YEAR: 2002

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: 9/21/2002

STATE: New York

COUNTY: Niagara County

LOCATION DETAILS: Mountain Rd. runs parallel to Rt. 31A and parallel to the Erie Canal about 1/2 mile North of sighting location. A large stone quarry operation is on both sides of road and area is generally farmland with considerable woodlots in general area.

NEAREST TOWN: Middleport

NEAREST ROAD: Mountain Rd. on escarpment above Rt. 31A

OBSERVED: I witnessed a Sasquatch at about 225 yards distance for approximately 15 seconds, while it traveled around 75 yards along the back of a stone quarry near Middleport, NY in the Fall of 2002/September.

I stop there to look for deer in a large field behind the quarry that are always there and immediately noticed when I exited my truck a dark biped moving very rapidly through waist high field grass on very uneven rocky terrain.

It seemed to float through the grass as I could not see its legs due to the height of the grass it moved through. Immediately I noticed that it was completely the same color and it seemed to hold its arms at its side as it moved very, very quickly from left to right.

At first sight I thought it was a girl with very long hair but quickly noticed that it was completely the same color with no obvious clothes coloration and moved much too fast although at the distance I was I could not make out any actual features and at no time did it look in my direction, but I believe I startled this creature by pulling into the stone driveway which makes considerable noise.

As it crossed a path next to a corn field and angled slightly away from me I noticed that its glutteal area was somewhat lighter colored. The biped then moved directly into a standing corn field and was not seen after that time. When I say traveled very quickly, I mean it was really moving very rapidly but at no time did it seem like it was running as you or I would look if traveling at that speed due to fact that there was no discernable movement of its arms as it "floated" through the tall grass.

I am convinced that this was a sasquatch I witnessed as I have been an avid outdoorsman since a very young age, hunting, hiking and camping for over 40 years and very experienced with animals in the wild and I know what I saw that afternoon was remarkable.

OTHER WITNESSES: I was alone at the time.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Approximately 6 PM with clear skies and bright afternoon sunshine in front of biped causing it briefly to look somewhat lighter colored in front though it seemed very dark brown colored but not black

ENVIRONMENT: A large stone quarry on both sides of road at sighting location

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Paul J. Mateja:

The sighting occurred in the later part of September 2002. The witness initially assumed the animal was human height, with above-average shoulder width and a stocky torso. Its hair was long and flowing, dark brown to black in color. The head was not cone shaped and the witness did not see any facial features.

The animal was moving over uneven terrain in an East to West direction. The witness has returned to the area many times since his initial sighting. On recent reflection he believes the creature may have been taller than an average human based on his observation of people walking in the same general area.

Of interest is a reported sighting five months later in January 2003, approximately 20 miles away in Kuckville, NY. Click
here for that report.

About BFRO Investigator Paul J. Mateja:

Paul is a network administrator and systems analyst/programmer for the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, NY. In addition, Paul and his wife Teresa own and operate a small organic farm in western New York State. He has attended and organized expeditions including New Mexico (Jicarilla), New York (Adirondacks), Pennsylvania and West Virginia.