YEAR: 1974

SEASON: Spring

MONTH: May

DATE: 05/1974

PROVINCE: British Columbia

COUNTRY: Canada

LOCATION DETAILS: Far Left side of Shawningan Lake Cabins there was a trail that used to go way into the forest.

NEAREST TOWN: Shawingan Lake B.C. Vancouver Island

NEAREST ROAD: Shawingan Lake Road

OBSERVED: When my family lived on Shawingan Lake back in 1972-1974. My three cousins come over for a visit from Calgary Alberta. So, the five of us girls sneaked out for a walk to have a cigarette, I show them the wooded area that my dad used to take us hunting.
As we walked along way into the forest, I heard something crashing in the treeline off in the distance. Being afraid it may be a bear I told my cousins to hide and be quite.One of my cousins started to cry so we calmed her and just sat quietly.
From across a meadow the crashing got louder and closer. We all watched in the direction of the sounds from behind a big fallen tree, not knowing whether to run or sit still and keep our mouths shut. We tried to see if the bear was to close for us to run, but what we seen and smelled will be remembered for the rest of our lives.
I feel priviliged to have experienced life like us in a different form. When I say form I mean he looked like a very tall and hairer than any man I'd ever seen, my cousins remember the foul smell that was in the air. I remember his long arms and legs he walked with a slight hump, and his arms swayed. When my cousin coughed it had startled him and it walked back into the woods,we ran home.

ALSO NOTICED: We were so frightened that they took off so fast when they seen it wasn't a bear and was shocked and we really didn't know what it was until years later. I never seen an animal so tall and with really long arms, but when he stopped and looked like he was smelling the air in our direction because my cousin sneezed and we just ran.

OTHER WITNESSES: There was 5 of us that witnessed the same sighting. we were just smoking and showing my cousins around.

OTHER STORIES: No, I haven't.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: About Early afternoon and a nice day not to warm, daylight

ENVIRONMENT: There were many trees all kinds of species and alot of fallen rotting stumps and trees, we came to a meadow like area the odd small creeks.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Cindy Dosen:

I found this witness to have had a credible experience.

- The witness and four other young family members had went to play in a nearby meadow located along Shawingan Lake B.C.
- The five young girls were walking out of woods when they heard branch breaking 200ft from across the meadow.
- Being aware that bears could be in the area the girls ducked down behind a stump.
- They saw an upright, dark blackish brown, shaggy haired animal walking on two legs near the tree line edge. The animal had long arms, and was stooped at the shoulders, 6'-7' tall, and very large in size. It had a dark face, round head, no ears or snout.
- One of the girls coughed or sneezed and this startled the animal back into the bush, thus allowing them to leave the area quickly, running back home.
- The area is Douglas fir, Alder trees,with shalal vegetation based near the bottom of Mt. Wood.

About BFRO Investigator Cindy Dosen:

  •  Diploma in Animal Sciences. Working toward Veterinary License
  •  Ex-Breeder of Rhodesian Ridgebacks (Dogs)
  •  Work in the Marine Transportation Industry
     (BC Ferries - Supervisor Ship Steward)

Attended/ Organized the following:
  •  2007 BC Van.Island Co-Org.
  •  2008 WA Cascades
  •  2008 WA Oly.Pen.
  •  2008 BC Interior
  •  2008 BC Sunshine Coast
  •  2008 BC Van.Island Co-Org.
  •  2009 BC Sunshine Coast Org.
  •  2009 WA Cascades
  •  2009 BC Van.Island South Org.
  •  2009 WA Oly.Pen.
  •  2009 Yakima - Gimlin Round-up
2010 BC Van.Isle South Alumni Exped.( Org.)
2010 WA Oly Pen. Alumni Exped. (Attended)
2010 BC Interior Alunmi Exped. ( Attended)
2011 BC Van.Isle.South Exped. (Org.)
2011 WA Oly Pen. Exped.( Attended)
2011 TX "All-female" Exped. (Attended)
2012 BC Sunshine CoastExped. ( Org.)
2012 BC Van.Isle.South Exped.(Org.)
2013 BC Van.Ise South Exped. (Org.)
2014 BC Van.Isle South 1 & 2 Exped.s (org.)