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12 encounters
23 January 2021 Garberville, Humboldt County, California Class B #67556

Possible night sighting by motorist on Hwy 101 six miles south of Garberville

The witness was driving south on Highway 101 at night when headlights illuminated a large hair-covered figure lying on its side on the shoulder. The figure was described as human-shaped but non-human, about seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and coarse brown hair. After passing, the witness turned around and returned within about two minutes, but the figure was gone with no other vehicles seen in the area.

Partial sightingPossible hoax
14 July 2006 Shaver Lake, Fresno County, California Class B #17458

Hikers describe possible stalking and vocalizations the John Muir Wilderness

Three backpackers hiking toward Hobler Lake at dusk noticed a large reddish-brown animal moving parallel to them for about an hour. After dark the witness saw a tall, wide, long-armed furry biped watching from behind a tree, which walked away when spoken about. The group camped at the lake, later hearing disturbance sounds and finding camp items slightly moved.

Partial sightingSilhouetteFootstepsAnimal behaviour
24 July 2004 West Point, Calaveras County, California Class B #9051

Family hears strange sounds near West Point at dusk

A couple picnicking by a creek at dusk heard a loud howl from downstream with gibberish-like barking between howls, then an answering howl from the ridge behind them. Cattle downstream moved upstream away from the sound. They left at dark, drove downstream toward the first howl location, saw a buck fleeing the creek bottom, and found no people at creek access areas.

HowlChatterAnimal behaviour
May 2003 Hesperia, San Bernardino County, California Class B #6304

Young lady believes that the creature is back

The witness visited a relative's house after a goose was found dead with a broken neck, punctures, and missing insides. She also reports finding a four-toed footprint, flattened weeds suggesting something had lain down and walked through, and damage to a chicken-coop roof. The night had been unusually quiet and livestock were nervous the next morning.

TracksProperty disturbanceAnimal behaviour
15 May 2001 Twain Harte, Tuolumne County, California Class B #7299

Couple hear strange nighttime screams near Twain Harte

The witness and his wife had just finished dinner at home when he let two small dogs out after sunset. He then heard a loud scream and rustling, called for the dogs to be let in, but only one returned and the other was never found. He contacted wildlife authorities and continued to hear similar sounds from the forest behind the home.

ScreamPossible misidentification
February 2000 Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California Class B #166

Screams heard in mountians near hwy 680

The witness and a visiting companion were awakened in the home in the middle of the night by a loud unnatural howling that seemed to pass the house and fade into the distance over about ten seconds. They stayed inside and assumed at the time it was dogs or coyotes. The witness later shared the account after reading similar descriptions while still doubting it was Bigfoot-related.

HowlPossible misidentification
September 1989 Weldon, Kern County, California Class B #9426

Hunter hears early morning vocalization not far from Weldon

The witness was deer hunting alone before dawn from a rocky bluff. While glassing the brush-covered mountainside in gray light, he heard a very loud booming scream from several hundred yards upslope that he compared to a woman screaming. He first wondered if someone was playing a trick, but the steep terrain, darkness and dense brush unnerved him and he left the area immediately.

ScreamPossible hoax
April 1987 Sierra County, California Class B #2858

A sheriff's Deputy Discusses Reports in the Area

The writer refers to a Bigfoot sighting reported in the area about four weeks before their own earlier sighting. The writer states they searched for and found the newspaper article they recalled about that Bigfoot report. The writer comments on details that might suggest a hoax while also noting an argument against a hoax motive.

Possible hoax
August 1981 Humboldt County, California Class B #2142

Campers smell foul odor

Around midnight during a meteor shower outing, the witness was alone in a clearing, felt watched, then heard nearby rustling and ran back to camp. Shortly after, the group noticed an extremely strong sulfurous musky odor coming from a stand of trees. They pursued stomping and thrashing sounds uphill but never saw the source, and the pursuers fled after the sound and smell abruptly stopped.

OdorMovement onlyFootstepsAnimal behaviour
Spring 1978 Auburn, Placer County, California Class B #3612

Two fishermen have truck shaken early one morning, outside of Auburn

The witness and a relative parked a heavy flatbed truck in a wooded area to sleep for a few hours before fishing at dawn. Around 5 a.m. something shook the truck violently side to side several times, waking both occupants. They smelled a strong rancid odor, saw nothing in the darkness, and stayed in the cab until daylight before leaving without checking for tracks.

Vehicle contactOdorPossible misidentification
August 1971 Strawberry, Tuolumne County, California Class B #1954

Brothers have strange experience above Strawberry

A group staying in a high-elevation pine forest reported repeated large footprints and strange nighttime sounds over an unspecified period. During one late-night episode, one person looking out from a shelter saw a large shape briefly enter moonlight and then leave. A very large size and long stride were reported for the shape and tracks.

TracksVocalizationAnimal behaviourPartial sighting
BFRO YEAR: 1973-74 Redding, Ca, Because French Gulch Was A Town Back In The Gold Rush Days Of Old California. People Still Live In The Area Of What Is Now Called French Gulch., Shasta County, California Class B #26381

Man recalls adversarial encounter with an unknown creature near French Gulch

During midnight rounds at an isolated school compound, the witness crossed a suspension bridge and heard something raiding trash cans by the cookhouse. He threw rocks toward a large dark figure under the eaves, which stood erect, stepped onto the bridge, dodged thrown rocks, vaulted the bridge cables and fled upstream on two legs. He noted glowing eyes and a foul stench, then returned to his trailer without anyone else responding.

SilhouetteEyeshineOdorProperty disturbanceVocalization +3