The Michigan Dog Man Creature Cryptid & Sightings

Back in 1887, many people living in Wexford County cane forth as witnesses of the Michigan Dogman. This is according to folklore in Michigan. In this lore, the creature appears with canine-like features while having a male torso and measuring seven-foot in height.

With a blue or amber eye, this bipedal creature has a howl with many similarities to the scream of a human. Although it predominantly appears in the northwestern part of the lower peninsula, there have also been reports of appearances in other locations in Michigan. Also, the legend specifies it’s appearances in a ten-year cycle, on years that end with figure 7.

The popularity of the Michigan Dogman skyrocketed in 1987, thanks to Steve Cook. This was due to his part in recording a song that described the creature as well as details of its sightings in Michigan.

History

According to reports, the Michigan Dogman had been roaming the Manistee River area during the period it served as home to the Odawa tribes. However, it had remained unknown for an extended period. By the late 20th century, a large population of the modern world begun to learn about the creature.

The first people to come in contact with the creature were two lumberjacks from Wextollford county in 1887. According to their description, it had the head of a dog attached to a man’s body.

The next report was in the Paris area of Michigan in 1937. In this case, the victim was a man named Robert Fortney, who stated that a dog walking on two legs was among the five wild dogs that attacked him. Other sightings were reported in Allegan County in the 1950s, while in 1967, there were reports of similar creatures in Cross Village and Manistee.

The Cook Song

The Cook Song refers to the song “The Legend,” recorded by a disc jockey, Steve Cook, in 1987. Working at WTCM-FM in Traverse City, Michigan, during this period, the song was based on legends and myths around North America at the time.

During the time of recording, Cook hadn’t heard about the Michigan Dogman, and the first time he played the song was as an April Fool’s Day joke. In a statement by Cook, he claims he created the song from his imagination before coming across the folklore.

Regarding the likelihood of a real dogman, Cook remains skeptical. In his response, he explains that imagination can be the source of folklore – such as in his song. However, he goes on to explain that he believes in those who claim they saw the creature.

The recording of the song was done with a Keyboard backing that cook credits to Bob Farley. Shortly after playing the song, several listeners were calling in to discuss their encounter with a creature similar to that in the song. The song also became the most-requested on the station in the weeks following the initial play.

Riding on the success of the song, Cook began selling cassettes for four dollars, with an animal shelter getting all the proceeds as a donation. An episode of MonsterQuest in March 2010 featured the creature. In the Monsters and Mysteries in America Season 2 episode “Great Lakes: Wolfman, Dogman, Wendigo,” released in January 2017, the creature was also featured.

With the reports of a break-in by an unknown canine, Cook added more verses to the song. After the 1997 additions, there was a re-recording in 2007 which provided a mandolin backing.