Year: 1975
Month: November
Day of Month (number only – e.g. 16): Saturday before deer season opened
Time of Day: Just before midnight
County: New York Allegany
Terrain Description: 2nd highest elevation in western NY. This area is swampy,
hemlock swamp on one side and regular forest on the other side of a clearing
Lighting Conditions: moonlit night
Nearest Town or Landmark: nearest town is Alfred Station
Description of Encounter Area: the area is at the top of what is known as “Ben Socker Hill” it is flat
and varies from open clearings of several acres to totally wooded. there are at least two farm ponds in this area.
Are There Food and/or Water Sources in the Area? (if so, describe): there is a lot of food and
water available from many different sources. lots of mast, water is available in the swamp and from the
farm ponds.
Occupation/Background: retired now from the USPS , I grew up in Alfred Station NY and lived there
until June of 1977 when we moved to TX. served 4 yrs in the US Navy in the 1960’s at the time of this incident I was employed full time by Alfred Almond Central School as a bus driver/custodian.
Number of Witnesses: 1
Length of Observation: about 5 minutes
Animal Description: I never saw the animals, I was too scared to look out the windows of the
converted school bus because of the “keening” sounds and the vibrations of the ground near me.
Aprox. Height: no knowledge
Aprox. Weight: had to have been heavy, at least two animals
Head/Facial Description: not seen
Can Witness Provide a Sketch of Animal Seen?: No
Vocalizations Heard?: yes, a high pitched keening and low growls
Wood Knocks Heard?: No
Recordings Made?: No
I was at our old school bus that we used as a base for deer hunting. We owned over 150 acres which joined over 1000 acres of uninhabited land owned by different families in this area.
This was about a week before deer season opened. I had come up to camp to spend Saturday night/and most of the day Sunday. no one had spent the night there since the previous deer season. The only items I had with me were a baby ben alarm clock, and a flashlight. I had had a wood fire burning in the camp stove. When the fire died down I climbed in my sleeping bag in the old army cot I slept in, in the back of the bus. It was a very clear, moonlit night. I had almost fallen asleep when I heard what I can only describe as a high pitched keening sound. and it was coming closer to my camp.
Then I heard another sound answering the first one. I heard the first calling and the second on
answering with the same kind of keening noise. within a matter of minutes I felt the ground in the
nearby clearing shaking, it felt like whatever was making the keening noise must have been very heavy, either that or I was so afraid by the noises I heard that I was trembling. These two whatever they were
were drawing closer to the school bus, like they knew I was there and were investigating me. Finally, I decided that I would make the alarm clock ring to scare them away. I didnt even dare to raise my head from the bed, I was so scared. I wound the clock and set the alarm off. As soon as I did the keening got louder and their footfall was right outside the bus. I was so scared I actually passed out from fear. The next thing I knew several hours had passed and daylight was breaking. I never heard or saw these creatures again, and I never told anyone about my experiences until just a few years ago, I told my wife, son and daughter about it.
Mike Humphrey