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Wood knock in California (2018)
The witness and friends camped at a small creekside site off a mountain road in late June 2018. After evening knocking sounds and a strong musky odor at night, a large human-like creature with yellow eyes appeared at the witness's tent, grabbed it, lifted and dropped the witness inside, then left in a few steps after a shot was fired. The group saw large footprints, later heard whoops from multiple directions, and had a basketball-sized rock thrown at their truck while leaving.
Twist near Big Bear City, California (2017)
Later the same day the pair hiked deep into the forest, first noting twisted broken branches pointed toward the trail. On a thicker, darker return trail they heard bipedal footsteps on both sides, a whistle, a deep vocal sound, and smelled a foul odor while the woods stayed silent. After reaching a logging clearing with empty cabins, they turned to see the back of a tall dark-haired biped before hurrying to a paved road where workers directed them out.
Possible sighting by family walking their dog near Auburn
The witness and four family members walked a trail by a lake near dusk. After moving a large branch from the path, they found wet foot-shaped prints leading uphill and saw two dark human-like shapes lying still in the woods. They heard bipedal footsteps that stopped and started with them, then left and returned later to photograph and measure the prints and hear more steps and a breath-like sound.
Possible nighttime encounter, food taken from hunters camping near Tuolumne
The witness joined a small group for an overnight camp to practice outdoor skills. In the evening the witness walked east of camp, noticed a strong foul smell and heard vegetation breaking nearby before running back to the group. Overnight the campers were awakened by sounds around the camp followed by a loud crash, and by morning the food hung high above ground was gone, the supporting limb was damaged, and a foul smell lingered. The group then packed and left the area.
Possible camp stalking in Jones Valley, Lake Shasta
Late at night while sitting by a nearly out campfire, the witness heard branches breaking at decreasing distances and then very heavy bipedal-sounding footsteps approaching. After waking a companion, both heard a few more steps before the sounds stopped. Nothing was seen because it was dark and the source was in trees. No footprints were searched for the next day.
Hunter has daytime sighting near Huntington Lake
While hunting in dense pines the witness repeatedly heard loud expulsions of air and branches breaking moving around him. After returning to the area with his father, deer were spooked by the same sound. The witness then saw a large black-haired figure sitting under a pine about 30 yards away and stared at it before it stood and bounded away making the same noise.
Howl near Orick, California (2001)
The witness went to the clearing and made loud calls, then heard a howl turn into a roar approaching for about 40 minutes. Two or three unseen individuals roared, knocked, broke a treetop, circled, bluff-charged the tree stand, and growled close behind him with strong physical effects and a perceived mental threat. He fled to his truck, found his dog hiding, got briefly stuck while turning around, heard pursuit downhill, and drove to a mill and bars seeking a witness.
BFRO Investigators detail activity around Twain Harte
Investigators found fresh broken trees, dozens of footprints and two nests where a trail crossed a road and staked out the spot. No creature was seen, but something large moving on two feet approached the stakeout before fleeing downhill through brush when a car passed. The sign was documented the next day with footprint and tree-break measurements and a body-length impression in one nest.
Possible visitation at a remote campsite in the Trinity NF
A solo backpacker camped overnight at the Mud Springs hunter camp. Around 10:30 p.m. he was awakened by a loud branch snap followed by heavy vibrating footsteps passing very close to his tent. His nested cook pots were then heard clanging and later found unnested and spread out. After finding a long hair on his backpack Velcro he broke camp and drove to Red Bluff.
Thirteen and a half inch track found at Fish Lake (near Bluff Creek).
The witness found two unusual footprints in the evening and made plaster casts and footage of them. Later, while sleeping alone in a tent, the witness was awakened by heavy footsteps, ground vibrations, and breaking branches very close by. Upon exiting the tent with a flashlight, the witness saw and smelled nothing, then packed up and left.
Witness heard a large animal moving in the forest
While mountain biking, the witness heard a large animal moving in brush off the trail but could not see it. About 200 yards farther up the trail, the group found very large detailed footprints overlying companions' tracks, which left the trail for a meadow and reappeared crossing the road about half a mile farther on. Coincidentally encountered bear hunters also examined the prints and were unfamiliar with them.
Campers menaced after dark by what they assume was a family group
A group camping above a swollen river heard mumbling voices and stick-breaking approaching, followed by loud chanting, shouting and stomping that shook a log seat and was taken as a demand to leave. The sounds stopped after deep hooted calls and later receded to distant screams up the valley and across the mountain. Later, while in a tent, the witness saw the firelight blocked by a squatting silhouette that touched the zipper with five digits, with felt breath and strong odor, before withdrawing. In the morning the witness noted hairs and deep depressions on the trail.
Howl near Mount Laguna, California (1994)
The witness and his wife spent a weekend camping in 1994 at Laguna Mountain where the campground was empty. At night they heard wolf-like howls and the next day on a desert trail they found crossed dead trees, heard loud animal cries, and watched a distant reddish hair-covered figure standing and slamming backward into a tree, which they first took for a bear. A ranger insisted there were no wolves or bears in the area. On the second night rustling around the tent and sudden overwhelming fear caused them to abandon camp and drive home in the early morning.
Vocalization near Humboldt County (1992)
Two 12-year-olds camped by the river on their family ranch and went to sleep around 10. In the middle of the night they heard splashing crossing the river approaching the tent, then close vocalizations like grunts and talking. The visitor moved downriver out of sight, then crashed up a steep bank breaking large branches before going silent, and the boys fled uphill to the house.
Sighting by two backpackers
Two companions camping overnight were awakened by movement on rocks above camp. They listened for about 15 minutes, then watched a bipedal form cross a stream and meadow into the treeline about 200 yards away. After daylight they found a large gouge in soft earth and flattened grass, then left the area.
Backpackers report screams and camp stalking near Dutchman's Flats outside Idyllwild
The witness and a companion were camping in a tent when they were awakened in the very early morning by prolonged loud screams, followed by heavy footsteps, sniffing and heavy breathing just outside the tent. They remained inside until sunrise. In the morning they found scattered pine needles and dirt but no blood or fur, and large deep human-like footprints leading away into a wooded ravine, which the witness followed briefly before packing up and leaving.
Unusual "Wild" Smell from Animal Walking Around Camper's Truck Near Sheep Camp
The witness and a companion were sleeping in a truck bed while camping when they were awakened by something circling on foot. The circling continued for about 1.5-2 hours with branch-breaking sounds, grunting, and a strong wild odor, while they remained lying down without looking. Near dawn the sounds moved off to the southwest, and in daylight they found disturbed pine needles and broken tree limbs nearby.
Campers hear screams, and find large footprints
The witness and a companion were walking a dog on a loop trail in redwood forest when the dog lunged up a steep embankment toward crunching and branch-breaking sounds from above. They followed a short distance to a ridge and found freshly broken lower tree branches up to about ten feet high and large human-like foot impressions in the duff that lacked claw marks. The source of the noise was gone by the time they reached the top, and they returned cross-country to the main trail.
Large footprints found by witnesses
The witness and a friend were walking their dog on a trail when the dog lunged up a steep embankment toward loud crunching and branch-breaking sounds from above. They followed a short way to the top of a ridge but the source of the noise was gone. On top they found freshly broken lower tree branches up to 10 feet high and foot-like impressions in the duff without claw marks, then returned cross-country to the trail.
Campers hear late night scream near Gasquet
In 1985 the witness and a companion were remote camping near Patrick Creek when they heard loud primate-like screams and conversational voices from a nearby ridge around 11 p.m. During the night the witness heard heavy tramping and deep breathing just outside the tent while a normally bold dog hid trembling inside. At dawn the witness found the campsite duff heavily scuffed with signs of foot traffic that had not been there the previous evening.