera, he noticed the creature out of the corner of his eye. According to his account, it appeared to notice him as well and immediately froze.

Unfortunately, his camera's memory card was full. He had to delete several photographs before he could begin taking pictures.

Remarkably, the creature remained standing in the same location throughout this process.

Mr. Heibert eventually managed to take two photographs from behind the cottage, near the propane tank cabinet, looking up toward the hill.

The witnesses estimated the creature to be more than 10 feet tall, extremely massive and roughly twice the size of Mr. Heibert.

One of the most memorable statements from the encounter was:

"This thing stood perfectly still for what seemed like 5 minutes. I turned my head for a split second and it was gone."

But the encounter wasn't quite over.

Approximately 15 minutes later, the creature reportedly reappeared near the woodpile. This time it was partially concealed along the tree line beside a pathway, apparently peeking toward the cottage.

A third photograph was reportedly taken.

What Happened Afterwards?

In the weeks following the encounter, the witnesses reported finding window screens pushed inward or torn from several windows of their cottage.

Whether these incidents were connected to the creature they had photographed remains unknown.

The experience was disturbing enough that the couple eventually became uncomfortable staying at the property.

Reporting the Encounter to Authorities

On April 28, 2009, the witnesses reported the incident to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in New Liskeard.

They provided three digitally transferred photographs, a one-page written statement describing the encounter and their contact information.

According to the witnesses, the officer who received the report appeared somewhat amused and asked whether they were serious.

They most certainly were.

The witnesses also reported that a game warden and several MNR biologists subsequently visited the cottage.

According to their account, these individuals spent several days examining and photographing the surrounding area, remaining at the property even after the couple had departed.

Earlier Unusual Activity

What makes this case particularly interesting is that the April 2009 sighting was not the first unusual experience reported at the property.

Summer 2004: Mysterious Ground Impacts

At approximately 2 a.m., the couple awoke to an extraordinary series of deep, powerful thuds coming from the surrounding wilderness.

The impacts were described as sounding like someone repeatedly lifting an enormous boulder and dropping it onto the ground.

The vibrations were reportedly strong enough to shake the surrounding landscape.

The activity continued for approximately 20 minutes, with an estimated 10 to 15 separate impacts.

The final impact was followed by what sounded like large trees cracking approximately 150 yards away.

Understandably, the witnesses made coffee and remained awake until daylight.

Fall 2006: Unusual Helicopter Activity

During the 2006 hunting season, the couple loaned their cottage to a local friend and three companions.

Those staying at the property later reported seeing two dark-coloured helicopters flying unusually low and circling the surrounding area over several days and nights.

The witnesses described the helicopters as black or dark blue.

The reason for the helicopter activity was never established, and there is no verified connection between these observations and the later creature encounter.

2007: Large Boulders Blocking the Road

In 2007, three enormous boulders reportedly appeared on the access road near the bottom of a hill approaching the lake.

According to the witness, the rocks looked as though they had rolled downhill and come to rest across the roadway.

Two were described as reaching approximately the height of a truck door, while the third stood roughly bumper-high.

One of the boulders reportedly remained in place as late as 2010, with drivers simply going around it.

How the rocks arrived there was never determined.

The Cottage Is Sold

In 2010, approximately one year after the encounter, the couple sold their cottage.

Mrs. Heibert reportedly no longer felt comfortable visiting the property and was frightened by the possibility of another encounter.

The witnesses later indicated that they believed the cottage may have been demolished, although this was not confirmed.

Investigator's Note

Temagami has long been an area of considerable interest to Ontario Bigfoot.

The region has produced historical reports, unusual audio accounts, footprint discoveries and eyewitness descriptions of large, upright, hair-covered creatures.

What makes the Heibert encounter particularly memorable to me is the combination of a detailed eyewitness account, photographs and reports of unusual activity spanning several years.

During our discussions with the witnesses, we found them to be honest, forthcoming and willing to answer our many questions.

Of course, photographs and eyewitness testimony must be evaluated carefully. The identity of the figure in these images has not been scientifically established.

Nevertheless, this remains one of the more intriguing cases I've had the opportunity to examine.

I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Heibert for sharing their experiences and providing information that has contributed to our continuing research.

Cases like this are precisely why we continue spending time in the forests of Northern Ontario.

There are still questions worth asking and mysteries worth investigating.

Timothy D

Ontario Bigfoot

Public Report OB1204

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