YEAR: 1998

SEASON: Fall

MONTH: September

DATE: Third week of Sept. 1998.

STATE: Michigan

COUNTY: Benzie County

LOCATION DETAILS: The experience took place on the Betsie River from SR 115 to the next 115 bridge west near Benzonia in Benzie Co. MI.

NEAREST TOWN: Benzonia

NEAREST ROAD: SR 115

OBSERVED: : On a 2 and one half day canoe trip on the Betsie River I pulled up to a nice sandy bank on the Betsie at dusk. When I laid the paddle against the side of the canoe I startled approximately six whitetails which promptly blew at me and took off. The next thing I did was set up a fishing pole supported by a small stick and then set up camp. Next, thinking the pole hit the ground I walked over wih my mini-maglight and noticed that the pole had not fallen as ti had sounded like. I heard some leaves/sticks crack up the big bank (approx. 20 feet above my head), shined there and saw two big eyes staring back at me. The color was beautiful pale yellow and
clear as glass. I noticed the animal move its neck slightly one way then the next to see me better. It had to be a timber wolf. There were no others with it. We stood there looking at each other for quite some time. The wolf wouldn't budge so I shined the light on my face, snarled at it and
kind of hollered and off went Canis lupus to the other side of the Marquette State Forest. Then I proceeded to set up camp, build the fire and lay down being tired and hungry and hopefully wait for a fish to hit the spawn. About 10 minutes after seeing the wolf, something big (by the size of the scream) came to the edge of the bank 20 or so feet above and screamed at me twice. I grabbed the 38, cocked the hammer back and laid the pistol on my stomach. There was one
more scream after about 20 seconds and then silence and beautiful stars overhead. I didn't look for tracks the next day because of sleeping late the next morning and wondering how many more days it would take me to get back to the next bridge 0n SR115.

OTHER WITNESSES: Explained above

ENVIRONMENT: Beautiful thick isolated northern MI woods.

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