The Beast of Bray Road is a mysterious creature that has been reported to haunt the rural areas of Walworth County, Wisconsin, for decades. Some people believe it is a werewolf, a shape-shifting human-animal hybrid that can transform from a man to a wolf. Others think it is a cryptid, an unknown animal that has not been scientifically classified. Whatever it is, it has inspired fear and fascination among locals and outsiders alike.
Description
The Beast of Bray Road is most often described by alleged witnesses as a large, hairy creature that resembles a wolf or a bear, but with some humanoid features. It is said to stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, and to weigh over 400 pounds. It has dark fur or hair, glowing red or yellow eyes, pointed ears, a long snout and sharp teeth. It can walk on all fours or on two legs, and it can run very fast. It is also reported to have a foul smell and to make growling or howling noises.
Some witnesses claim that the beast is intelligent and can communicate with humans telepathically or verbally. Others say that it is aggressive and attacks people or animals without provocation. Some even suggest that it is a supernatural being that can disappear or change shape at will.
History
The first recorded sighting of the Beast of Bray Road dates back to 1936, when a man named Mark Schackelman claimed to have seen a half-man, half-wolf creature digging in an Indian burial mound near Highway 11. He said that the creature spoke to him in an unknown language and then ran away into the woods.
However, the beast did not become widely known until the late 1980s and early 1990s, when a series of sightings occurred along Bray Road, a rural road near the town of Elkhorn. Several people reported seeing a large wolf-like animal on or near the road, sometimes attacking cars or livestock. The local newspaper, the Walworth County Week, assigned reporter Linda Godfrey to investigate the story. She interviewed several witnesses and wrote a series of articles that sparked public interest and media attention. She later published a book titled The Beast of Bray Road: Tailing Wisconsin’s Werewolf.
Since then, sightings of the beast have continued sporadically in Wisconsin and neighboring states such as Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota. The beast has also been featured in several books, documentaries and movies, such as The Beast of Bray Road (2005), Hunting the American Werewolf (2006) and The Bray Road Beast (2018).
Sightings
Here are some examples of reported sightings of the Beast of Bray Road:
- In October 1989, Doristine Gipson was driving along Bray Road when she felt her car hit something. She got out and saw a large hairy creature on the side of the road. It looked at her with glowing eyes and then ran away into the cornfield.
- In December 1990, Scott Bray saw a strange animal in his yard near Bray Road. He described it as a muscular wolf-like creature with brown-gray fur and a long tail. It was eating some corn that had fallen from his truck.
- In January 1992, Tammy Bray (Scott’s cousin) was driving home from work when she saw a large animal cross the road in front of her car. She said it looked like a bear but had fangs and pointed ears. It stopped on the side of the road and stared at her before running away.
- In October 1992, Heather Bowey and her friends were walking home from school when they saw a large dog-like creature near an old barn on Hospital Road. They said it had long black hair, yellow eyes and a long snout. It chased them until they reached their house.
- In July 1999, Lorraine Endrizzi was driving down Bray Road when she saw a huge wolf-like animal standing on its hind legs by a fence. She said it had gray-brown fur, human-like hands and feet and a human-like face. It looked at her with curiosity and then walked away.
Theories
There are many theories about what the Beast of Bray Road could be. Some of them are:
- A werewolf: Some people believe that the creature is a human who can transform into a wolf-like creature under certain conditions, such as a full moon or a curse. This theory is based on the folklore and legends of werewolves that exist in many cultures around the world.
- A cryptid: Some people believe that the creature is an unknown animal that has not been discovered by science yet. This theory is based on the possibility that there are still undiscovered species in remote or isolated areas of the world.
- A misidentified animal: Some people believe that the creature is actually a known animal that has been misidentified by witnesses due to poor lighting, distance or fear. This theory is based on the fact that there are many animals that could resemble the Beast of Bray Road, such as bears, wolves, coyotes, dogs or hybrids.
- A hoax: Some people believe that the creature is actually a hoax created by pranksters or attention seekers who want to scare people or make money. This theory is based on the fact that there is no conclusive evidence for the existence of the Beast of Bray Road, such as photographs, videos or DNA samples.