Bigfoot sightings are on the rise in Portage County, and the Ohio Sheriff has officially weighed in

The sheriff in Portage County is responding after a flood of Bigfoot sightings across northeast Ohio.

According to WOIO’s reporting, the Portage County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the sudden surge of reports. It offered simple advice to the public: stay calm and remain inside if concerned, as sightings continue to circulate online and in local communities.

“Ten individual people are like, I was walking the dog at 4 a.m., saw this hairy figure, I smelled a musty odor, a big thing, and it ran,” Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski said in comments aired by WOIO.

The unusual situation gained attention after multiple people reported seeing a large, hairy figure in wooded areas across Portage and nearby Trumbull County, concentrated in Mantua Center, Garrettsville, Streetsboro, and Newton Township.

In the TV report, the sheriff described how witnesses reported early-morning encounters while walking dogs or while near trails and rural areas. The Bigfoot Society categorized the first six reports as a “flap,” a Bigfoot researcher term for a concentrated burst of activity.

While there has been no physical evidence confirming the creature’s existence, the stories have spread rapidly online, fueling speculation and jokes across the region.

Bigfoot mania hits Ohio

Amid the attention, residents have shared stories, photos, and videos, though many of the images appear edited or AI-generated. The sheriff’s office even joined the trend, sharing a humorous AI-generated Bigfoot-themed post on social media.

Despite the lighthearted tone, the number of reports was enough to catch the attention of law enforcement and local media.

As the Bigfoot buzz grew, local businesses in towns like Garrettsville began joining in on the trend, posting their own Bigfoot-themed signs, promotions, and AI-generated videos. Some shops and offices reported jokingly that Bigfoot had “visited” their locations, further fueling community interest.

The viral nature of the sightings has turned the situation into something of a local phenomenon, with residents asking each other, “Have you seen Bigfoot?” and sharing stories online.

Even skeptics in the community pointed out that the region has many trail cameras used by hunters and farmers, yet none have captured clear footage of a creature matching Bigfoot descriptions.

Bigfoot legends in Ohio

While Bigfoot is most commonly associated with the Pacific Northwest, Ohio has a long history of Bigfoot sightings, particularly in rural and heavily forested areas. The state has been included in national Bigfoot sighting databases for decades, with reports dating back many years.

Most sightings involve large, human-like figures seen briefly in wooded areas, often described as hairy with a strong odor, details that match recent reports in Portage County.

As the sheriff’s office told residents, the best advice for now is simple: stay calm, use common sense outdoors, and remember that no confirmed evidence of Bigfoot has been found in Portage County — at least not yet.