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25 encounters
1 September 2024 Redcrest, Humboldt County, California Class B #77611

YESTERDAY (09/01/2024): Hikers hear chatter and whoops of a large animal in Founders Grove, 33mi SE of Eureka

The witness and a companion were hiking the Founders Grove loop just after sunset when the woods went quiet and they heard chattering vocalizations. They felt immediate dread and judged whatever made the sounds to be huge. As they retreated toward their vehicle they heard movement in brush going deeper into the woods, and when the witness whooped back the chatter answered again. They hurried back to their car.

ChatterVocalizationMovement only
26 October 2022 Coloma/Lotus, El Dorado County, California Class B #75096

Possible sighting and tree shaking on S. Fork American River 30 miles NE of Sacramento

The witness rode horses to a river access and picnic area and stopped to rest and take photos. She glimpsed a reddish-brown figure showing only buttocks and leg as it darted upright into brush to hide. Immediately afterward nearby branches were shaken violently back and forth though no animal could be seen. She left because she was alone and unarmed, remaining skeptical because she never saw the head.

Partial sightingMovement only
28 July 2020 Lee Vining, Mono County, California Class B #65849

Possible sighting at Mono Lake at Sunrise

The witness and a relative arrived at a high desert lake before sunrise to photograph the sunrise. The witness saw a black bipedal figure walking parallel about 15 yards away before it disappeared behind rock formations. The relative also noticed movement in that general area. The witness later concluded the figure was not the other photographer present, but did not search for traces.

Full-body sightingMovement only
October 2008 Crescent City, Del Norte County, California Class B #24929

Husband and wife have a possible encounter in a KOA campground north of Crescent City

A couple camping on an isolated site finished dinner and sat by a campfire when the wife felt watched and fearful. The husband searched with lights and briefly saw movement in the trees about 30 feet away, including what looked like a large dark lower leg. While inside the trailer the wife heard two to three whooping sounds from that wooded area.

Partial sightingWhoopMovement onlyOdor
October 2007 Lee Vining, Mono County, California Class B #24743

Camper has a possible close encounter west of Mono Lake

The witness was camping alone at night reading in a chair when a loud branch snap was heard nearby. Gas cans and other items behind a shed were knocked over as something large moved a short distance through trees and stopped across a creek. The witness's dogs cowered at the trailer door and the witness retreated inside with a feeling of being watched.

Unidentified soundFootstepsProperty disturbanceMovement only
19 November 2006 Twain Harte, Tuolumne County, California Class B #16722

Possible vocalizations heard by resident near Twain Harte

Late at night the witness took a dog outside and heard movement in the densely wooded backyard. The witness then heard a deep growl followed by a loud progressive scream that seemed non-human and kept hearing vocalizations after going back inside. The next morning the witness found disturbed underbrush and broken branches but no footprints.

FootstepsGrowlHowlScreamVocalization +1
16 April 2002 Sunland, Los Angeles County, California Class B #14953

Possible intimidation in the late afternoon reported by hikers in the Big Tujunga Canyon area

Two hikers returning up a dry creek bed in late afternoon smelled a strong foul odor and noticed a dead squirrel placed over a boot print. From a short distance away they heard loud banging like wood striking trees, saw treetops swaying, then heard very loud groaning and screaming vocalizations. The sounds paused while they walked away and resumed when they stopped, until they left the area.

Wood knockScreamGrowlOdorMovement only
1 August 2001 Sugar Pine, El Dorado County, California Class B #3794

Campers hear more nighttime vocalizations at Sugar Pine Campground, on the west side of Lake Tahoe

The witness and a relative were camping overnight when they heard a loud whooping sound nearby followed by loud crunching like branches breaking. A girl was heard screaming after the whooping. In the morning they found large footprints near their tent measuring about 12 to 16 inches long, which they felt were too large for a bear.

WhoopMovement onlyTracks
March 2001 Twain Harte, Tuolumne County, California Class B #3072

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.

TracksTree breakStructure or nestFootstepsMovement only
November 2000 Moutain Center, Riverside County, California Class B #24137

Young couple encounter something large on Lake Hemet

The witness and a companion drove to Hemet Lake late at night intending a walk and sat by the car. They heard something large breaking branches and moving down a canyon behind them, then smelled a strong rotten wet-dog odor and felt watched, so they left. When they returned about an hour later, a large steel trash bin had been knocked over and had a large circular dent.

Movement onlyOdorProperty disturbance
October 1999 Huntington Lake, Fresno County, California Class B #1496

Cousins have late night experience with strange screams near Huntington Lake

The witness and a relative were walking in a meadow below ranch buildings around dusk when they heard a prolonged loud screaming vocalization from nearby trees and heard movement circling the meadow. They retreated to ranch buildings and continued hearing vocalizations around the ranch overnight. The next day they found no tracks on frozen ground but found a large handprint with long fingers on a food storeroom door.

ScreamMovement onlyHandprint
22 September 1995 Humboldt County, California Class B #2148

Campers report hearing sounds in the woods which are often associated with bigfoot sightings

Two companions were camping in separate spots near a river. The companion walking back from a grove heard crashes, a scream, nearby rustling, and breathing but saw nothing moving. From about a half-mile away on a riverbed, the witness heard a very loud scream from the forest to the north believed to be in the same area.

ScreamUnidentified soundMovement only
August 1995 Outside Of Quincy California, But Very Remote Area, Plumas County, California Class B #65566

Stalking of Forest Service worker on Pacific Crest Trail outside Quincy

While working alone to clear trail, the witness heard something moving parallel to him downslope for a couple of hours. The footfalls sounded clearly bipedal and the unseen mover easily kept pace through steep, brushy terrain. The witness never saw the source, noticing only moving saplings, and the sounds stopped about half an hour from his truck.

FootstepsMovement only
August 1990 Dorrington, Calaveras County, California Class B #6160

Group of hunters have unusual experience near Dorrington

Twelve hunters were sleeping in a meadow camp after a day of bow hunting. Around 2 a.m. something heavy ran through the camp emitting a high-pitched female-like scream. The runner shook a truck as it passed and knocked over a full ice chest but was not seen in the dark. No unusual prints were found the next morning.

ScreamVehicle contactProperty disturbanceMovement only
1 July 1985 Fort Bragg, Mendocino County, California Class B #4886

Two men hear afternoon vocalization near Fort Bragg

The witness and a companion were at a house overlooking a river when they heard loud crashing from the forest across the river. They then heard vocalizations that began as grunting and a deep loud moo-like sound and rose into a very loud high-pitched scream. After vocalizing, the unseen source moved rapidly inland through the forest until its footsteps could no longer be heard. The witness concluded the sounds were made by a Bigfoot, noting the speed and distance covered did not match a cow.

VocalizationScreamGrowlFootstepsMovement only
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
July 1979 Lake Shasta, Shasta County, California Class B #2770

Couple Has Frightening Encounter Near Lake Shasta

A couple drove to a remote meadow near Squaw Creek and camped overnight. After the campfire burned low at night they heard loud breaking branches, rushing movement circling and approaching the camp, and a loud howl-like vocalization, while their dog growled and a strong foul odor was present. They kept the fire large, shone flashlights into the woods without seeing eyeshine, and left at daylight, later associating the incident with Bigfoot after a friend's comment.

HowlFootstepsMovement onlyOdor
February 1977 Weaverville, Trinity County, California Class B #7231

A young man and friends had two consecutive night encounters with an unknown creature

In February 1977 five youths camped in two VW buses at a remote, densely forested campground in the Trinity Alps. On two consecutive nights around 10:30 p.m., something rushed down the steep hill behind camp and violently rocked the bus the witness slept in. The first morning packs were found strewn and torn open; the second night a large boulder was found wedged behind the bus tire and the other bus had shifted about five feet toward the river. The group reported seeing nothing because windows were iced over, noting only hillside skid marks, rushing noises, and a brief strong odor before leaving early.

Movement onlyUnidentified soundVehicle contactRock throwingProperty disturbance +1
1977 Mendocino County, California Class B #2199

Witness heard stomping and crashing of small trees.

The witness was lying in a tent at night in woods near Mendocino when loud stomping and crashing of small trees was heard about fifty yards away. The sounds lasted about 30 seconds and were interpreted as a biped moving quickly, apparently pursued by barking dogs. After the crashing stopped, a dog was heard yelping as if badly injured, then silence fell. The next morning the witness found broken vegetation but no clear sign of its cause and moved camp.

FootstepsMovement onlyTree break
September 1976 Lee Vining, Mono County, California Class B #10718

Campers hear a vocalization near Tenaya Lake

A group camping by a lake at night heard animal sounds go quiet followed by a very loud vocalization that rose from low to a high shrill pitch. Other campers from near the mountain came down the trail with their gear to leave, saying the scream had been right by them and they had seen something run toward and past the witness camp. The witness group did not see anything but noticed a strong dirty or wet dog smell after leaving their tents and waited until daylight to leave.

ScreamGrowlOdorMovement only