Florida 1991:

On a piece of property that backed up to a state park...it was a huge family farm that only had a bit of crops on it...the rest of the land was about 10,000 acres of free roaming cattle. This land was incredible...I've seen all kinds of wildlife there - big rattlesnakes, bald eagles, armadillos, hogs, fox, deer, and even a Florida panther next to a wild spring. Any way it was a real special place. I was with three people the day I first saw the Hat Man. If I remember correctly It was about 1 in the afternoon and very sunny this early spring day. Because it was private property we were always a little nervous hiking there...

My two friends split off from me when we got to some rows of pine and they started a going through the pine a couple rows a way from me. I remember looking at the ground and my feet going through tall grass a splintered sunlight washing over them. All of the sudden something made me look up quickly to the end of the pine row. Standing in front of me about 20 yards away was an all black figure with a wide brim hat and a flowing cape/cloak behind him....I say flowing because it moved with the wind.

This scared the hell out of me and I was paralyzed right where I stood. This seemed to go on forever but in reality was only a few seconds. I just couldn't believe my eyes...so I did what everyone does in that situation...I rubbed them and shook my head...looked at the ground and then back up again......only to see a big black cow standing there staring back at me.

The most interesting thing about all of this is I had never heard the term shadow person or hat man....it was only a few years later when I began staying up all nite listening to Art Bell that I became acquainted with the term(s).

I am just about certain it is some sort of archetypal manifestation......but what does it mean?

Sorry for the long post....and Thanks OP!!