YEAR: 1997

SEASON: Summer

STATE: New York

COUNTY: Chemung County

LOCATION DETAILS: [Witness requested directions be kept confidential]

NEAREST TOWN: Van Etten

NEAREST ROAD: Brink Road

OBSERVED: It was during 1997, late summer or early fall and my mother and I were visiting my Grandmother upstate. It was about 10pm and we were sitting outside on the back deck looking at the stars and listening to the night. We had made sure all the outside lights were off so we could see the stars better. My mother was sitting on one of the benches facing the house, and I was sitting on the steps facing the back yard. It was so dark, I couldn' see more than a foot or two beyond my own feet. We had been out there for a little while, and had not been talking, so it was pretty quiet. Suddenly, from about 20 to 30 feet down the yard, there was the strangest noise I had ever heard. It was kind of a cross between a scream, grunt and a donkey brey, not overly loud, and lasted for about 5 seconds or so. A second or two later, it started again, only closer, so I jumped up to go in and turn on the light, but accidently let the door close. When I got the light on, nothing was there. I grabbed a flashlite and scanned the yard, but saw nothing. Mom and I just looked at each other and ran into the house! The next day, I went to where the noise had come from, but saw no evidence that anything had been there.

ALSO NOTICED: Nothing

OTHER WITNESSES: My Mother, sitting outside with me.

OTHER STORIES: Only after finding this site. That is what made me think this may have been a Sasquatch we heard.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Around 10pm, Cool, very clear skies with lots of stars, but VERY dark.

ENVIRONMENT: Back yard, about 20 feet behind the house. The yard is three levels, the top containing an overgrown fenced in pasture, and locust trees, the middle part (where this occured) is a long narrow strip with two small flower gardens and a small one room cabin in the back. The lower yard is grass leading to a large overgrown field that separates the house from the neighbors. At the back end of the yard is a grove of pine, locust and apple trees at the edge of a field. About 100 yards farther out is a hill leading down to a small creek the flows along the bottom of a mountain.

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