Report Received From: The GCBRO Online Report Submission Form.
 

DATE:    October 5, 1999
 

TIME:     Just before dusk
 

LOCATION:   Anderson County, Texas
 

TERRAIN:    Swampy
 

OBSERVED:    On the area which we call "the game preserve", there is pond/marsh called Beaver pond.  On the south end of the pond there is a nature/hiking trail, which includes a boardwalk that runs along the waters edge.  On this particular day, myself and two of my cousins {whom are brothers}, were walking along the boardwalk.  It was at that time that we heard something splash into the water ahead.  We could not see what it was at the time, because of tall grass and other brush that grows in and around the water.  We initially thought it was a deer or an alligator, both of which can easily be found on or around the preserve.  But the sounds that we heard and the movement of the trees eliminated those possibilities.  The water at that end of the pond was about three feet deep there was no sloshing of water as this creature moved through the water.  We could distinctly hear the "kerplunk" sounds of foot steps. The mud which is under the water is very slimy, which makes you pick your feet straight up and put them straight back down as you walk. Which when a human walks through it creates the "kerplunk" sound, instead a sloshing sound which a four legged creature would cause. The trees were another thing instead of shaking, as if being bumped as it passed by.  You could see them being bent over, as if something was grabbing them and and pushing them out of its way.  Up to this point we had observed this from about 50 yards away.  The creature was showing no urgency in fleeing, {judging by the speed it was moving}, and since we could not see it we began to walk down the boardwalk in its direction.  Now either it could see us or hear us, because at this it grunted {the likes of which I have never heard} and increased its rate of speed.  At that point in time curiosity over ruled better judgment, and myself and one of my cousins began to run after it.  My other cousin stayed behind wanting no part of our pursuit when we reached the end of the boardwalk and ran down the trail into the woods we heard it come out of the water and onto dry land there was a stench in the air kind of like a wet dog only alot worse.  And as it out ran us through the woods, there were only sounds of two feet hitting the ground, not four.  Disappointingly we never caught a glimpse of it.
 

Activities of Witness:   Walking along a boardwalk in a game preserve.
 

Description of Creature:  N/A
 

Other Notes:    We have been back to the pond and the management area several times, but have not yet seen, heard, or smelled anything similar to what happened that evening.

I have hunted, camped, and wandered around the woods surrounding this part of Texas my entire life.  I am very familiar with the indigenous animals of the area.
 

Additional Notes and or Follow up Comments:  Upon contact the witness had no additional information to add to this report.

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