Complete Guide to Minnesota Bigfoot Sightings (1896

Minnesota’s vast wilderness, with its dense forests, sprawling lakes, and remote terrains, has long been a focal point for Bigfoot sightings in Minnesota. These accounts, often shared by hunters, hikers, and locals, describe encounters with a towering, hairy, bipedal creature known as Sasquatch.

Spanning over a century, Minnesota Bigfoot sightings have captivated researchers and enthusiasts, blending folklore with modern investigations. While skeptics attribute these reports to misidentified wildlife or hoaxes, believers highlight consistent descriptions, footprints, and vocalizations as evidence of an undiscovered primate.

This article delves into the history, detailed cases, investigative efforts, and cultural impact of Bigfoot in Minnesota, comparing these sightings with other cryptids and unexplained phenomena to provide a thorough examination of one of America’s enduring mysteries.

Minnesota Bigfoot Sightings

Minnesota’s northern and central regions, cloaked in thick woodlands and marshes, are prime locations for Bigfoot sightings in Minnesota. The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) has documented over 80 credible reports, with St. Louis County leading at 21 sightings, followed by Itasca (12) and Cass (10).

Witnesses frequently describe a creature 7 to 10 feet tall, covered in dark or reddish-brown fur, emitting a foul odor, and leaving large footprints. These encounters range from fleeting glimpses to detailed observations, often accompanied by eerie howls, wood knocks, or rock-throwing incidents, fueling speculation about a reclusive hominid.

The table below provides a comprehensive list of documented Minnesota Bigfoot sightings, drawn from BFRO reports and other credible sources. It is organized chronologically, starting with the earliest sighting in 1896, and includes verified witness names where available, precise locations, and detailed descriptions. Anonymous witnesses are noted as such:

Date	Witness	Location	Description
1896	Anonymous	Near Lake Vermilion, St. Louis County	Loggers reported a “wild man” with long arms and matted hair stealing food from their camp. Large, human-like tracks were found nearby.
1908	Anonymous berry pickers	Near White Earth Ojibwe Reservation, Mahnomen County	Two individuals were chased by a hairy, 7-foot-tall creature leaving 16-inch footprints. They fled, reporting the incident to tribal elders.
1960	Frank Hansen	Near Whiteface Reservoir, St. Louis County	While hunting, Hansen shot a hairy, ape-like creature after it charged him. He preserved it in ice, later exhibiting it as the “Minnesota Iceman.”
1976	Anonymous	Near Ely, St. Louis County	A camper heard loud screams and found 18-inch footprints near their campsite. The tracks led into dense brush.
1981	Anonymous	Near Two Harbors, Lake County	A driver saw a tall, dark figure cross Highway 61 at night. It moved swiftly into the woods, leaving no tracks due to pavement.
1990	Anonymous	Near Grand Rapids, Itasca County	Hunters heard wood knocks and saw a large, upright figure watching them from 50 yards away. It retreated when they shouted.
2000	Anonymous	Near Hibbing, St. Louis County	A hiker found a series of 17-inch footprints and heard a deep growl. No visual sighting occurred, but the area smelled foul.
2006	Anonymous road grader	Near Six Mile Lake, Cass County	A man operating a grader saw a 7-foot-tall creature cross a road. Footprint casts were made, measuring 15 inches long.
2008	Anonymous truck driver	Near Washburn Lake, Cass County	A driver saw a tall, hairy figure standing by the road at dusk. It stared briefly before running into the forest.
October 2009	Tim Kedrowski, Casey Kedrowski, Peter Kedrowski	Near Chippewa National Forest, north of Remer, Cass County	A trail camera captured a 7-foot-tall, hunched figure with long arms at 7:20 p.m. No human activity was confirmed in the area.
July 15, 2014	Anonymous	Near Bemidji, Beltrami County	A 9-year-old boy saw a dark, hairy figure with a grayish-brown face. Large footprints and a musty odor were noted.
October 23, 2014	Anonymous	Large swamp near Buhl, St. Louis County	A witness heard howls and knocking, then saw a black creature stand upright and run into brush, initially mistaking it for a bear.
June 3, 2015	Anonymous	Lost Forty Scientific Natural Area, near Dora Lake, Itasca County	Loud banging, strange sounds, and a falling tree were heard. The witness fled without seeing the creature.
November 2020	Anonymous	Near Duluth, St. Louis County	A hunter reported a tall, bipedal figure watching from a ridge. It left 16-inch tracks in the snow.
October 2023	Anonymous man and mother (Suzy)	Near Bena, Cass County, Six Mile Lake Road	While driving, they saw an 8- to 10-foot-tall figure with dark, uniform hair walking upright. A foul smell and dirt mounds were noted.

Investigation Efforts in Minnesota

The quest to validate Minnesota Bigfoot sightings has spurred robust investigative efforts by multiple organizations and individuals. The Minnesota Bigfoot Research Team (MNBRT), founded in 2000 by Abe Del Rio, is a prominent group dedicated to scientific inquiry. Inspired by the 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film, Del Rio’s team employs advanced tools like thermal imaging, night vision, and long-range audio recorders to capture evidence.

Their investigations, often in St. Louis and Cass Counties, have yielded footprint casts, hair samples, and vocalization recordings, though none have been conclusively linked to an unknown species. The MNBRT gained national attention through Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot in 2016, filming in Remer, where they analyzed the 2009 trail camera photo.

The Northern Minnesota Bigfoot Research Team, led by Don Sherman and Bob Olson, focuses on Cass and Itasca Counties. Since 2006, they have documented over 75 encounters, including the 2006 Six Mile Lake sighting, where Sherman cast 15-inch footprints. Their meticulous approach involves site visits, witness interviews, and environmental analysis to rule out hoaxes or misidentifications. Sherman’s 2009 investigation of the Kedrowski photo estimated the creature’s height at 7 feet, reinforcing its credibility.

Beyond these groups, the Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization (GCBRO) has occasionally investigated Minnesota sightings, particularly in Beltrami County. Their 2014 Bemidji report involved footprint analysis and scent documentation, though findings were inconclusive. Independent researchers, like Michael Hexum, a lifelong Bigfoot enthusiast from the Iron Range, contribute significantly. Hexum, who claims a sighting at age 14 from a deer stand, conducts solo expeditions, spending nights in the woods listening for vocalizations and collecting track evidence.

The Minnesota Sasquatch Research Group, a smaller collective, emphasizes community engagement, hosting public forums in Duluth and Ely to gather eyewitness accounts. Their 2020 investigation near Duluth involved drone surveillance and scent traps, yielding no definitive results but fostering local interest. Cryptozoologist Ivan Sanderson’s 1960s investigation of the Minnesota Iceman, displayed by Frank Hansen, remains a historical benchmark. Sanderson’s analysis suggested the specimen was a genuine hominid, though its disappearance halted further study.

The annual Minnesota Bigfoot Conference, held in Grand Rapids, is a hub for these efforts. Organized by the MNBRT, the 2024 event drew 500 attendees and featured experts like Dr. Jeff Meldrum, who presented footprint morphology studies. The conference’s open-mic sessions allow witnesses to share firsthand accounts, fostering a collaborative atmosphere.

Despite these efforts, skeptics note the absence of skeletal remains or DNA evidence, suggesting misidentified bears or psychological factors. Investigators counter that Bigfoot’s intelligence and elusive nature explain the lack of conclusive proof, pointing to consistent patterns across Minnesota Bigfoot sightings.

Detailed Case Studies

1908 White Earth Sighting

In 1908, near the White Earth Ojibwe Reservation in Mahnomen County, two anonymous berry pickers experienced a harrowing encounter that remains one of the earliest Bigfoot sightings in Minnesota. While gathering berries in a dense forest, they noticed rustling and a foul, musky odor. Suddenly, a 7-foot-tall, hairy creature with long arms emerged, chasing them through the underbrush. The pickers fled to their village, where tribal elders documented 16-inch footprints with a human-like shape but unusually long toes.

The incident, preserved in oral tradition, aligns with Ojibwe stories of the “Hairy Man,” a reclusive forest dweller. No formal investigation occurred, but the detailed footprint descriptions and cultural context lend historical weight to this sighting, marking it as a foundational case in Minnesota’s cryptozoological record.

2009 Remer Trail Camera Photo

On October 24, 2009, Tim Kedrowski and his sons, Casey and Peter, captured one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for Minnesota Bigfoot sightings near their hunting shack in the Chippewa National Forest, north of Remer, Cass County. The family had set up a motion-activated game trail camera to monitor deer activity, positioning it in a secluded area known only to them.

At 7:20 p.m., during a rainy night, the camera recorded a single frame of a 7-foot-tall, hunched figure with long arms and dark fur, standing beside a sapling. Tim Kedrowski, a skeptic by nature, ruled out bears or hunters after consulting neighbors and checking for human activity. “It’s very hard because we lean toward the skeptical type,” Tim told the Bemidji Pioneer. “The arm and hand couldn’t be a bear’s, or its upright gait.”

The Kedrowskis contacted the Northern Minnesota Bigfoot Research Team, where Don Sherman and Bob Olson visited the site, measuring the creature’s height against the sapling and confirming no signs of tampering. Sherman stated, “I believe it is a picture of a Bigfoot.” The image, widely publicized, remains a cornerstone of Minnesota’s Bigfoot lore, debated for its clarity and context.

2023 Bena Sighting

On October 7, 2023, a man and his mother, identified as Suzy in BFRO Report 76477, witnessed a striking encounter near Bena, Cass County, along Six Mile Lake Road, solidifying its place among Minnesota Bigfoot sightings. Driving slowly to spot grouse, Suzy noticed a “hulking” figure down a side road and shouted, “What the heck was that?!”

The creature, described as 8 to 10 feet tall with solid, dark hair and a rounded head low on its shoulders, walked upright with long, swinging arms before vanishing into the woods. The witnesses noted a pungent, rotting compost-like smell and small mounds of disturbed dirt nearby. They reported the sighting to a game warden, who confirmed similar local reports.

The BFRO documented the coordinates (47.2715028, -94.0594516), verifying the area’s dense forest and proximity to Lake Winnibigoshish, ideal for an elusive creature. The detailed account, corroborated by multiple witnesses and environmental clues, underscores the ongoing nature of Bigfoot reports in Minnesota.

Bigfoot Sightings vs Other Cryptid Sightings in Minnesota

Minnesota’s rich folklore extends beyond Bigfoot sightings in Minnesota to encompass a diverse array of cryptids, each with distinct traits and cultural significance. These creatures, alongside paranormal phenomena, contribute to the state’s reputation as a haven for the unexplained, though links to Bigfoot remain speculative.

Wendigo: A malevolent spirit in Ojibwe and Algonquian lore, the Wendigo is a 10- to 15-foot-tall, skeletal figure with glowing eyes and antlers, tied to cannibalism and winter hardship. Sightings, primarily in northern counties like Beltrami, are rare but culturally resonant, often reported as eerie moans or shadows in the woods. A 1995 account near Red Lake described a gaunt figure watching a hunter, who fled in terror.
Minnesota Dogman: A bipedal, wolf-like creature, the Dogman has been sighted in Otter Tail and St. Louis Counties. In 2009, near Fergus Falls, a driver reported a 7-foot-tall entity with glowing eyes and canine features crossing a road at unnatural speed. Its predatory demeanor contrasts with Bigfoot’s typically elusive nature.
Pepie the Lake Monster: Lake Pepin’s serpentine creature, Pepie, has over 70 reported sightings since the 1800s. A 2010 account described a 20-foot-long, eel-like entity surfacing near Lake City. Unlike Bigfoot’s terrestrial habitat, Pepie occupies aquatic environments, ruling out direct connections.
Hairy Man of Vergas: Reported in the Vergas Trails, this Bigfoot-like figure blends into local lore. A 1980s sighting described a hairy, 6-foot-tall creature watching hikers, suggesting possible overlap with Bigfoot reports.
Minnesota Iceman: In the 1960s, Frank Hansen’s frozen “Iceman,” exhibited as a hairy hominid, sparked debate. Ivan Sanderson’s analysis suggested authenticity, but its disappearance and suspected hoax status limit its credibility.

Paranormal phenomena, like the Minnesota State Fair’s ghostly pig or haunted sites in Duluth, add to the state’s mystique. A 2018 Duluth report described unexplained lights and footsteps in a forest, possibly linked to Bigfoot activity but lacking clear evidence.

Shared habitats—remote forests and marshes—fuel speculation about connections, but distinct characteristics (Wendigo’s spirituality, Dogman’s canine traits) suggest separate entities. Misidentification of bears or psychological factors may explain overlaps, yet Minnesota’s cryptozoological diversity remains a compelling puzzle.

Conclusion

Minnesota’s wilderness, with its shadowy forests and quiet lakes, continues to nurture the enigma of Bigfoot sightings in Minnesota. From the 1908 White Earth chase to the 2023 Bena encounter, Minnesota Bigfoot sightings reveal a consistent pattern of a tall, hairy, elusive creature, documented through footprints, photos, and witness accounts.

Investigative groups like the MNBRT and independent researchers persist in their quest for evidence, while events like the Minnesota Bigfoot Conference keep the mystery alive. Other cryptids, from the Wendigo to Pepie, enrich the state’s folklore, though their links to Bigfoot are tenuous.

Whether a hidden species or a cultural phenomenon, Bigfoot’s enduring presence in Minnesota sparks curiosity, debate, and a deep connection to the untamed natural world.