Interesting report from Gogebic County, Michigan in 2016: My boyfriend is a hunter and a trapper.
He traps trouble beaver for the county. This was about mid-Aug. He was out checking his traps out on the Chaney Lake Rd., south of Wakefield MI. He was heading south, came around the corner, saw something all black in the middle of the road.
Being a bear hunter also, he hurried to see if it was a bear. It stood up on 2 legs looked at my boyfriend, took 2 steps to the west and was into the swamp. It passed in front of a curve sign, going into a swamp, that was 9-10 ft tall and only 6 inches of the sign showed above its head!! It was very black with long arms.
So he got down there and it was gone. No path, no broken branches, no noise, nothing. Now he won’t go in woods without a gun. And this is a man that used to bait bear with only a 10 inch knife!!!! And releases wolves, that get caught in his coyote traps!!! He’s seen hundreds of bears and has tracked them in the dark. He said this was NO bear. And he’s still rattled about it.
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Jesse Westcott:
I spoke with witness in length about his sighting. He was driving when he noticed a large dark figure in the road approximately 200 yards down the road. Upon noticing the large, dark figure he sped up to get a closer look. The figure stood up, on two legs looked at the oncoming vehicle, and then covered a distance in two steps that was not possible for a person, or animal for that matter. It headed toward a large clear cut. His initial thought was a bear was in the road. When the figure stood up the witness was positive it was not a bear he saw. An avid hunter who is familiar with the animals in the upper peninsula of Michigan. The witness noticed that the figure crossed in front of a sign on the side of the rode and recalled only six inches of the sign was visible above the figure’s head, making the height in the 8.5 to 9 foot range. Very shaken by the sighting, he thought it may have still been in the vicinity.
The girlfriend’s mother has property that has had activity in the form of howls and strong odors outside the mobile home. This was unknown to them both until they shared his sighting with the family.
Bal G
Could be a dogman. Wow, the number of sightings in Michigan and Wisconsin are astounding. Hopefully in my lifetime, the government will aknowledge the existence of these creatures. Keep up the good work Wes.
Jeffrey H
2nd!! Good encounter. It must be unbelievable to see something that large in woods near your home after spending a lifetime in those same woods. I’m sure the authorities would write the report up as a bear sighting. Probably wouldn’t go out to investigate either. Not blaiming the officers but those in upper management that wouldn’t let it be known these creatures exist. Glad no one got hurt too.
Duke S
Excellent recounting of a standard happening, but given a HUGE amount of extra weight due to the expertise of the observer as a trapper and hunter, intimately familiar with the local wildlife. NICE.
Janetta V
Now that was a beautiful bear, too bad he couldn’t go on living and having a good day.
Paul M
Been up on them parts of Michigan. No problem for Bf or DM to Eat or hide or just relax. Food = water = Forest. its perfectly suited for the beasts. Yes bear also. Just not 9 footers.
Sharon L
I have mentioned in another comment that my son has been having signs of something on his property here in lower Michigan. Maybe I can put together a timeline of what has been going on for the past 3 month since he moved in. Started a few days after he moved in during a snow storm, he was looking out his bathroom window and had a strange feeling of being watched…Ran out to the kitchen to look out that window (it had only been dark for an hour or so – his blind was not down yet in the kitchen) As he looked out the window he saw big footprint with a stride of about 6′ or more apart, nice and neat in a straight line. Since that night they have had several more prints all around the house after every snowfall. Some weird looking print as well. I believe I may have a photo of a face or two in a tree? I go out there and just take still shots just to see. Sometimes I get that creepy feeling and don’t stay outside for long. The latest was two night ago when his girlfriend was home alone and heard what sounded like a baby/women crying/whimpering but still sounded animal(ish)…she had a hard time with describing it. The sound moved around her house like four times…She called my son to come home, but did not hear it again. Anyway..I should write down everything that is happening. They are dealing with it fine…they are not super into it like looking for tracks, etc..I have to get on them to take photos and measure. The prints we are seeing are medium size..11-12 ” and also sets of 6-7″ Have not seen super big ones. One time a couple of the prints looked like maybe claws which freak me out…would rather not think about dogman. I have personally heard one wood knock, but the kids have heard bird like sound/whistles and several knocks and the other night my son heard some sort of a howl . My son lives in the Northwest edge of Southeast Michigan (this will make sense to a Michigander) Thanks, Sbaron
Sharon L
I have mentioned in another comment that my son has been having signs of something on his property here in lower Michigan. Maybe I can put together a timeline of what has been going on for the past 3 month since he moved in. Started a few days after he moved in during a snow storm, he was looking out his bathroom window and had a strange feeling of being watched…Ran out to the kitchen to look out that window (it had only been dark for an hour or so – his blind was not down yet in the kitchen) As he looked out the window he saw big footprint with a stride of about 6′ or more apart, nice and neat in a straight line. Since that night they have had several more prints all around the house after every snowfall. Some weird looking print as well. I believe I may have a photo of a face or two in a tree? I go out there and just take still shots just to see. Sometimes I get that creepy feeling and don’t stay outside for long. The latest was two night ago when his girlfriend was home alone and heard what sounded like a baby/women crying/whimpering but still sounded animal(ish)…she had a hard time with describing it. The sound moved around her house like four times…She called my son to come home, but did not hear it again. Anyway..I should write down everything that is happening. They are dealing with it fine…they are not super into it like looking for tracks, etc..I have to get on them to take photos and measure. The prints we are seeing are medium size..11-12 ” and also sets of 6-7″ Have not seen super big ones. One time a couple of the prints looked like maybe claws which freak me out…would rather not think about dogman. I have personally heard one wood knock, but the kids have heard bird like sound/whistles and several knocks and the other night my son heard some sort of a howl . My son lives in the Northwest edge of Southeast Michigan (this will make sense to a Michigander) Thanks, Sharon
Gumshoguy
@Sharon – I am also from southeastern Michigan, what county would your son be from?
Gumshoguy
If any Michiganders wish to reply you find me on the SC Forum site.
james k
I am sitting In Wakefield Michigan as I write this. I am VERY familiar with Chaney Lake Road and the forest south of town here. In fact I have 40 acres in the region about 12 miles west ( S. Davis Rd) of where sighting took place. Although I have never seen anything I have heard a few strange things. His sighting does NOT surprise me at all.