Class A First-hand BFRO #10289

Two people in canoe see creature on shoreline

8 August 1996 around dusk Saranac Lake NY, Essex County, New York 2 witnesses

Account

Two companions fishing from a canoe at dusk noticed a dark crouched shape on the shoreline about 50 yards away. As they rowed closer the shape stood upright to about seven feet, looked toward them, turned toward a twig-snapping sound behind it, then spun and ran into the forest with further movement sounds heard. After waiting in the canoe, they paddled ashore and found two obscured marks in the sand where it had turned.

Summary drafted by AI from the source report and checked by code before I publish it. The witness's own words remain with the publisher — read the original report .

What was reported

Every kind of observation in the account. Select one to find other encounters with it.

Sightings

Physical traces

Described appearance

In the source's own words, field by field. Hover a field's marker to see where it was read.

Height src
about seven feet tall
Hair colour src
very dark brown
Face src
hairy yet fleshy around the upper cheeks
Eyes src
dark in color but clearly visible and had a brightness about them
Gait src
darted into the wood line like a cat
Posture src
crouching there on its feet like a catcher

Facts & provenance

Each value names where it came from.

Date
8 August 1996
Stated BFRO report #10289 · BFRO report, labelled fields: Year, Month, Date
Time of day
around dusk
Stated BFRO report #10289 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Place
Saranac Lake NY, Essex County, New York
Stated BFRO report #10289 · BFRO report, labelled fields: State, County, Nearest Town, Location Details, Nearest Road
Map point
44.27, -74.15 (± 1000 m)
Stated BFRO map layer · BFRO published map layer · read with 85% confidence
BFRO map layer point for report 10289 with published boundary
Account type
First-hand
Stated BFRO report #10289 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witnesses
2
Derived BFRO report #10289 · BFRO report, “Other Witnesses” section
Figures reported
1
Derived BFRO report #10289 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witness was
fishing in a canoe
Stated BFRO report #10289 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Witness's word for it
strange shape
Stated BFRO report #10289 · BFRO report, “Observed” section
Source classification
Class A
Stated BFRO report #10289 · BFRO classification label

Evidence & investigation

What the source says was found or done. Claimed evidence is listed as claimed; the Anomadex has not examined it.

Investigated by
Paul J. Mateja (BFRO)
Tracks

Two discernable markings in sand where the creature turned, obscured by pivoting of its feet

BFRO report, “Observed” section

Source timeline

Every record this entry is built from, earliest known first. Records are versioned and never edited in place.

  1. Published 2005-01-18 Retrieved 2026-09-25 Version 1 Hash 8e66afdee005
    BFRO - Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization
  2. BFRO map layer Reference
    Retrieved 2026-09-24 Version 1 Hash cfb8a3d423b7
    BFRO - Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization