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16 encounters
September 2003 Crescent City Ca, Del Norte County, California Class A #6946

Fifty-four year old salesman has a very close highway encounter

The witness was driving north on Hwy. 101 to visit a friend and pulled onto a wide spot to let faster cars pass. While stopped with the passenger window open, the witness heard an extremely loud scream and then saw a tall, dark-haired, muscular creature a few feet from the car. The creature took a couple of large steps toward the redwoods, went around a tree, and disappeared into dense brush. The encounter lasted only a few seconds and left the witness badly shaken.

Partial sightingScream
21 August 2001 Reno, Sierra County, California Class A #3027

Three young people on an early morning outing hear roar followed by sighting

Three people went by car into a heavily forested area in the early morning to be alone. About half an hour after arriving they heard rustling followed by a loud bellowing scream. As they ran toward their car, the main witness reported seeing the front of a tall dark figure about seventy feet away and hearing it flee into the woods before the group left quickly.

ScreamFull-body sightingMovement only
June 2000 El Dorado County, California Class A #147

Sound reports from resident in South Lake Tahoe

The witness reports hearing loud mournful screams and wails almost nightly for three months at a home south of South Lake Tahoe, often described as paired calls that converge then stop. Recordings were made mostly from a bedroom window between late evening and morning. The witness with a companion also backpacked, made all-night forest forays, and camped with bait to locate the source, finding tracks and bed-like structures with torn branches, while noting dogs refused some areas and little wildlife was seen.

ScreamTracksStructure or nest
18 April 2000 Weitchpec, Humboldt County, California Class A #2859

"Unknown" Vocalization Sounds Heard and Broadcasted by a Group of Six Hikers, While Camping Overnight at Lake Shore Forest Service Campground

Six people camping at a forested lake campground heard a repeating whistle-whoop followed by an intense screech three times overnight, first from across a meadow, then from behind camp, then from very close to the tents. Each time they searched with flashlights and a spotlight but saw no eyes or movement apart from a small fox on the road. The next morning they found no tracks or other sign around the site and lake shore, and later doubted the fox could have made such intense sounds.

WhistleWhoopScream
11 August 1998 Siskiyou County, California Class A #2861

Neighboring Dogs Bark When Loud Vocalizations Heard

The witness reported hearing loud, piercing screams for about 22 minutes at night, starting with one screaming sound and later joined by a louder, longer second voice calling at regular intervals. Neighboring dogs barked in response to each scream and fell silent when the sounds stopped, after which the area became extremely quiet. The dog owners later said the dogs were petrified and refused to go outside.

Scream
3 August 1998 Etna, Siskiyou County, California Class A #22434

Backpacker sighting off the PCT in the Marble Mountains Wilderness

The witness was sleeping alone on a rock ledge above a drainage when she heard loud repetitive whooping and howling from far below. The source moved rapidly uphill, climbed a steep cliff to the ledge, and ran past her toward the peak above, pausing briefly to look toward her. It then vocalized from the top of the peak until near sunrise, and she left the area at first light.

SilhouetteHowlWhoopScreamFootsteps
1998–2004 Aptos, Santa Cruz County, California Class A #11162

Family has sightings and encounters in Santa Cruz mountains

In 2004 the witness was watching television in an outdoor covered porch at night and turned it off after hearing a noise. A very loud screaming roar was then heard close in front of the house, sounding three times while apparently moving along the driveway, with the last call ending in sounds like mimicked dog barks. The witness's parents also heard the sounds and nearby dogs reacted strongly.

Scream
June 1995 Weaverville, Trinity County, California Class A #2819

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.

SilhouetteVocalizationScreamWhoopTree break +3
June 1991 French Gulch, Shasta County, California Class A #18298

Man collecting pine nuts retreats from intimidation approach, above French Gulch near Lake Shasta

The witness stopped a pickup at night in pine forest north of town to collect large pine cones. While outside the truck, the witness heard a loud screech followed by fast, heavy impacts like large bipedal steps approaching down a slope. The witness scrambled into the truck and while driving away saw a dark shaggy upright figure behind the truck in tail-light glow and moonlight. The witness fled down the mountain and left the area after daylight.

Partial sightingScreamFootsteps
October 1988 Tulare County, California Class A #2183

Backpackers hear loud screams in the distance on the same day a crew of trail bridge builders has an encounter with a screaming bigfoot a few miles away

Two companions on a multi-day backpacking trip were sitting in camp at dusk at a high lake when they heard a single loud unearthly screaming howl from a distance. They described it as having huge volume, trailing off rather than stopping abruptly, seeming sad rather than threatening, and unlike any human, bear, or other known sound. Exhausted, they slept in the tent and forgot the incident until days later when they read a newspaper account of a close-range sighting reported the same day a few miles away.

HowlScream
October 1987 McCloud, Shasta County, California Class A #2844

Loud Screams Heard by Hunters While Camping Near a Natural Spring

Two hunters were camped overnight during deer season when they noticed a bipedal figure crossing a moonlit clearing. Shortly after, they heard loud screaming and crashing in brush on the hillside, followed by a log coming down, a strong urine-like odor, and renewed screams. Later, from inside their tent, both saw a very large shadow pass between the campfire and the tent. The next morning they found no tracks but noticed a large log newly present near their vehicle by the spring.

Partial sightingSilhouetteScreamFootstepsObject throwing +1
Summer 1987 Laytonville Ca., Mendocino County, California Class A #6521

Woman hears late night scream and has close encounter near Laytonville

The witness was sleeping in a sleeping bag on a river bank with companions when she woke to bipedal footsteps on a ledge above. A large figure stood behind willow canes about 10 feet away, yelling with speech-like inflection while stomping, shaking vegetation, and giving off a skunk-like odor. After a few minutes the figure left without the witness seeing or hearing its departure, and she stayed awake until morning.

Partial sightingScreamFootstepsOdor
June 1978 Grass Valley, Nevada County, California Class A #3421

Family has unusual experience outside Grass Valley

A group gathered around a late-night bonfire at a rural ranch heard an extremely loud screeching howl from a nearby canyon and heard brush breaking as something large approached. The group fled to the house, and the witness briefly left her young child outside before going back to retrieve her. The child later said a very big, very hairy figure walked up to her, looked at her, and then walked away.

ScreamHowlFootstepsFull-body sighting
July 1975 San Bernardino County, California Class A #2229

A scout troop's late night sighting at the edge of their camp near Barton Flats. Multiple witnesses. Reporting witness now a law enforcement officer

The witness was camping with a scout troop when loud howl-like screams were heard late at night. A few hours later, after being awakened by rustling in nearby brush, the group shone a flashlight into the treeline and saw a tall hair-covered figure watching them. The figure then turned and walked with long steps northeast up a wooded hill out of sight.

ScreamHowlFull-body sightingEyeshineMovement only
July 1974 Alturas, Modoc County, California Class A #875

Man has sighting near Alturas

The witness was camping by a pond with family and stayed up late by the campfire. Around 1 a.m. he heard noise in the cattails across the pond and approached with a flashlight. A tall hair-covered figure stood up, screeched, faced him briefly, then walked toward the forest like a man. He later found flattened cattails and a strong urine odor at the spot.

Full-body sightingScreamGrowlOdor
July 1965 Myers Flat, Humboldt County, California Class A #6963

Teens have unusual experience near Myers Flat

Five boys were camping overnight in a repaired old logging cabin in the woods. During the night they were awakened by huffing, shuffling and prying sounds as something circled and probed the cabin walls. When the door was opened they saw only dark hairy legs in the darkness, a companion fired a rifle, and the creature screamed and fled with heavy thuds, leaving torn ground and indentations.

Partial sightingScreamUnidentified soundFootstepsProperty disturbance +1