Report 1774: 3 Friends watch 7' tall 2 legged hairy brown animal on the other side of the river

It was back in 1987 in the summer.  Myself and two friends went back to an old swimming hole to hang out for the day - Krofford Hole on the Gauley River to be exact.  After a few hours of fishing and swimming we all were laying out on a big rock beside the water.  During that time our dogs were playing around making alot of noise.  After awhile I noticed it got really quiet.  I sat up and started looking around. Across the river directly from us was a small clearing beside the water. A large 2 legged animal, dark brown in color, stood there like it was looking back at us.  The dogs just stood there staring over at it not making a sound or a move.  After about 2 minutes it turned and went up over the river bank. We could hear it moving up the hillside unti it was gone.  The next day we went back to the other side where it was standing.  I estimated by tree limbs over us it had to be at least 7 feet tall.  I'll never forget the silence of the woods that day.  Nor will I ever forget how it seemed to just stand there looking back.  My two buddies never wanted it to be known what we saw that day.  But I saw the other sighting report from near the same area. My father and some of his friends used to set around and talk about all the strange things they have seen in the area while hunting or hiking.  Could there be a connection?  I'm a believer now and always will be.  A few of my other friends from school used to do alot of hunting in the woods above Richwood.They have told me other similar events.  Such as smells, footprints, and noises, But none of them had ever said they actually saw something.  I havn't seen or heard from the two buddies I was with that day in years but I'm willing to bet they haven't forgot either.