YEAR: 2003

SEASON: Winter

MONTH: January

DATE: 01/15/2003

STATE: New York

COUNTY: Orleans County

LOCATION DETAILS: If you live around there you know right where that is

NEAREST TOWN: Kuckville

NEAREST ROAD: rt 279 and Kendrick Rd and Rt 18

OBSERVED: Hi, in the end of Jan. 2003 my wife and I were spotlighting for deer and coyotes in Waterport NY. We were driving my 4x4 truck through the apple orchards. The lane went through a large hedge row with a small stream in it. When we got to the other side we spot-lighted along the woods. About 75 to 100 yards there is an old spot they use to dump garbage. There was something standing next to the old fridge. I have hunted these woods since I was a little boy and never had seen anything like this. Its belly was about the top of an almost 6 foot tall fridge. I know it was an animal because its eyes reflected in the spotlight. It looked almost like a bear standing on its hind feet but there is no bears in this part of the state. As we sat there trying to figure out what it was it started to turn and walk into the woods. Wince we didn't have any weapons on us we just got the hell out of there.

ALSO NOTICED: Too freaked out to go back and look.

OTHER WITNESSES: Me and my wife.

OTHER STORIES: Some weird noises at night People say its coyotes but I hunt coyotes I've never heard them sound like that.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Between 2am and 3am.

ENVIRONMENT: On the edge of large woods in the apple orchards 1/2 mile from state park ( country )

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

Spoke with witness by telephone:
- He grew up in the area and knows it very well.
- He could not be specific as to dates, times, or weather conditions other than it was a very cold night. It was cold enough to keep them in the truck instead of going outside to hunt coyotes.
-They only caught a glimpse of the creature for about two seconds. When he shined the light on it, it turned and walked into the woods.
- He described the creature as about eight feet tall (possibly nine feet) using the estimated height of an old refrigerator for scale. The body was covered with hair that appeared to be two to three inches long.
- He does not believe it was a bear because black bears are very rare for the area he hunts in. Also, a bear even when standing on its hind legs would not be as tall. The creature he saw had long legs, not the short legs of a bear.
- Other times, when out hunting, he has heard odd vocalizations, somewhat like a coyote caught in a trap but with more power. This past hunting season he had seen eye shine that he could not explain. It was located several feet off the ground next to a tree. The eyes were not in the tree but appeared as if something was standing off to the side.
- The witness does believe he saw a bigfoot. However, he is a bit puzzled. He has hunted this area since he was a boy and has never seen any tracks especially in the winter with snow on the ground. He speculated that bigfoot may attempt to cover their tracks by moving through heavy brush.

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.

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