YEAR: 1973

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: August

DATE: 08/01/1973

STATE: New York

COUNTY: Otsego County

NEAREST TOWN: Maryland

NEAREST ROAD: co rt 42

OBSERVED: 1973 was the first incident. I was 9 years old. I am now 43. My family have moved here in Otsego County, New York, in 1972. We live in the town of Maryland -- a family of 6.

I can remember on a hot summers day, it must have
been in July or August of 73, walking the family land, in an open field, looking to the top of the hill, which is wooded and about 30 acres.

We had a dog with us. The dog went crazy, and started running to the top of the hill. It looked up there and saw what seemed to be a very tall hairy figure, not running, but not walking, to the top of the hill. I thought it was trying to get away from the dog. I was about 50-75 yards away from it.

I did tell my parents, only to have it brushed away, and never spoken of again.

33 years later, February 2, 2006 6am, snow on the ground, slight wind, and 33 degrees. I was dropping my children off at the sitters just before 6 am, and was heading to the car. About half way to the vehicle I heard what sounded like the Ohio Howl. It was to my left across the road, and over the creek about 100 yrds away. I only heard it yell once. I did not stick around long to hear it for the second time.

February 10, 2006. I was out feeding my horses at around 7:15 pm, still snow on the ground, and about 22 degrees out.
When the very loud, and very long scream appears from the valley below in which i heard the first one on 2-2-2006. Mind you, there are no houses or domestic animals in that area.

ALSO NOTICED: before and after, dogs from the valley all at once barking and howling for hours

OTHER WITNESSES: none

OTHER STORIES: I have never heard any other stories from this area

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 6 am, dark, snow on the ground, about 30 degrees

ENVIRONMENT: Tall pines, some small fields near by, a small running creek, and homes in the valley below this area

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

3/23/06: spoke with the witness by telephone.

He added the following details for the first incident when he was a boy: The animal was very bulky and had very broad shoulders. The witness's parents still live in the same house. Recently he measured the distance he was from the animal and found it to be aprox 100 yards.

Of the February 2, 2006 vocalization incident, the scream lasted no more than six or seven seconds and only occurred once.

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.