Been lurking on this thread for a bit before weighing in. I'm primarily an EVP guy out of Oregon, so cryptids aren't exactly my wheelhouse - but I've cross-referenced enough ". Creature encounter". Reports with audio anomalies to have some thoughts.
The Great Lakes clustering is statistically interesting, I'll grant you that. But before anyone starts drawing range maps and naming subspecies, let's establish some basic methodology. Are these reports independently corroborated? What's the temporal distribution - are we talking a genuine uptick or just improved reporting infrastructure (i.e., more Facebook groups = more perceived sightings)?
The Dogman specifically has always bothered me as a category. It functions as a kind of paranormal catch-all for large bipedal animals that witnesses can't identify. Black bear on hind legs in low-light conditions accounts for maybe 60% of these. Misidentification is brutally underestimated in cryptid research.
That said - and I say this as someone deeply sceptical - the geographic persistence around the Lakes is anomalous. You don't see this density of reports clustering around, say, comparable wilderness areas in the Rockies. That deserves a proper geographic analysis rather than another breathless YouTube documentary.
Anyone actually done systematic fieldwork up there with decent audio equipment? I'd be curious whether ambient recording captures anything consistent across locations. Wouldn't be my first choice of investigation method for a physical cryptid, but it's something.
What's the actual breakdown of sighting conditions people are working with here?
