YEAR: mid 80's

SEASON: Spring

DATE: unknown

STATE: Michigan

COUNTY: Benzie County

LOCATION DETAILS: 2 miles south off Cinder Rd on S. Reynolds Rd on west side of road, by edge of woods.

NEAREST TOWN: Bendon

NEAREST ROAD: US 31 / Reynolds Road

OBSERVED: My mom and I were driving home to Interlochen from a friend’s house. It was late afternoon / early evening. We were on Reynolds Road. This would have been in the mid 80’s and I would have been in my mid teens. My mom was driving the car. It was quiet and we were talking. We did not have the radio on. It was a warm sunny day in either early spring or fall.

As my mom was driving down the dirt road through the woods we came to a clearing on the right side. A very large, flat and empty field. No trees, just tall weeds. I remember the weeds were not green. They were a light brown. That is why I think it must have been early spring or fall. On the far side of the field I noticed an extremely large rock, more like a boulder. It must have caught my eye because it was the only thing of any height or color in the field. It was probably 3 feet tall and dark gray in color. There was nothing special about it. The only reason I even noticed it was because this large dark object stuck out in this empty colorless flat field.

Suddenly several large dogs appeared on the opposite side of the road. 2 or 3 trotted right out across the road in front of us. Mom quickly stopped the car. They seemed to take no notice of us at all and continued to trot across the field on our right. They were not running, but they were moving with a purpose. 2 or 3 more dogs emerged on the left and a little more cautiously crossed the road in front of us. They did take notice of us, but as soon as they crossed the road they too began to trot across the field. Mom remained stopped and we watched the dogs. I don’t remember what they all looked like, but I do remember they were all large dogs. Maybe 75 to 85 lbs, and some of them looked like German Shepards. They were all trotting across the field and in the direction of the big rock I had noticed. Suddenly the rock stood up. It stood up slowly and gracefully. As soon as it stood up the dogs began to run towards it. Not as if to attack it, but as a dog would run toward someone he knew to greet him. My very first thought was that a man had been out with his dogs and was somehow calling them to him. I thought a “man” because it looked like a very large man in a snowmobile suit with his hood up. A snowmobile suit because his body was not defined the way a person’s body would be. There was no separation between his shoulders and his neck – the way it looks when someone wears a jacket with a hood. It was as if my mind was trying to make sense of what I was seeing, but then I actually saw what I was looking at. It could not have been a man. It was very tall. Probably 2 feet taller than an average man. I’m guessing it must have been 8 feet. And there was no reason for a man to be wearing a snowmobile suit. They day was much too warm. He was all dark gray in color with no body definition. It was just all gray and big and bulky. His arms were also longer then a man’s. His hands hung down by his knees. By this time the dogs were all with him and excitedly running around and jumping. I remember thinking that the dogs were obviously “with” him. I also remember thinking that he must have called or whistled to the dogs. I don’t actually remember having my window down, but I must have because I remember thinking that if he had called or whistled I would have heard it. He then began to walk into the woods. He moved oddly. Not the way a man would walk. He had very large strides and his legs were bent like someone running but he was walking. It was similar to watching someone run in slow motion. And his arms swung back and forth in exaggerated motions. He moved into the woods very quickly but he was just seemed to calmly walk away. He had been right on the edge of the woods so we were not able to watch for very long before he and all the dogs disappeared into the trees.

I remember just staring at the spot in the woods while my mom began to drive away. I felt like I was in shock like I had just seen something that I could not have possibly seen. I just sat quietly and looked out the window. I looked at my mom a couple times and she was just staring straight ahead as she drove. We never said a word to each other. Once we got home we walked into the kitchen, looked at each other and just started crying. We didn’t talk about what we had just seen. The only thing either of us kept saying was that we could never tell anyone what we had just seen.

Since then we have told a few people but I honestly don’t think they believe us. It took years before either of us told anyone. I feel like they believe we saw “something”, but maybe it was explainable and we have exaggerated the story or something. Mom and I actually went back to find the location for the first time this past summer. We began driving down the dirt road and even after more than 20 years we had no trouble finding the location. We rounded a curve and there was the field on our right. And even though over 20 years have passed we both rolled our windows up and locked our doors.

ALSO NOTICED: The entire incident was unusual, but something about the dogs being involved makes it even more unusual to me.

OTHER WITNESSES: There were 2 of us, Myself and my mom. Just prior to the incident were driving down the road in the car quietly talking.

OTHER STORIES: I heard rumors about sightings of large hairy creatures in Lake Ann around this same time. But I did not hear this until years later and it was all second hand information.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Late afternoon.
Warm day. Very sunny.

ENVIRONMENT: On a dirt road. This area is dry but there are creeks nearby. It occured in a very flat empty field with tall dry grasses/weeds. The area is heavily wooded and what we saw took place on the edge of the forest. No homes in the immediate area.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator T. L. Kimball:

The mother of the witness also submitted a report:

My daughter and I were taking Reynolds Rd headed back to Interlochen from a friends cabin on S. Carmean Rd and the Betsie River. We came around a curve to an open field with woods several hundred feet off to the right. Up near the woods at our end of the field appeared to be a big rock, but it stood upright on two legs and faced us, sending chills up our spine. It was a very tall creature, 8 to 10 feet tall. It had, in proportion to a human, extra long arms. It was hairy all over from head to feet and didn’t appear to have a neck. It’s head and neck were the same width. It started to run in the same direction we were driving on very long legs and appeared to run in slow motion. Then two animals, German Shepherd dogs or wolves appeared on the left edge of the road and looked as though they were watching it. The creature appeared to momentarily turn and face the road almost to beckon to them and the dogs ran towards it. They all ran into the woods. My daughter and I were in shock and scared at the same time. We didn’t say a word or speak to each other the rest of the way home, but when we got in the house we immediately looked at each other and both started to cry.

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Both witnesses observed a dark gray or black creature approximately eight feet tall weighing 350 pounds. The creature was seen in daylight at a distance between 200 and 250 feet.

The witnesses saw a creature without a discernible neck or facial features. The creature was described as 'beefy' or muscular and very hairy.

The creature moved in an odd stance, canted forward, and in apparent slow-motion. The creature was observed for approximately thirty to forty-five seconds.

Also observed were a number of canines that acted in a cordial or subservient manner towards the creature.

Both witnesses have been profoundly affected by their experience.

After having spoken with both witnesses, on separate occasions, I find them to be truthful, cooperative, and credible.

About BFRO Investigator T. L. Kimball:

T. L. Kimball is an I.T. professional working in the health care arena. He attended Michigan U.P. Expedition 2008 and will be attending Wisconsin Expedition 2009.