The Legend Of 'Big Red Eye' Is Not A Tall Tale To Some In New Jersey
NEWTOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The legend of Sasquatch -- in New Jersey?
There are those who say, yes, that a large, big foot-like creature is on the prowl and has been for years, CBS 2's Scott Rapoport reports.
It lurks in the wooded mountains of northwest New Jersey, according to legend, an enormous, shadowy creature with a terrifyingly loud voice ... and big red eyes.
"I've heard that it's just some great big monster," Chris Havens said.
They call him "Big Red Eye."
And reports of the creature's existence here go back to the 1970s in places like High Point State Park.
"It comes out at night time with big red eyes," Newtown resident Alex Zenerovitz said.
In fact, red eyes and "big and hairy" are the most commonly used words to describe the creature at the center of the legend.
You can call it New Jersey's version of Bigfoot -- that gigantic furry, perpetually out of focus what-cha-ma-call-it sited 24/7 on the Internet, but never quite captured.
"Our neighbor supposedly did see red eyes one time," Sue Zenerovitz said.
Retired forest ranger Tom Card said he heard a tremendously scary sound in the woods while at work back in the 1970s. He said he then saw two frightened rangers with guns running away from the noise. Card said he doesn't know what it was and that they never went back to find out.
"It was a wailing, howling kind of a scream, kind of a sound," Card added. "They were a little unnerved because they had never heard anything like this either."
For more than 30 years they've been talking about Big Red Eye around these parts and what it might be -- or might not be.
"People don't know whether it's human or an animal," Havens said.
"It's 6-foot-4, 400 pounds. It's my brother in law," another person said.
But there are people in this part of the Garden State who do believe.
"I haven't seen it, but people have seen it," one person said.
And that's enough for Alex Zenerovitz and his wife, Sue. He said he believes and she said "I don't disbelieve."
Recently a festival for Big Red Eye was held in Wantage Township. That's a true story.
Is this urban legend run amok, or do you believe something like this is possible? Please offer your thoughts in the comments section below.
