Two people in canoe see creature on shoreline witnessed in Essex County, New York

Open Map

In August of 1996 myself and six friends were camping at Pine Pond in the lower Saranac Lake region. It was around dusk and my friend and I were fishing in our canoe. The other members of our party were at camp preparing supper, about a quarter mile away through the forest from our location on the canoe in the middle of the lake. My friend and I were speaking openly, not attempting to be quiet in any way. I was scanning the northern bank of the lake, which I knew quite well, when I noticed a strange shape on the edge of the wood line. It was about 50 yards away. Immediately I pointed it out to my friend and he spotted it instantly. The shape was about 3 1/2 feet off of the ground at its highest point. At first we both thought it was a black bear standing broadside but after a few seconds I realized that was not the case. We started to row towards it somewhat cautiously. Just as my friend whispered "it's a bear" the thing stood up. It had been crouching there on its feet like a catcher ...