YEAR: 2003

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: September

DATE: 9/30/03

STATE: Pennsylvania

COUNTY: Elk County

LOCATION DETAILS: About 3 miles east of Bennezzette, 1 mile from Rt. 555

NEAREST TOWN: Bennezette

NEAREST ROAD: Rt. 555

OBSERVED: I was at our hunting cabin along with my dad, uncle and brother. My brother and I were sitting out in front of our cabin in front of a small campfire. My dad and uncle were inside of the cabin. It was about 10:00 at night and my brother and I heard a noise that neither one of us has ever heard before. We grew up in the country and spent alot of time in the woods, even sleeping out with buddies when we were younger.Whatever it was was in the woods about 30 yards from us and it was screaming loudly and you could hear it breaking pretty good sized limbs. This went on for about 30 seconds or so, long enough for us to hustle to the cabin. I yelled for my dad and he came out on the porch and heard it as well. He said it was something he never heard either. We have combined 70 plus years hunting between us and none of us ever heard anything remotly like this before. It almost seemed like whatever it was was very unhappy that we were there.

ALSO NOTICED: Nothing else unusual.

OTHER WITNESSES: Me my brother and father.

OTHER STORIES: No

TIME AND CONDITIONS: Night, pitch dark and clear sky.

ENVIRONMENT: Our cabin is at the base of a mountain, sort of swampy and thick brush were we heard this.

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

7/19/05: Spoke to witness by phone. Witness is 38 years old.

The incident occurred just before the start of deer archery season. The hunting camp is located 12 miles from Driftwood, outside of Grant.

At about 10:30 p.m. the witness and a brother heard a very loud vocalization accompanied by breaking branches and thrashing about 25 yards away from their cabin. This went on for three to four minutes. After the noise and thrashing stopped, they could hear a deep grunting or breathing.

The cabin has floodlights that illuminate the yard. The animal stayed in the woods just outside of the illuminated area.

The witness heard the noise again at about 3:30 a.m.

The next day the witness attempted to check the area from which the vocalization was heard. He found the brush was very thick and overgrown, making passage extremely difficult.

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.