1st 2003, late August, early September.
About 100 yrds upriver from where town branch runs into the Illinois river. 
A friend of mine had found huge footprint's in the gravel, along the water's edge. 3 prints, looked to be left, right, left, going upstream into a slough.
Loose gravel, along water edge, almost a week old. Found on a Tuesday, shown to me on a Sunday afternoon. No pictures, no cast due to running water. Water maybe 2 1/2", slow flowing, maybe 6ft wide at this point. Eastside of river bank, south end of slough, gravel bar.
Found 4 more prints in a deep hole 30ft upstream from the 1st prints. Hole of water, well pool of water, 25ft long, oval shaped, maybe 15ft across, 4ft deep in the middle, soft mud bottom on top of gravel. 
4 very distinct prints, right leading left following, crossed the pool from south to north, pool was in a east to west lay,flow in from the east, out the west, towards the river.
2nd was a sighting of a young solitary figure, early morning, just at daybreak. 
Mid to late November, deer gun season here in Cherokee county. Light enough to make out a form out at 80 yards, not light enough for fine details. Edge of uncut hayfield, along a running creek, climbed over the edge of a 8ft waterfall, sandstone ledge approximately 25ft or more across, sloping edges to running creek in the middle on fall side. Creek flows from south to the north. Fall is about 175yrds from county road to the north.
Fall top is open field, access from one hayfield to another, upstream about 30yrds is another hayfield, with two track across creek for access from the 1st two fields. A big ridge/hill one the west side, heavy oak, hickory, woods. Across the valley on the east, another ridge/hill, 200+ yard wide valley. Creek along the west side of valley.
Arrived about an hour and a half before legal hunting light. Crossed open uncut hayfield in the dark. Got into place in the top of a blow down tree for a hunting blind. As I got settled in I heard creek gravel crunching as something walked in the water of the creek. Excited I thought I was going to see some Elk from the nearby preserve. Listened to the gravel crunching in the stream bed for a good while as I got comfortable in my hunting blind. Got my rifle ready, my binoculars out and on the tree trunk, got my pack in place so wouldn't make noise moving around. As I got settled in the light started to reveal my surroundings better, I could see across my eastside hayfield above the uncut grass, 3ft high and higher in places. I could make out the sparse trees along the creek flow, across the fall to the farm two track in the west field that came from the county road.
In another 10 minutes I got the surprise of my life, the gravel crunching had stopped, I heard the sound of heavy padding on solid rock at the bottom of the falls, not an Elk but a bear had been in the creek I thought. Still going to be an exciting sight in this part of the country. 
Well to my surprise, binoculars in hand,patiently waiting for the animal to show itself, this bear I thought, came climbing over the edge of the waterfall. Binoculars up to my eye's, I focused on this dark form crawling away from the fall edge maybe 3 crawling steps. It's the funniest looking bear I've ever seen from a side profile, no snout, no short hump back form, usually associated with a bear profile. No snout, long slender body from front limbs on the ground to back limbs on the ground, tall to the straight back. That's where I dropped the binoculars and grabbed my rifle, an old 30/06,bolt action, scoped no open sights.
This thing stood up, reason for dropping my binoculars and grabbing my rifle, stood straight up. Sniffed the air twice, two good long air pulls, head swayed right to left, I was on it's left. Then it walked forward on two leg's. Dark colored, because of the early light before daybreak, apparently 7ft tall, slender but very heavily built, broad chest, long arms to below waist, long easy stride as it walked southward along the creek. 
Not going to lie, I put my crosshairs on it as it tested the air, because of the dim lighting, I couldn't judge where my point of aim would impact, let alone if my load would put it down. Thinking back now, I don't believe I could have pulled the trigger, I couldn't then, I couldn't now.
I leaned my rifle back on the tree, pulled my .44 mag out of it's holster and sat still and watched it walk away along the creek. Funny looking bear, turned into my 1st sight of the "Big Woods Brother" that's what I call him. 
3rd encounter tool place 2016, late summer evening, around 10 or 11 PM, once again here in Cherokee county. South of Welling, Oklahoma, maybe 2 miles south of Welling bridge, little more than a 1/4 mile east of Welling road. 
My friend that showed me the prints, happened to be with me on this encounter.
We got stomped at by one on the east side ridge, flint rock, mixture of small oak, hickory and cedar trees.
We had walked out of the house, across the yard to lock up the shop at another friend's place we were at. A double bay shop building/garage, two big slide doors facing the east ridge, a small man door on the northeast corner of the shop building. 
We slid the doors shut, locking them from the inside, exiting through the man door and locking it last. Walking back towards the house, when we get halfway between the shop and house, in the dark, between porchlight at the house, and the light above the shop man door, we hear a heavy distinct stomp on the east ridge, half way up, it was just one heavy stomp. No other sound was heard, no moving, no night animals or bugs made any sound.
We stopped, looked at each other questioning with just the look between us both, we both nodded at each other that we heard the same sound. 
Just as we acknowledged that we had, it stomped again, I turned to see if anything could be seen, my friend, well he mede 15yrds in 3 steps, he was on the porch, in the light, asking me if I could see anything. No was my reply, as I slowly walked to the house, every hair on my body standing on end, wanting so bad to run. 
Never heard anything else that night, nor saw anything that night, just heard 2 very distinct stomp sounds. 
That's not all that took place while I stayed with that friend who lives there.
They are very curious creatures, very good at moving silently and easily in their environment, day or night. The last encounters at this place is why I have come to know them as "Big Woods Brother", they are very inquisitive when no fear is shown to them. 
Unfortunately I have been away from the last place of encounters for a while. But I am looking forward to going back soon, to see if maybe they still are curious as I am. 
There is more, but I won't tell it here, hard enough to tell it in person. Just know that I will never harm one, unless it is in self defense, highly unlikely, I hope.
Like i said, more to tell, but not here, in person, too the right people.