Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘dogman’ Category

Michigan Dogman goes for children on roof

Posted in cryptozoology, cryptozoology art, dogman, Michigan dogmen, strange creatures, unexplained phenomena, Weird Michigan, wolfmen, tagged , , , , , on May 11, 2018|

 

In my previous blog post, I shared the encounter of a Michigan man who was confronted by a wolf-like creature sitting on the roof of his house, watching him. In the following report, we will see that it may not be any comfort to an eyewitness to be the one sitting on the roof, as dogmen don’t appear to see that amount of height as any barrier. Tina Cole gave permission to use her name and a sketch that she drew. In her own words, only slightly edited:

TinaColeDM

Sketch submitted by Tina Cole

“Bear with me here, because i’m trying to paint a mental picture for you:

I guess I should start by saying that the only people who know about this is my immediate family, my fiance (who’s encouraged me to contact you) and the person who witnessed this with me. This happened back in 2001. I was only 8 yrs. old at the time, my friend who was with me at the time was 7.

We were both very small.

I remember it was early August, and I lived/ live in a semi-inner city in Michigan, next to a very large park. At the time, my friend and I had decided it was a great idea to play in my very big back yard at night, because the neighbors had a bonfire going. It just barely lit that portion of my yard through a bunch of trees.

We had climbed onto the shed via the neighbor’s fence and a propped board. I mention this because it’s nearly impossible to climb to this day, being an adult. (I can send size comparison photos if you’d like. or a drawing if it would be easier.)

Anyway, we had our feet dangling off of the shed, with our backs facing toward the park. And without a word, my friend had jumped off of the highest part of our shed (which we were never able to do, I mean he practically flew) and headed straight for the house. After a long few seconds I turned around to see why he ran, and there was this thing.  It looked half dog and half human, there’s really no other way to describe it.

It had to have been over 8 ft. high (the height of the shed) and its reaching length was over 4 ft. Its ears alone had to have been a foot long, at least, and its eyes did that thing a cat’s eyes do when light reflects on them in the dark. Its hand was inches away from my ankle. Very, very hairy body. It was basically a dog. I don’t exactly remember the color of it, if it even had a color, but I do remember that whatever this was, was standing from the ground because we didn’t have a chain link fence, it was all parallel wood that you couldn’t stand on,) and it was MASSIVE. So tall that I could see [it] from its middle torso and up.  That was literally the fastest I’ve ever rolled away, I don’t even remember how I got down. Ran inside and told our parents. We had no idea what it was at the time so I vaguely remember telling my mom that there was a tall man outside with a very hairy arm and big ears.

All of the adults went outside really quick to check, but I guess they never found anything. To this day I’m still afraid of the fact that even if what I saw was a man in a VERY elaborate, A-movie horror costume, I was still almost abducted. Since then my mom has become a bit of a fanatic about it. Its caused me a lot of anxiety problems. My friend and I never mentioned it after that night, and we’ve since grown apart.

I’ve tried to get in contact with him so I could have some outside perspective and opinion, so I know I’m not crazy, but to no avail.

(Second letter, in answer to my questions)

I’m so incredibly sorry it has taken me so long to respond, I know you’re probably very busy and I don’t mean to waste your time. I can give you a pretty detailed sketch.

There are many woods where I’m from, I’m surrounded by a very large, heavily wooded park, along with woods directly in front of the house. However, it’s an urban area, so I think that’s one of the reasons I’m afraid to tell anyone, because it seems like the most unlikeliest of places for this to happen. Everything is pretty dilapidated. Buildings, railroads, actual roads, you name it. But no matter where you go, there a deer everywhere around my neighborhoods. It’s a huge problem.

You can absolutely share my encounter. I need people to know. No anonymity necessary.
As far as other details go I can tell you the color of the fur must have been some shade of brown, because it wasn’t immediately noticeable, but it wasn’t too dark to see the figure at night. And quiet. Everything was so quiet and it didn’t make any noise. The next I can do is send you this drawing, which I will do, and a photo of the shed for size comparison, if it helps. I mean, because describing it just isn’t enough.”

I’m not sure why Tina didn’t offer the name of the urban area where she was located (and evidently still lives).  She may not wish to have her home’s location made public, as is her right. I have two other quick comments about the creature reported. First, regarding its height of 8 1/2 feet, that is quite high compared to most estimates of dogman size, but not unheard of. It may have been that everything seems larger to a small child, but she still lives at the place and so is able to make her estimation of its height as a grown person, too.

I also thought about the fact that she said it was very quiet, and that does make sense if it was sneaking up quietly on possible prey. And that adds another layer of fright to the story, which, as an example of a large, unknown predator stalking semi-urban areas just as bears and packs of coyotes often do these days, is already quite scary enough.

Read Full Post »

Michigan Dogman Roof-Stalker

Posted in animals, Bray Road, dogman, Michigan dogmen, monsters, strange creatures, Uncategorized, Weird Michigan, werewolves, wolfmen, tagged , , , , , , , on April 20, 2018|

MIDogmanRoof

Original artist conception by Linda S. Godfrey, copyright 2018 all rights reserved.

Do dogmen, Bigfoots and other cryptids select and follow certain humans…sometimes for years? One Michigan man wrote me about several dogman encounters that began when he was a child. The biggest question in this case may be: will the sightings someday end? The incidents occurred near Alto and Lowell in Kent County, starting when the man was just 11. These communities are just east of Grand Rapids, but both are near rivers and some small lakes, with numerous wooded areas and a rural feel.
Here is the main story as he wrote it (includes the first one and the latest), edited for length and punctuation:
The First Encounter: 1986
“It was summertime, my childhood had a great group of very normal everyday kids and we played war a lot with each other. Normally about six of us played together through the day with kids rotating back home for chores etc. This particular Saturday we decided to play War behind the Alto Elementary School in the woods and creek area. Anyways I was trying to get in the woods ahead of the other kids before they showed up, to have the advantage. We were using squirt guns and water balloons.
It was like 10 am. As soon as I ran into the woods which I knew very well–this was my stomping grounds literally–I felt uneasy, like I was being watched… not by a friend, either. This feeling lingered and got stronger and stronger like whatever was watching me was moving closer.In this small stretch of woods there was a creek behind me that ran the stretch of the woods. There is a train trestle/ rail road tracks as well.
I was crouched in the tall grass facing the play ground and the road when I heard a splash and very fast movement going behind me. I jumped because I was startled at the height and suddenness of the shadow flashing behind me. When I whipped around I saw a large black/grey, wolflike creature that was running down the creek bed bank alongside the creek behind me. It was shifting from four to two legs and jumped after about three seconds into the brush away from me into the trees. It seemed to have disappeared and I didn’t hear it [any more]. I was a country/woodsy kid. I had no comprehension other than fear for what I saw at that moment.
I ran home which wasn’t far, about 1/4 mile. I didn’t tell anybody what I saw. I was afraid of being teased, or made fun of about it by other people.
When I ran in my house and got to my bedroom, it had only been like a few minutes but I remember thinking it resembled the werewolves in The Howling movie I had seen few years before that. It was, I’d guess, 7-8 ft. tall, and a very muscular  300 lbs? Its head resembled a timber wolf with long canines, long clawed hands, its legs bent backwards like a canine. It glanced back at me. It didn’t want me to see it. It didn’t SMELL AT ALL. It’s face was not feral or ferocious, its eyes were blue. Its presence was powerful, overwhelming.
I didn’t go outta my own yard for several days, which my neighborhood friends thought was odd. I had childhood asthma though, so they assumed that was my issue when they didn’t see me much. I used that excuse when my family wondered why I was so home-bound. I never told a soul what I saw for fear of not being believed. I stayed close to my friends when we played, but I didn’t go close to that creek stretch of woods for 3-4 years. And never alone….
Being an eleven year old kid then, I remember thinking about it quite a bit over the summer but fear of not being believed kept me from telling my friends and family what happened behind the school I attended.  I was glad that middle school was coming for me that fall. I remember my concern that I was going to see this creature elsewhere that we played in the Alto area but I didn’t. Over next few years I rationalized to myself that I didn’t know really what I saw and the wolf-like creature image in my memory was better left there.
The Roof Wolf
“Flash up to 2008. I’m 33 years old. My profession at this time was personal fitness trainer and recreational bodybuilding was my lifestyle. We resided in a quaint house about a mile north of Lowell, MI. It had a very pretty welcoming woodsy area behind our home and we all enjoyed walking the trails in the woods as well.”

“It’s wintertime 2009. It’s a blizzard of snow outside.

All of my family was sound asleep. About 1 am, we wake up to a large thud sound on the roof of our home,  like the weight of a person moving around on the roof of our one story home. There is a lot of scraping noises and a slow, deliberate walking sound.
This goes on for about a minute. My girlfriend, our children and myself are genuinely spooked by this phenomenon happening on the roof. I recall vividly that all of us were utterly silent huddled in the hallway looking intently at each other and up at the ceiling from all of the loud creaking scraping sounds.
I don’t own guns, but I certainly felt it was a good idea to grab my machete that was in the closet. That was when I realized the dread feeling in my gut was the exact same feeling I had years ago with the wolflike creature from my youth. As I struggled with this realization I quietly as possible crept up to the back slider door, machete in hand. I had genuine fear for my girlfriend and children but kept it to myself. They were still huddled and scared, watching me sneak outside. Please know that I’m rather a fearless man for most part.
I ever so quietly sneak outside. It’s snowing hard big flakes outside, and it’s eerily quiet. I’m crouched in my pajamas alongside backside of the house. I’m holding my breath…looking up at the roof, listening. Slowly the clawed hands and timber wolf face with piercing blue eyes peers over roof down at me. It’s the exact same  creature I saw in my youth!
We stare at each other blankly for few seconds. There definitely was a weird sense of recognition between the creature and me ein those moments. I was physically frozen and shocked because the creature was only a good 8 feet or so from me on the roof of my home.
It suddenly leaps off the roof about 30 ft into our backyard. It lands on all four then runs on two legs back into the treeline in what seems like a blur. It’s standing there at treeline looking at me. The  contrast of the snow and it’s size and fur make it easy to spot.I hold still while the wolflike creature and myself stare each other down.
We stare at each other for I’m guessing a minute. In that minute my adrenaline dumped. My fear of this creature turned to anger for it disturbing my life, my family. I made a decision as my anger grew, a reckless one….
The Voice
I yelled a loud angry noise and charged, machete in hand directly at it. Pathetically, it took me like fifteen seconds to run the distance the creature had in like 2 moments. The wolflike creature didn’t budge, move or anything. It just stood there watching me run at it. It appeared mildly amused, its facial expression almost a smirk.
As I got within about 30 feet, in my head loudly I hear audibly… “DON’T!!!”. It’s a deep loud voice. I swear the sheer volume of the voice stopped me dead in my run at the creature. I was instantly physically calm, confused, still afraid of the creature, my fear of it was different for me. It’s presence was still overwhelming to me…
At this moment I realized this creature is intelligent?
I dropped the machete in a physical plea, a gesture to not be harmed. I backed away in slow deliberate steps backwards still facing it.  If it chose to be violent, it could easily kill/ harm me from physical appearance of it.
After few seconds it turned and walked calm about 30 feet into the woods. Its presence faded and it felt like it wasn’t ever there…
I went back to my residence looking over my shoulder whole time. I was so bewildered. It was a very vivid, surreal feeling. My reality had been spun like a top. I go back inside, but I keep looking out the slider towards the woods. I announce “It’s gone, girls!”
My girlfriend (Age 31), her daughter (10), my daughter (11)  walk into the dining room area from the hallway, asking questions in quiet voices. I hug our daughters, telling them it’s late. it was just an animal that ran off. They reluctantly buy it..My girlfriend and I  whisper about what happened earlier.  It comes out that she saw it a month or so before which then clicked to me…She had called me while I was running errands early evening. She sounded upset and scared. I was at [a store] only a mile from our residence. I was home in like 3 minutes. When I got in the house, she said she lied and chalked it off to the neighbor’s big Rottweiler. That was when I admitted my knowledge of the creature… Our daughters slept but we really didn’t.  It was simply crazy, Linda.”
This man had an unusual experience, I’ll say that! But not crazy. I have had other reports of upright canines crawling on roofs and staring at people from the tree lines of their back yards. I’ve also had many, many eyewitnesses report the feeling of receiving a message in their heads that indicates a warning of some type, although the message delivery seems extra vivid in this case. I hope to stay in touch with this witness in case anything else happens, and will update if I hear anything new. I have one more case to present from my recent Michigan batch so keep an eye out here for that.

Read Full Post »

New Film “Cryptozoology” Trailer

Posted in bigfoot, cryptozoology, cryptozoology art, dogman, England monsters, giant birds, Linda Godfrey, monsters, strange creatures, unexplained phenomena, werewolves, wolfmen on April 4, 2018|

Coming soon, see the trailer! What IS cryptozoology and where is it headed?  https://www.facebook.com/cryptofilm/videos/598016363877553/

Read Full Post »

Holiday Window Dogman

Posted in animals, cryptozoology, cryptozoology art, dogman, Michigan Travel, monsters, strange creatures, unexplained phenomena, Weird Michigan, werewolves, wolfmen, tagged , , , , , , , on April 4, 2018|

Windowolf1

Interpretive photo montage by Linda Godfrey

This report came to me some years after the original incident, which occurred in December, 2006. The witness, a professional accountant who asked to remain anonymous, was busy putting  up Christmas decorations around  his mobile home near Entrican, close to the center of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula when an unexpected visitor showed up. And no, it wasn’t Santa.

To give you an idea of this locale, Entrican is a tiny community in the middle of Montcalm County, surrounded by creeks. Indianhead Lake lies a few miles to the northwest, with state game areas close by. It’s a good environment for wildlife. The witness has since moved from the area, but here is his story, edited only for clarity and the inclusion of details added in my subsequent interview with him :

“Ms. Godfrey – You’re going to think I’m crazy. I know I would – I need to tell someone. I was living in a single-wide mobile home in central Montcalm County Michigan. It was near a crossroad called Entrican and I just moved down from Tok, Alaska. 

I was living alone with two cats and I just decorated  for Christmas––putting up the tree, lights, general stuff like that around the house. I had a big picture window looking out to my wooded backyard with a stream about 100 feet from my trailer. You could see the Christmas tree in the window; it was beautiful it looked just like a Christmas card if you could see it from the woods out-in-back.

You have to understand Ms. Godfrey, I deal in facts at my job and I have an MBA in Accounting.  It is difficult for me to relate this to anybody.  I saw  this not only once but three times in that Christmas season.    

It was about 11:00 the first night; I was watching the news so it had to be around that time. The picture window was not draped because of the woods; I liked to see the stream and the forest out the window. It reminded me of my home back in Alaska. The cats were a little antsy that night, darting back-and-forth under the tree, looking out the window. I thought there was a deer or a black bear out in the woods–it happens more times than not Ms. Godfrey; that is one of the reasons why I rented this trailer. I glanced out the window and there it was. It looked like a wolf and it was right outside the picture window, so much so the snout hit the window. It was watching my cats. It didn’t take any notice of me until I walked up to the window.

It was looking at me and I was watching the–for a lack of a better word–wolf. We were staring at each other for about five minutes. It had a canine appearance but was bigger than any dog or wolf I have ever seen. Do you know that 80s movie, ‘The Howling?’ It looked in the manner of that, if I had to say. There was one difference, though; it did not seem evil or menacing. I’m very confident in saying that it looked like every other animal in the forests. It had a very domestic dog-like appearance. It had dark, matted fur and those eyes Ms. Godfrey; I felt those eyes had lucid thought behind them.

It didn’t seem malicious and the cats were right by me looking at it. The cats sensed it out in the woods before I saw it.  The cats didn’t ‘puff up’ so I don’t think it frightened them, but they knew something wasn’t quite right. 

Then the strangest thing happened; it turned around and walked on two legs back to the woods. It was up on its hind legs and didn’t drop on all fours. The first thing I thought was [that it must be] kids. I started to think better of it and it was annoying not to know about what I just witnessed. You know what I am talking about, the little thing in the back of your mind saying ‘Hold on, what just happened’?

Well Ms. Godfrey, I was not going to get any sleep that night until I found out more. I got dressed, put on my coat and got the flashlight.  There was a moon out and I could see everything till I got to the woods. There was paw prints from the stream to the trailer and back to the stream again. These were huge paw prints not like any wolf or dog and they were only two sets of them, not four. Didn’t think about photographing the paw prints or measuring them. They were coming from the stream.

I walked up to the picture window; the paw prints stopped and I looked up to the window. My cats were watching me from inside the trailer and I notice the snout print on the window. It dawned on me that I was looking up to see the snout print. There is a dip in my back yard and the trailer was a bit higher than usual. I’m 6’4” and I still had to look up to see the print when I was right outside the window. It was about 7 to 7 ½ feet from the ground to the snout print. It was eerie to know that there was something not quite right out in the woods. 

The Buck–and the Wolf–Stops Here

It happened again [twice] about two weeks later. The only thing I could think: It was using the stream and the Flat River for a road, and it was attracted to the Christmas lights in my picture window. It only pressed its snout against he window the first time. The other times, it stopped about 15-20 feet from the trailer, a good 70-75 feet from the woods. There was snow on the ground and it was a crisp, clear winter’s night. All three times.

All three times the Christmas lights were on, blinking slowly.

windowwolfsoft

Interpretive photo montage by Linda S. Godfrey

Here is something else to think of Ms. Godfrey; about two, maybe three hundred yards down Grow Road is the Buck Stop Lure Company. Basically they sell deer pee in bottles. Maybe that is why it was around Entrican. I still don’t know what I seen that Christmas season but it was peculiar to say the least.  I wondered what it was. I didn’t feel afraid. It bothers me, not that I saw something, but what it was. That is what annoys me to no end.”

Of course I did not think this man was crazy. I’ve heard too many similar stories.

I scarcely need to mention that this site lay deep within the heart of known Michigan Dogman territory. I did tell the witness there have been many other instances of upright canines (and Bigfoot!) peeping in windows of houses, sometimes even rattling the door knob or smashing against an outside wall. It also does happen that occasionally a Dogman will make multiple visits to a particular home. Adding strong lights to a lawn often helps, but in this case the creature seemed attracted to the colored, blinking lights.

And even though it seemed like it intended no harm, it may also have been interested in the cats. Or who knows, perhaps the nearby source of deer pee did have something to do with it.

Equally interesting is why the creature visited 3 times, then stopped (as far as the eyewitness knew). I also can’t help but wonder if the mobile home’s subsequent owners were visited, too.

As the song goes and this eyewitness found out, there’s no place like home for the holidays.

 

Read Full Post »

Beast of Bray Road: Following the Path

Posted in bigfoot, Bray Road, cryptozoology, cryptozoology art, dogman, haunted roads, monsters, strange creatures, Uncategorized, unexplained phenomena, werewolves, Wisconsin history, wolfmen, tagged , , , , , , on May 8, 2017|

BeastNewCover

New cover by Nathan D. Godfrey

It’s been over 25 years since, as a Walworth County newspaper reporter for The Week, I broke the news that people were calling our local animal control officer to say they had seen what looked like a werewolf around Elkhorn, Wisconsin on Bray Road. People are still calling, emailing and messaging me, and yes, there are still sightings of  large wolves or other canines walking upright — as well as reports of what witnesses say looks like a reddish-furred Bigfoot and odd light phenomena on Bray Road — but also widely spread around the US, Canada, and even South America. Welcome to my blog, where I share sightings, news, appearance schedules, links to podcasts, a form to report your encounter, and much more. Thanks for checking in here, and please hit the follow button for update notices!

Recent podcasts:

October 31, 2017 – Two hours with Binnall of America’ Halloween Special, discussing and theorizing on Monsters Among Us book at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/binnallofamerica/2017/11/01/boaa1022-linda-godfrey

August 10, 2017– See You on the Other Side podcast with Michael Huberty and Allison Jornlin 
http://othersidepodcast.com/blog/2017/08/15/157-monsters-among-us-cryptids-linda-godfrey/ — withLinda Godfrey, Wendy Lynn Staats and Allison Jornlin.

July 12 — 2-17 guested on Cosmic Switchboard with James Bartley, part one of two-hour show available at https://www.thecosmicswitchboard.com/2017/07/14/linda-godfrey-interview/

July 11, 2017 REPLAY of The Graveyard Shift interview, on demand http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thegraveyardshift/2017/05/14/gssn08ep17-time-loop-linda-godfrey-interview-replay

July 11, 2017 – a solid two-hour talk with Daniel on End of Days Podcast https://youtu.be/vQo4MKisCj8

June 13, 2017– The Creature Zone with Linda Godfrey  http://withoutyourhead.com/viewnews.php?autoid=109577

monstersamongcov

scan_20170209

LindayardLindaLocationRX

Read Full Post »

The Wisconsin Tire Swing Lurker

Posted in bigfoot, cryptozoology, cryptozoology art, dogman, Goatman, Native American, strange creatures, Uncategorized, unexplained phenomena, tagged , on April 3, 2017|

MidMIMonster

Original drawing by Linda S. Godfrey, copyright 2017 all rights reserved

Skeptics like to characterize unknown creature eyewitnesses as unsophisticated, uneducated or even under the influence of drugs or alcohol. What I have found over 25 years of reports is that these eyewitnesses are actually almost always sober, and that as a group they are quite diverse in profession, gender and age. Even young children are strongly represented, although they usually don’t report their encounters until they are much older.

I’ve received several reports lately from people whose sightings occurred decades earlier, when the witnesses were children or pre-teens. The following is a transcript of a phone interview I had with a woman from south of Eau Claire who saw a puzzling creature when she was a pre-teen. She did not want the exact location revealed and asked me to keep her identity private as well, which I always do when requested. I met with her in person, too, and found her to be a very cordial and sensible person. She simply happened to have once encountered something most children would consider a nightmare – a black, hairy being with “spikes” on its head that looked like horns or ears.

MidWIECmap_LI

In her words:

“I grew up south of Eau Claire, and one day I was out in our woods a distance of a football field and a half, alongside a path to a trash-burning area. I had a tire swing and was playing on it when I saw it. It peeked from behind a tree halfway between me and the house. It was a black creature, looked like it had ears or horns. It was solid black, on two legs, and it was the same size as me at that time, about four and one half feet.

When it stepped out [from behind the tree] I could see half the body. It had a regular hand. I couldn’t see the feet. Its leg looked like a human leg; it had knees. All I could see on the face was its eyes. They were yellow but not reflecting any light because we were in the woods where it was shaded. Its arm was hanging down, and may have been slightly longer than a human’s. It was a straight-on shot. It seemed like everything was three-dimensional. The spikes on its head could have been ears, hair that spiked up, horns, or tree branches that were behind him.

It reminded me of a human but because it was all black I thought it must have been a demon because I had never heard of Bigfoot at that age. I closed my eyes and started praying The Lord’s Prayer and when I opened them it was gone. I can’t remember if I ran to the house right then or not. I waited a few days before going back and never saw it again. But after seeing it, I’d wake up at night for months to hear either a scratching or a tapping on the window. I always put the covers over my head. It was quite often at first – every night – then slowly tapered off. I remember being scared out of my wits. It was almost like it wanted me to come with it or come out to play.

My parents still own the acreage. I never told them about it. My own kids wouldn’t go play out there.”

So what did she see peeping at her in those woods? I include here my own sketch interpretation, which the woman told me was pretty close. To me, the description and behavior scream juvenile Bigfoot. Young Sasquatch’ are often noticed watching children at play and following them home, and I think this conclusion is logical here. Except for those things on the head. That’s not a Bigfoot trait, but the woman may be correct in her guess that the “ears” were just branches in the woods behind it.

Other possible identities just don’t jibe with the report. A bear cub or deer? Not with “regular hands.” An upright canine? Goatman? These also seem unlikely for a creature with human hands, knees and a long arm hanging down at its side. Some might say it was a pukwudjie, or little person of the forest described in lore of the Algonquian, Wampanoag and other Native American peoples, but the pukwudjies are often described as only knee-high and covered with smooth gray skin rather than black fur.

If it was a juvenile Bigfoot, there may be a family group that is still somewhere in the area.  In Monsters Among Us, I told the story of a family who believed a Bigfoot was watching their children play in their back yard near Neillsville (only half an hour east of this sighting), and who had seen several of them over the past five years. The whole Eau Claire area is surrounded by forests and wildlife preserves that would create prime habitat for Bigfoot.

One more note: this report is also one of a growing number I’ve received wherein the witness prays or calls out to God in fear, and the creature is immediately gone. I do not know for sure what this creature was, but even though it appeared years ago and did no physical harm, residents in that part of the state may want to keep an eye on their tire swings!

Read Full Post »

Werewolves in the Trees?

Posted in animals, cryptozoology, cryptozoology art, dogman, Michigan dogmen, Native American, Prehistoric mounds, Uncategorized, unexplained phenomena, werewolves, wolfmen, tagged , , , , , on February 10, 2017|

scan_20170209

Artwork by Linda S. Godfrey 2017

Flight of the Mid-Michigan Dogman

Could a dogman travel from tree to tree in a snowy woods? That is what appeared to happen in a 2016 incident according to a report from a Michigan man in 2016. And this was only the beginning of his sightings of upright, wolf-like creatures. Between February and October of that year, he had no fewer than three encounters with creatures he said reminded him of a werewolf. The woods where this occurred are thought by local residents to be filled with ancient Native American burial mounds. Indeed, local historical records tell of a massacre of Potawatomi people by a rival tribe there in 1642.

The geography of the area also helps support the possibility of large cryptids there. Montague, a city of about 2500 people, lies only about four miles from Lake Michigan. Its wet and woodsy habitat is perfect for predators looking for food or a good hideout. To the east lie wide swaths of forest land, and an hour to two hours to the north and west are the known Michigan dogman sighting areas of Big Rapids, Luther, Baldwin and others.

The writer’s own words tell the tale, with only a few minor edits. He did not give me permission to use his name, and my accompanying sketch is my own artist interpretation of the large, wolf-like head he describes in his report:

Hello Linda. I live in a town called Montague here in west Michigan. About an hour to hour and a half as a crow flies southwest of both Big Rapids and Reed City. I live with my father on the family farm that sits on 30 acres of woods, creek and marshlands.  All of my encounters have come this year [2016] from February to about a month or so ago [October].

The first came on or about the eighth of February [2016] at approximately 3:52 am.  A heavy winter storm was hitting the area with some nasty weather. I was up early to get a jump on the snow shoveling, so the driveway was accessible for the propane delivery guy later that morning. As I was about halfway down the driveway I heard a loud splash in the creek to the south about 25 yards away, thinking it was a deer or two I had jumped. I stopped shoveling and scanned the creek and wood line for any movement.  As I scanned the creek I came to the wood line and saw this pair of yellow/amber eyes about 7 1/2 to 8 foot tall standing right next to a huge oak tree.

It took off with a super burst of speed to the west, it then leapt into the air and all I heard for the next few seconds was the tree tops clanging against one another. It was like it was riding the treetops.  I stood there for the next few minutes questioning my sanity. For the 6 to 7 seconds I saw this creature it stood 7 1/2 to 8 feet tall, stood on two legs that looked like a dogs hind legs. Big wolf like head, with a snout and ears that resembled that of a German Shepard, and those eyes of yellow/ amber in color.

SIGHTING TWO

The second sighting came on or about March 24, at approximately 2:38 pm. I had decided to walk up the creek and clear brush. I always carry a firearm with me on these occasions. I had gotten about 450 yards up the creek that flows through entire acreage of the property, it was strange to me how completely quiet or as I say “dead” the woods were. I always jump something up whether it’s a deer or turkey or ducks that are always there. I didn’t even hear any birds which was really strange. I rounded a bend in the crick when up ahead about 55 yards is what looked to be the back of a black bear that was digging into the bank of the crick.

As I was setting my firearm down on one of the little islands in the crick I snapped a branch and it stopped completely what it was doing. I froze and watched as this thing stood up on two legs and started to turn around towards me. It stood 8 feet tall and had a huge wolf like head, snout and ears of a dog, and all black fur. In the first encounter the creature’s fur was grey in color with some white, this one was all black.

It kept glancing over to the east and back towards me. It had not yet seen me, it put its snout into the air and looked like it was sniffing the wind.  I’m completely freaking out at this point and reach to pick up my firearm to get out of the area quickly when there was a splash up the creek I looked up and now this thing was on all four legs, it still stood 5 to 5 1/2 feet tall. At this point I don’t want to run out of fear that it will give chase, so I stay frozen. It looked at me and snarled, and I thought it was sizing me up and then all of a sudden it looks to the east, back at me one more time, and took two giant leaps toward the east, and onto the bank of the creek, that’s about a 25 foot distance. It then jumps towards the treetops and disappears to the east. I stood there in total disbelief.

I got home and my mind just kept racing. So I decided to confide in my father about what I had seen and he looked at me as if I were an alien. Said I was crazy and I should get my head checked out. I know what I saw!

ENCOUNTER THREE

The third and final encounter came on May 29, 8:52 pm.  My dad and I were having a fire down by the creek and we were getting low on wood.  He asked if I could go get more wood for the fire from behind the pole barn. I hesitated and said in a few minutes.  I was afraid of those woods, which is something I thought I would never say. After about ten minutes I start to make my way towards the back of the pole barn it’s just about dark and I keep hearing this rustling and a lower growl like dogs are playing and when I reach the back of the barn it stops. I light a cigarette and look out into the woods which are 10 yards away, again the woods had gone completely silent, it was eerie. Then there was a sound like a zipper being zipped up.  It was about 30 yards to the south. I waited for a minute and decided to look out to where I heard the sound. As I glanced to my right I saw something move.
It is just about completely dark, and there is a stench in the air that is absolutely putrid. It smelled of rotten guts and urine. I figured it was a rotten carcass of a dead animal. And then as I was shining my flashlight a deep guttural growl, like a raccoon would make came from the area I had heard the rustling sound.  So I shone my light over towards the sound and I saw eyes about 5 1/2 feet off of the ground, the eyes were red in color and were very shiny. It really didn’t freak me out as a lot of critters have red eyes when exposed to light. Then this thing stood up on two legs, this thing was really tall 8 to 8 1/2 feet, it growled again and literally turned around and walked away to the south.

I thought I had crapped myself, I came back home and my dad asked where was the wood? I said I didn’t feel well and was going to bed. I went out the next day to look around the area I heard the noise. I found only a deer skin, the rest of the deer was gone, including the head.

Also two neighbors of mine have heard very eerie howls coming from my family’s woods, saying they only come at dusk. They have been in the area for 50 + years and said they have never heard a sound like the one that they heard.

Also my friend’s cat Albert was trapped 60 feet up in a tree for 3 days during that storm that hit here just recently and refused to come down. It took tree cutting experts with a bucket to get him back. The rescuers said the cat hissed at them and did not cooperate with the rescue, and was shaking uncontrollably.

And one more thing. I set apples out for the deer every week and noticed the other day that all the apples were gone, and a rock was in every place where there was an apple. I have a trail cam on the area as I write this so hopefully I can get some pics to you. I also found some tracks that look like a huge wolfs. There used to be deer around here all the time. Had a herd of 50 or so. Now you’re lucky to see one or two, it’s like they disappeared. Been really strange around here for the past couple of years and I don’t know what to think about it. In all three of my encounters the thing I saw reminded me of a werewolf. I no longer go near the woods. I was told by a family member that a lot of the wood acreage is Indian burial grounds. I don’t share this with very many people at all in fear of getting laughed at or called crazy.

***

            This report includes a couple of unusual features. In the first two encounters, the man saw the creature leap for the treetops. In the first, it appeared to be following him by jumping through the trees. That is not known canine behavior. Canines are not built with the brachiating or branching limb structure that allows them to swing by their arms as primates do. Perhaps it jumped from tree to tree. Dogmen have been seen making tremendous leaps and bounds.

A second thing I noticed was the presence of the Oz Factor, or a general bubble of silence, that seemed to envelope the area during two of the incidents. This unexplained phenomenon frequently appears in tandem with cryptid sightings of all kinds, as well as with various paranormal experiences.

Since it seems to be a recent and ongoing set of sightings, I hope to hear back from the witness if any more incidents occur. And during this final month or so of Midwestern winter weather, I’ll be listening in every ice storm for werewolves in the trees.

 

Read Full Post »

The Alleged Sewer Werewolves of Minot

Posted in animals, cryptozoology, cryptozoology art, dogman, Minot, North Dakota, strange creatures, Uncategorized, werewolves, wolfmen, tagged , , , , , , , on January 30, 2017|

scan_20170129

Image by Linda Godfrey copyright 2017 all rights reserved

About eight years ago I did something I always try very hard not to do: I lost a file on a possible upright canine case alleging there were werewolves roaming the sewers of Minot, North Dakota. I remember having been intrigued by the story and setting my printout of the report aside  to investigate further. Much to my chagrin, it then disappeared. It had somehow slipped between two file folders, but I only just discovered that the other day while arranging my office after a recent move. I was delighted to find it, and decided it was about time I posted the short account  in case someone else might know more.

I’d received the email February 24, 2008, from a man who claimed to be a law enforcement agent in North Dakota, and who wanted to stay anonymous for fear of affecting his employment. The man I’ll call Pete said he’d been talking to an associate who told him about a recent interview he’d had with a burglary suspect. The associate said the suspect asked him if he had heard about the “werewolves” in Minot.

minotcityview

Enter a caption

Credit: City of Minot, by Bobak Ha’Eri, photo via Wikimedia Commons

“The guy [burglar] went on to explain,” said Pete, “that he and a friend of his were fooling around by a large culvert down by the river. (This particular culvert is about six feet across, easy for a man to walk in. It is inside the city of Minot and leads right out to the bank of the river.) The suspect said that he and his friend had seen something in the shadows that was about seven feet tall. He told my friend that they had also stepped on what they thought was a body while they were walking in the culvert. He stated that he and his friend had run out of there.

“The suspect had said that werewolves were living in the sewer system. While this sounds, of course, crazy…I have been noticing a few things since hearing the story: The city police department has had a couple of calls within the past couple of months concerning manhole covers being displaced, or off of manholes around town. Normally I wouldn’t think twice about those types of calls, but it now strikes me as odd.”

Pete said he put the information in the back of his mind until he heard me on the Coast to Coast AM radio show and suddenly wondered if there might be more to it. I’ve been trying to reach him, in return, but to no avail. I did confirm that he was indeed a law enforcement officer at the time and place he stated. But I like to have a bit more info when I post a case, especially when it’s a third-hand report and the original source is an alleged burglar. Since I’ve mentioned the report briefly in a book and on some radio shows, however, I decided to offer the information I have. I’ll be sure to update here if I do finally reach the original writer or find other sources.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Manhole Steps, by Silenzio76, photo via Wikimedia Commons

Personally, I’ve never been able to shake that mental image of two criminals stumbling over a dead body as they flee the culvert after spotting a seven-plus-feet-tall “something” watching them from the shadows. And Minot may not be the only place where people should take extra care around city water and drainage systems. In “Monsters Among Us” I shared the story of a brother and sister who claim to have seen something similar in a Los Angeles suburb. And Minot does boast a river and lies near several wildlife refuges so the habitat is certainly there.

As I said, I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime I wouldn’t blame anyone for deciding to give manhole covers a wider berth–just to be on the safe side.

 

Read Full Post »

Pious Werewolves of Ulster

Posted in cryptozoology, dogman, strange creatures, UK cryptids, unexplained phenomena, werewolves, wolfmen, tagged , , , , on January 2, 2017|

I’m always saying I don’t believe in TRADITIONAL werewolves, but almost every culture worldwide has its own, unique version of werewolves or something similar. That fact requires me to define “traditional.” What I usually mean by that are those moonstruck, hairy creatures  whose attributes are derived mainly from old European legends and Hollywood movies. But even these examples may vary. When I come across a legend with some interesting features, then, I like to note it for future reference.

Today while I was looking for something else, I happened across this charming artwork depicting a priest from Ulster named Gerald and his encounter with a couple of upright werewolves. The illustrations look a lot like many drawings made by modern day eyewitnesses and artists. The creatures appear completely canine, for instance, and they can walk either on all fours or upright. Muzzles, pointed ears and toe-pad-walking complete the pictures.

Royal 13 B.VIII ff.17v-18

(image from Creative Commons O, Europeana Collection, from the British Library Royal Collection, c. 1196-1223)

Their behavior, however, is the big surprise here.The story is written in Latin, but as I understand it from various translations, Gerald of Ulster was camping in the woods sometime around the year 1200 when he was approached by a large werewolf.

Short version: The creature begged Gerald to come with him and minister last rites to his mate. It seems they hadn’t always been werewolves. Their village had been more or less cursed to give up one couple every seven years to wander as Lycans, and it had been this pair’s turn to serve. They hadn’t yet completed their obligation when the missus fell ill. Gerald succeeded in tearing part of her fur away to reveal the shriveled elderly woman inside, and she was then able to eat a consecrated wafer. Happy ending.

There isn’t much more to the story. I simply thought it appropriate to begin the New Year with a tale from the era that still informs today’s lore. But I saw something both touching and brave about Gerald’s willingness to follow the wolfman into the woods and in the wolf couple’s determination to keep their faith. Most contemporary reports would have the witness fleeing the scene in terror (as I would be doing) while the wolf creature gave chase and then growled off into the night. That’s probably much closer to reality. But reality bites.

And I suspect they just don’t make werewolves like they used to.

Enjoy the art, anyway, and Happy 2017!

Read Full Post »

The Duluth Dogman

Posted in animals, cryptozoology, cryptozoology art, dogman, strange creatures, Uncategorized, unexplained phenomena, werewolves, wolfmen, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 22, 2016|

Minnesota is a state with far fewer reports of dogmen than I would expect, given its heavy forests and abundant water sources. So when a report came last week describing a very recent encounter, I was glad to see it. And the best part is that this witness is a professional artist and so provided some very compelling illustrations. She also found the courage to return to the spot this past weekend and take a few photos. I’ve left most of the report in her own words, with minor edits mostly for the natural repetition that occurs during a multi-email exchange.

Here is her account of what happened the evening of Monday, November 7, 2016.

Hi Linda. I wanted to report a sighting. I am 41, a graphic designer. I was driving just out of the town of Duluth, MN on Maple Grove Road. It was a dark night, the clouds covering most light of the 47% full moon. The area I drove was on the very edge of a residential area where houses were sparse, leading to old farm land with a very old barn. As I drove I noticed something dash in front of me from right to left. I saw it heading from the very edge of a residential area where houses were sparse, running into a field with a very old barn.  My eyes struggled to make sense of a very tall creature, 7 feet I would guess. It wasn’t on hind legs.

duluthdm

The creature moved faster than normal. The face was wolf/dog-like with a longer snout and high set, small pointed ears. The back was very angled with extra-long front legs in comparison to the back. The leg length discrepancy caused it to walk more stiffly, almost with an injured type stride. The forearm was muscled, but it wasn’t primate or walking on its knuckles. It had more of forward stride like a deer, just not as smooth. Since the night was shadowed, it reminded me of a shadow person as the black was such an intense black, it’s hard to describe if you’ve never seen a shadow being. The eyes seemed maybe orange in my view.

For a second I wondered if it was my imagination, but I continued to watch and saw a far-coming vehicle’s lights shine through [between] the moving legs

The oddest part was the feeling of incredible fear and dread. I was literally so scared later I sat in a lit gas station until my husband came home. It definitely wasn’t a deer or moose, (angled shoulder too tall and steep, leg height different, wrong head), not a bear (wrong ears and head, not round, body bulk proportioned wrong) not a Bigfoot, nothing ape or humanlike. Anyway, it felt unlike any animal I’ve ever seen, with almost unnatural speed.

My sister said she, her ex-boyfriend and a friend have all seen it on its hind legs a few years ago. It lives near her house. She said it stood and watched them on the edge of the field with red eyes. Mine was a side view. It felt otherworldly. I am a [psychically] gifted person, as well. I am familiar with spirits and such.

Fear does not begin to describe it. The feeling lingers, like feeling a thick sludge weighing on me, really like an energy attack. I was an active camper, hiker, etc. Now I don’t want to be out in the dark, the woods, or driving alone at night. I know better, to fear these things is not good, it’s just hard to shake. It also felt like a bad omen, as silly as that sounds.  It took me a week to want to drive up there to the location to see if I could see anything, but I didn’t see any prints as most of the road was paved. In the daylight I could see it definitely went up into a field with a barn and an old building. The area is very close to the town of Duluth, but oddly this is just far enough out that the field runs along a road that is surrounded by birch woods and swampland. Our temps were really nice, 60 degrees at the time. This is hunting season and the deer are super active. Our normal temps are much cooler than this every other year.

Here is the illustration/sketch of what I saw that night. I am a wildlife artist with a very keen eye and photographic memory. I am use to drawing musculature, accurate portrayals of animals so when I explain what I saw hopefully there is a bit of credibility.

Bray Road Creature 3

The reason I drew what I did was because common response from people compared the animal to a wolf, bear, deer, and moose. I went online, drew each animal as a real representation of actual shape, and looked up the average height. None of these look accurate, the main thing I noticed was the sheer size, slope of the back and very different, long limbs. I drew this to mainly try and figure out what I saw. I don’t care if my name is mentioned, I am definitely not seeking any attention, just to understand what this thing was. I just call it the Bray Road Creature, closest thing I could come to in what I saw. –

I have just a few comments; the first one is that if this creature stood seven feet tall while on all fours, it would be even taller if it ever stood on its hind legs. Since bipedalism is the hallmark trait of any dogman, we can’t be sure that’s what the witness saw, but it certainly seemed larger and differently built than your ordinary wolf or dog.

Another unusual thing she mentioned was the overwhelming, lingering sense of fear and dread she experienced from seeing the creature. This is a common occurrence in cryptid sightings and other types of anomalous encounters, but doesn’t normally happen in the case of  mundane animals crossing a road.

The third thing I took note of was the presence of the old barn. For some reason, barns and other outbuildings often play a part in encounters with both dogmen and Bigfoot. I don’t know whether the buildings serve as shelter, hiding places or hunting grounds for small, tasty mammals, but they do pop up fairly often in such reports.

Finally, my unfortunately necessary disclaimer: Although  she included the rough location, that land is undoubtedly private property and must be respected as such. Trespassing is strictly illegal, and can bring harsh prosecution and fines. I believe — from long experience — that sightings of such creatures are random and rare, and are more likely to happen for those who are not searching for them. Yet I do believe there must be many more places in Minnesota where strange canid creatures abide.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »