Idaho hiker files BFRO report after claimed Bigfoot-like sighting

A 50-year-old Boise hiker, Donny Schmidt, filed a formal Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization report after saying he saw an unidentified bipedal creature in Boise National Forest on June 13, 2026. The report was logged by the BFRO as Report #81276, but no independent evidence was cited in the source article.

Schmidt said the encounter happened late in the morning while he was hiking above the dam near Deadwood Reservoir. According to the account, he first interpreted movement uphill as a possible bear or mountain lion before the figure stood on two legs and moved away.

The reported description includes reddish hair, a broad upper body, unusually long arms, little visible neck, and a walk Schmidt considered human-like. He also reported hearing deep grunting sounds, while saying the animal did not match wildlife he recognized.

For editors and readers, the key issue is verification. The account contains specific details and was formally logged, but it is still a single eyewitness claim involving an extraordinary subject, with no photos, tracks, biological evidence, or additional witnesses referenced in the supplied source.