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66 encounters
10 November 2018 Bishop, Inyo County, California Class B #62169

Couple experience large rock thrown and possible bluff charge in Inyo National Forest

The witness and a companion hiked to a high-elevation lake to fish and stopped to rest on the trail. A large angular rock landed near them after they heard it moving through the air, followed by a loud grunt, a foul odor, and heavy footsteps approaching downhill. Fearing a bear, they fled down the switchback trail while the footsteps cut straight downhill behind them for about five minutes before stopping. They abandoned personal items, returned to the trailhead, and left the area.

Rock throwingGrowlFootstepsOdor
June 2018 California #b00b8dcf-40ed-426b-9b0c-73e0d9207aa7

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.

Wood knockGrowlOdorEyeshinePartial sighting +5
5 August 2017 Big Bear City, California #http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bigfoothotspot/2017/09/22/sc-ep364-worst-day-ever

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.

TwistTree breakFootstepsWhistleVocalization +2
29 August 2009 Trinity Center, Trinity County, California Class B #27327

Wilderness campers have an unknown visitor in the Trinity Alps of Northern California

The witness was lying awake in a tent at a remote lake camp around 1:30 a.m. while three companions slept. He heard footsteps circling camp, smelled a strong animal odor, and saw a large shadowy figure lift his backpack above the tent and appear to try to open it. After he yelled, the figure dropped the pack onto the tent and left camp on foot as the others woke and heard its retreat.

FootstepsOdorSilhouetteProperty disturbance
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
July 2005 Mammoth, Mono County, California Class B #20306

Young man claims possible sighting at night near Lake Mary, outside Mammoth

The witness was staying at a cabin near Lake Mary and took two dogs for a night walk. The dogs began growling and pulling toward sounds of rustling leaves and breaking branches. The witness shone a flashlight and saw a huge ape-like but human-built figure about 200 feet away watching and swaying between trees. After a minute or two the figure turned and walked away, and the witness hurried back to the cabin.

Full-body sightingFootstepsOdor
Winter 2004 Georgetown, El Dorado County, California Class A #11656

Couple Has Early Evening Encounter Near Stumpy Meadow Reservoir

The witness and a companion spent the day fishing and prospecting near a dam and spillway while feeling watched. As light faded they walked back toward their car, sensing something pacing them unseen and stopping when they stopped. After reaching the dam road in darkness, the witness saw one large dark form and two smaller forms move around the spillway and up a hill, then heard them make repeated guttural, sentence-like sounds in response to a shout before disappearing over the ridge.

Partial sightingSilhouetteRoad crossingVocalizationChatter +2
16 November 2003 Orleans, Humboldt County, California Class B #7452

Campers Hear Unusual Evening Sounds

Two campers spent a rainy night at a campground after noticing a skunk-like odor on arrival. Through the night they heard ape-like hoots, single-note whistles, repeated wood-on-wood whacks from several directions, heavy two-legged footsteps, and nearby rockslides. They saw nothing in the dark and left the next morning, noting the steep bowl-shaped hillside could carry sounds from far uphill.

VocalizationWood knockFootstepsWhistleOdor
September 2003 Tuolumne, Tuolumne County, California Class B #25648

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.

OdorFootstepsUnidentified soundTree breakProperty disturbance
18 October 2002 Yreka, Siskiyou County, California Class A #7637

Parents pursue 7 1/2' tall female biped across pasture after being alerted by daughter

The witness was taking a dog outside at night and felt watched after the dog stared and growled. After shining a flashlight in that direction, the witness saw two hairy bipedal figures cross a fence and then ran inside. Relatives then went outside, reportedly saw the larger figure up close, noticed odor and sounds, and the group found large tracks the next day.

Full-body sightingEyeshineTracksOdorUnidentified sound
September 2002 Georgetown, El Dorado County, California Class B #11948

Quad riders find fresh footprints, encounter overwhelming stench near Stumpy Meadows

The witness was riding an ATV with her husband on a forest road and stopped alone to wait for him. She reported a very strong foul odor, a feeling of being watched, and hearing a branch break. When she started to leave she noticed very large footprints over their fresh outgoing tracks. Her husband saw the prints but attributed their size to dust and reported only a faint dead smell.

TracksOdorUnidentified sound
30 August 2002 Downieville, Sierra County, California Class B #7363

Family Encounters Red Eyes and Unusual Smells

The witness group was camped in a Sierra County campground and walked to an outhouse at night with a small flashlight. The witness shone the light toward the outhouse area below the trail and saw two red eyes that appeared to crouch down, then quickly returned to camp. A foul odor noticed around the outhouse lessened when others checked shortly after, and the next morning the group found small uprooted trees and no odor, estimating the eyes had been 7 to 8 feet off the ground.

EyeshineOdorTree break
August 2002 Middletown, Lake County, California Class B #9648

Hunters have strange experiences and make an unusual discovery

Two companions were hunting deer on a family property near Pine Mountain when they found a footprint and other tracks near a pine overhang, noticed a localized strong skunk-like odor, and saw a pile of fresh acorns with no oak nearby. As they moved uphill using alternating advances, each heard an unrecognized whistle and the sound of a large boulder rolling, with neither attributing the sounds to the other. Both reported a feeling of being followed uphill.

TracksOdorWhistleUnidentified sound
1 August 2002 Woodfords, Alpine County, California Class B #5791

Campers hear late night scream near Woodfords

The witness was asleep in a tent at a remote lake campground when she was awakened by a loud scream that rose from low to high pitch just outside the tent. She heard something heavy run away up a gravel road. Companions camped a short distance away also heard the scream, and one who went outside reported a very strong bad odor, while the witness's dog reacted strongly inside the tent.

ScreamFootstepsOdor
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
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 2000 Lewiston, Trinity County, California Class A #405

Several tracks found by hunter near Lewiston Lake

While deer hunting, the witness found many large tracks and followed them to a hidden hillside spring in a dry area. The water was murky as if recently disturbed, and the witness also found dung with an unusual sweet smell that was collected for testing. No creature was seen, but the witness believed he had just missed it.

TracksScatOdor
July 2000 I Cant Remember, El Dorado County, California Class A #913

Hikers see creature in Desolation Wilderness

The witness and a companion were hiking in the afternoon when they heard movement in the brush. The witness then saw a large hairy creature with yellow eyes walking away and noticed a garbage-like smell. The witness attempted to photograph it but could not get a clear shot because it kept moving in and out of trees.

Partial sightingFootstepsOdor
November 1999 Holtville, Imperial County, California Class A #8345

Truck driver has a short but memorable encounter

A semi-truck driver pulled over at a desert highway pullout at night and got out of the truck. He heard rocks falling, noticed a strong decaying odor that became gagging, and saw a large hairy biped cross the road in front of his headlights while making a loud grunt. Frightened, he got back in the truck and drove away.

Partial sightingRoad crossingVocalizationFootstepsOdor
11 August 1998 Hornbrook, Siskiyou County, California Class A #2862

Sighting by a Family on the Banks of the Klamath River near Hornbrook

A family of four was fishing along the Klamath River on a sunny afternoon when they noticed quiet woods and a strong sour odor. They saw a very large dark-brown hair-covered figure standing across the river by brush and watched for a few minutes as it crouched to drink. The figure was gone after a loud jeep passed and distracted them.

Full-body sightingOdor