YEAR: 2003

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: July

STATE: Michigan

COUNTY: Presque Isle County

LOCATION DETAILS: Nearly at the end of the road, by the lighthouse is where I had my sighting. Take US-23 north, to E. Grand Lake Rd and turn right. Turn Right at (4-way intersection) and continue on E. Grand Lake Rd to Presque Isle Harbor. About 1 mile north of the harbor is the New Presque Isle Lighthouse and the road ends in a U-turn or cul-de-sac as you are at the conclusion of this small peninsula.

NEAREST TOWN: Presque Isle Harbor (north of Alpena)

NEAREST ROAD: Grand Lake Rd

OBSERVED: I had went for the evening to relax in the nearby harbor (Presque Isle) to have dinner and then drove up to the New Presque Isle Lighthouse and parked my car. I walked thru a clearing of trees (east) from the lighthouse towards Lake Huron. It was a full-moon, clear night with very little waves on the lake. I had been at this location for around :30 minutes to about :45 minutes and had been wading out in the water to just cool off. I was in shorts/t-shirt and flip-flops as it was summer. After I decided that it was time to leave I started to go back towards my car and subsequently dry off. As I was walking back thru the same clearing that I had come from earlier I could hear some motion in the trees to my left. I remember also it was very still/quiet that night while on foot. At different times I heard what sounded like large (or fairly large) twigs snapping on or near the ground and thought maybe it was a deer of some sort, probably not a bear I didn't think.

Sometimes it would be one or two twigs/branches snapping, other times it was multiple snaps which would occur quite quickly as if perhaps (at the time) whatever it was had some good size weight to itself. I had the distinct impression (or sense) that I was being watched and it made me feel quite un-easy, I had a more sense of urgency at this point of just wanting to get to my car and leave. Also at other times I heard what sounded like whole trees being moved or pushed somewhat out of the way, I was puzzled as it implied to me that something was off in the trees that had a fairly good size body mass. As I continued on towards the end of the clearing, the sound would parallel (or stay) with me--it wasn't getting distant or going away from my vantage point of where I first starting hearing the commotion going on. After I had gotten into my car I felt hugely relieved but couldn't still necessarily understand why. I remember too, that I was constantly looking around "over my shoulder" very intently but figured it was more than likely a small animal and no big deal. As I drove off (about maybe--? 50-100 yards) as I had already turned on the radio and was feeling pretty relaxed I noticed from off the left side of my car (from the headlights shining onto some of the trees and roadway) a large black, furry looking figure standing completely in the front of the tree line looking dead, straight at me with some powerful--menacing eyes. (The eyes followed me as I went past). It completely shocked me, I slammed on the brakes of my car and just sat in the middle of the road for around half a minute (or less) and was trying to figure out (rationalize/take in) what I had just seen. It stood around I would say between 7'-8' feet tall and it's arms were unusually long. More than anything, the face is what spooked me and I remember the most as it closely resembled that of a man--the nose was flat and it stood completely erect, was not slouched or bent over--exactly still. The head looked like it was just perched onto some huge shoulders, the shoulders were massive going across and the upper torso was quite impressive. I decided it would be best to just keep going as I had thought about of maybe turning the car around and shine my high beam lights into the tree line (to see if I could spot it again) but decided this probably would not be in my best interest. I went on and headed back to Alpena where I had come from originally. I was never so glad to see "city lights" again until I reached the north end of town while on U.S.-23. I told no one what I had seen, actually for a long time.

ALSO NOTICED: Quite massive, tall--very well built. Eyes were piercing and looked like they meant business. Hair on the face looked flat, or groomed like appearance. Whole body covered in hair, black fur like that of bears common to northern-lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Arms quite long, down to or past the knee-caps.

A night that will live with me forever, it's very vivid in my mind. I was in total un-belief when I first saw it. I don't look at the woods now in quite the same light as I did before this occurence.

Last year in April ('07) I went with a friend of mine that shares a similar interest with bigfoot sightings (but has never seen one)--him and I went back up to this location (I live 3 hours away) and went into the wooded area where I originally heard the sounds from that night. Other than possible wind damage from storms off of Lake Huron, etc., - the area back in there (we walked around 200-300' feet in from off of the clearing path) we saw numerous trees that looked like as "if" at one time or another, had been pushed over. In particular one tree (about 30' feet long) with a trunk diameter of 12" inches or more had been bent over above my waist level and I am 6'ft/1" in-- tall. The wood was fairly fresh and splintered all thru it, but not completely broken off. "Whatever" it could have been that did that, had to have Had some enormous strength--at least I thought so. Parts of it in there looked (somewhat) like a Mess! I told my friend that I felt like I was walking around in someone else's domain, like we didn't necessarily belong there. We walked a parallel course that I had thought perhaps it took that night, from hearing it in the trees to where it stood along the road (in the tree line). It took us at least :15 minutes to walk to where we came out to the tree line, the underbrush and trees were quite thick. -IF- the creature also went this way (or similar to it) It had to have went thru these trees (underbrush, etc) like "nothing"..

OTHER WITNESSES: No, just myself.

OTHER STORIES: No, I have not in regards to Bigfoot sightings. Although to note there has been strange paranormal activity through various years (in this same area) at the New Presque Isle Lighthouse and the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse, which sits to the south. On one occasion a lady had visited the new lighthouse and went up to the top (open select times of the year by the U.S. Coast Guard) and gave the compliment upon returning downstairs of the "lady in period costume" and how nice the tour that she gave with it being very informative. The lady running the gift shop said that "we have no such person here or that even does that sort of thing." Other story is from another incident as also told to me by an older woman who used to be the lightkeeper (along with her late husband) at the Old Presque Isle Light. One evening a southbound freighter on Lake Huron had reported her light (up in the lighthouse) as being on and knew that it was supposed to have been de-activated long ago. They reported the incident to the U.S. Coast Guard who in turn reported it to the harbor master. The older lady told him (harbor master) that the light had indeed been de-activated many, many years prior. Her (late) husband had torn out part of the wiring and removed a large section of the fresnel lense.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: 8:30 pm - 9:00 pm.

ENVIRONMENT: Thick trees, full moon, Lake Huron was very still and nearly any waves. While it followed me before actually seeing it, everything around me seemed eerily quiet, I don't even seem to re-call hearing crickets chirping.

Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator Jim Sherman:

Mr. B's report was very detailed and so it caught my attention as an investigator. Further I am a historian and military studies is a specialty of mine so I jumped at the chance to discuss this incident with this witness. After talking with this witness I decided that I needed Mr. B to write out his expereice so that I did not miss any of the details. He does a better job describing the area than I could so I will provide the following unaltered answers he provided to my questions:

1. Could you give a description of the area where the incident happened?

The area where I had my sighting is a medium to heavily forested region dotted with numerous in-land lakes besides Lake Huron itself to include state forested property. It is semi-remote and frequented more in the summer with tourists. The nearest towns are 22 miles to the south (Alpena) and 19 miles to the north and west (Rogers City). In particular to my encounter was at the end of this small peninsula (referred to as: "Presque Isle", [french] 'for almost an island') that juts out into the main Lake. From the lighthouse nearby, there are three small clearing paths that go to the north, east and west of that location with a two-lane road leading in and out, to include a cul-de-sac at the end. Going south from the lighthouse the treeline is very close to the edge of the road. Additional note, in the winter time this area largely is remote. There are some houses that dot along the road, around a mile south from the lighthouse then taper off as you leave Presque Isle Harbor and the town itself of the same name (which is basically a gas station, firehall and township library).

2. How long did you have the feeling of being watched?

As soon as I had finished wading out into the water from Lake Huron, as I entered the clearing path towards the lighthouse. Initially at first I heard nothing then with the commotion that followed (into the woods) I would say around 4-5 minutes in length. To note, as I continued walking I had an increasingly amount of fear but was hard to explain. I tried to rationalize it out (or dismiss it away) that it was probably a large deer or small bear. The sense of urgency to get to my car steadily increased, to the point that when the light would go off (from the lighthouse) I would only look straight ahead and moved along at a brisk pace. When the light would come back on, I was constantly looking over my shoulder to see if anything had come out into my line of sight on the path. I felt a threatening presence and very ominous at that. It felt like an eternity when I reached the end and saw my car. I almost wanted to run as I was continuing on foot but thought that if I had, it would have caught up to me instantly. I was completely dumbfounded for why these things were racing through my head as they were and why to a point, that my life was starting to feel threatened and for my personal safety. Especially as the sound(s) from the woods stayed with me the whole time, I knew I was being followed and watched.

3. Could you describe how it sounded as whatever it was moved through the thick forest?

The best way to describe is that, I had the distinct impression that it was something with an oppressive amount of weight. At first, an occasional snap of a twig here or there- I thought really nothing in particular about it. As it continued (the sounds) I would hear multiple snaps or breaks of twigs and branches immediately, without hesitation. Eerie part about it as well, the sound in the air was so still and quiet it seemed kind of un-nerving at first. The nervousness only escalated from that point. I'm not saying there wasn't but that evening in that particular spot I don't even seem to re-call hearing crickets chirping. It was just dead-silent, like the background noise to the forest had been turned off. If that makes any sort of sense. I know it was a feeling, but I sensed that whatever it was (until I actually saw it) was very calculated and cunning, knew it's way around and was curious. Besides the ground noise, when I started to hear (to me) what sounded like sections of or whole trees being pushed or moved (manipulated) out of the way really had my imagination in over-drive. Only thing I kept coming back with mentally was, THIS must be either the largest bear or deer on record; to be moving through the trees like that. Both of the sounds with the twigs/branches breaking and trees being moved around worked in concert with each other. No other way to explain it, when you hear entire sections of un-forested timber being moved or pushed was quite an unusual sound to say the least. Somehow I just knew after a couple minutes it was not something "fat or obese" waddling through the tree floor. It was being done on purpose. Going back to the twigs and branches breaking, at different moments you could just tell (and obviously) hear those things not just at certain moments cracking, BUT just being crushed.

4. Could you describe the coloration of the creature you saw?

It was jet black and reminded me of the color of a northern bear commonly found in the upper midwest. It was dark as night and might have had a kind of shine or reflection coming off it, from the headlights of my car as I slowly drove past when I first sighted it. Of particular note, the hair was short and not long. Close to the body but heavy in nature.

5. What makes you think this was not a a case of mistaken identity?

For one thing, the sheer size of it. Especially when I first saw it standing completely up-right and not slouched over in any manner. When I first looked at it and it looked directly back at me, was and still remains to this day a fear I will never forget. The eyes just seemed to speak volumes but I couldn't figure out what those were, other than this creature meant business (of whatever sort) and had been around for a while. Again, the eyes were piercing and un-forgettable. Very tenacious and un-forgiving. Face looked exactly like a man, except for a beard that covered around the eyes, nose and mouth; but had a groomed appearance. The nose was flat and small mouth. Of particular note around the feature of the eyes you could un-mistakenly see them and the body hair was not bushy like in any way. That really threw me, I thought "that thing looked like a guy"; again face-only. The arms hung very low and upper torso massively constructed, head sort of just perched on some gigantic shoulders. It's an experience I think (for whatever) reason(s) I was very privileged to witness AND that when I first saw it, my mind said; yes- this is what you're seeing. HOWEVER, the rest of me was in total un-belief! It caught me so off-guard for a few minutes and then after I left the area I was just stunned, no other way to explain it. I thought if this had been a prank with the question you posed, it would seem a pretty elaborate hoax and an expensive one at that. Especially to go around a remote area late in the evening to scare someone? When I slowly drove past, it was just feet from my car so I had a full-frontal view. A part of me just wanted to turn my vehicle around, stop and angle the headlights (high beams) off into the tree line to try and have gotten another view but just had an intuitive sense that this was not in my best interest and to Keep going. By nature, I have always been very curious but call it an instinct in this case; I knew (somehow) that I should depart immediately with no long-term hesitation.

6. You mention that you could see the eyes following you, could you describe them? Or was it a feeling that they were following you?

Guess I pretty much inadverently covered this in question 5. The eyes completely followed me (while standing motionless) as I drove past, from it's right to to it's left. It wasn't until I was motoring by that I was looking somewhat back at it and then looked completely into it's face (and again) the eyes. Besides the entire body. Maybe by the nature of my experience and what I saw, but when I looked at it I felt like my strength had been taken out of me or zapped somehow, almost like being powerless. That was a new experience for me and again hard to describe. When I look back on it, that "we" were more than likely (and with being on a small, dead-end peninsula) the only two bi-pedal creatures within a mile of anyone was quite a uniqueness, to coin a vernacular. Interesting, for sure.

Mr. B stated that he would be willing to help in future investigations in the area. I was impressed with his candid descriptions and the detail of his recollection.

About BFRO Investigator Jim Sherman:

Jim is a High School History teacher and Track and Cross Country coach. He attended the Michigan Northern Lower Peninsula Expedition in 2011, the Michigan Upper Peninsula Expedition in 2012, co-organized the Michigan UP 2013 Expedition and attended the 2014 Wisconsin Expedition. He assisted in the production of Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot Michigan episodes (Bigfoot and Wolverines and Super Yooper). He participates in Ironman Triathlons and enjoys fishing and camping with his wife and daughter. Jim can be contacted at germanicus1@hotmail.com and Twitter @shermanbigfoot and his YouTube account is : Lordcryptid