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115 encounters
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
1 September 1986 Lakehead Ca., Shasta County, California Class B #2855

Man had deer stolen by creature near Lakehead

A homeowner had shot a deer and hung it in a tree behind the house. That night while going to let dogs out, he heard an unfamiliar scream and saw a large ape-like creature in the yard. The creature seized the deer and fled into the forest, tearing out a stretch of barbed-wire fence and leaving hair and tracks. A friend visiting the next day was shown where it stood and ran, including the tracks and hair.

Full-body sightingEyeshineScreamTracksHair
August 1986 Truckee, Nevada County, California Class B #16550

Solo camper's late night encounter outside Truckee

The witness had pulled off a remote forest road for the night and was sleeping beside the truck with dogs. In darkness heavy bipedal footsteps approached up the road and stopped a few yards away. The unseen source emitted an extremely loud prolonged scream then ran away down the road still screaming. The witness searched briefly by headlights for tracks, found none on the rocky road, and left when the dogs refused to leave the truck.

FootstepsScream
October 1985 Kernville, Tulare County, California Class B #11407

Two young men camping in the high country, hear vocals

Two companions were camping away from developed sites and sitting by a campfire in the evening when they heard loud shrill scream-growl vocalizations that seemed to come closer over time. The surrounding forest reportedly fell silent and they felt frightened and that something was close. They turned off music, readied firearms, heard another series of screams later that night, and slept with guns for protection.

ScreamGrowlFootsteps
October 1985 Gasquet, Del Norte County, California Class B #4445

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.

ScreamVocalizationFootstepsTracksUnidentified sound
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 1984 Not Sure., Shasta County, California Class B #8184

Large Footprints Found, Vocalizations Heard by Vacationer Near Lake Shasta

While on a family houseboat trip, the witness walked up a creek bed and found two sizes of bare human-like five-toed tracks that crossed sharp rocks and entered the woods. That night while sleeping atop the beached houseboat with a relative, both heard two loud distant resonant screams that rose high then dropped into a gargle-growl. The relative also later reported hearing heavy footsteps, breathing and grunting along the shore before dawn.

TracksScreamGrowl
August 1984 Mono Hot Springs Resort, Fresno County, California Class B #3605

Three teenagers hear vocalizations at dusk, while fishing in Doris Lake in John Muir Wilderness

The witness and two companions were fishing on a lake at dusk when they heard a loud scream from across the lake in the forested mountains. No people or animals were visible in the area. About a minute later they heard the same scream a second time. Frightened, they reeled in their lines and ran back to the nearby resort without stopping.

Scream
2 July 1981 Jenner, Sonoma County, California Class B #6971

Couple hear late night scream near Fort Ross

While bicycle-camping overnight at Fort Ross, the witness and a companion were awakened around 1 a.m. by an extremely loud, prolonged scream very close to their tent. They stayed frozen in the tent listening for about an hour, and later heard a similar scream from farther away near the lower parking area. They did not see the source and did not look for tracks the next morning.

Scream
September 1980 Weaverville, Trinity County, California Class B #7773

Hunters hear late night screams in the Trinity Alps Wilderness

Two hunters camping overnight on a ridge to be positioned for opening day heard a single extremely loud scream that shifted from high-pitched to deeper growl-like tones from the direction of a nearby tree line. About half an hour later their tethered mule became highly agitated and was found favoring a front leg that later swelled markedly despite no visible wound. Searches that night and the next morning revealed no source, tracks, or sign of trauma.

ScreamGrowl
September 1979 Weed, Siskiyou County, California Class B #5220

Son and step Father have a strange encounter on the north/east side of Mt.Shasta

The witness and a relative were camping in a remote wooded area when the witness was awakened around 3 a.m. by noises around the truck, including an ice chest being knocked over and a violent impact that rocked the vehicle, followed by a loud piercing scream-like sound. The relative also woke, and in the morning they found the camp in disarray with a dozen eggs missing, the empty carton later found away from camp, and a dent in the truck. No creature was seen and no tracks were found, and the pair stayed up until morning before leaving.

ScreamVehicle contactProperty disturbance
September 1978 Strawberry, Tuolumne County, California Class B #7676

Hunters have strange night experiences near Groundhog Meadow

A witness and his son were camping by a horse corral after building deer blinds. Early in the evening they heard two loud low-pitched screams from different directions, then later watched a pair of red eyes about six to seven feet off the ground for about an hour. Later that night something struck the side of their truck-mounted camper hard enough to shake the truck, but they found nothing outside.

ScreamEyeshineVehicle contact
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
October 1977 Strawberry, Tuolumne County, California Class B #1955

Witness reports loud screaming near Strawberry

A witness at recreational cabins reported hearing very loud, high-pitched screaming for approximately two minutes around 1 a.m. The sound was estimated to originate from less than 50 meters away. The cabin was in the southeast portion of a lake with no other cabins behind it.

Scream
July 1977 Bear Valley, Calaveras County, California Class B #4366

Hikers have late night experience near Spicer

The witness and a companion were camping in a tent near a river. Late at night they heard loud screams and then footsteps on a dry creek bed behind the tent. The witness saw a large silhouette move past a tree toward the river, heard splashing and screaming, then footsteps approach the tent and run away. They waited for daylight and left quickly.

SilhouetteScreamFootsteps
January 1977 Groveland, Tuolumne County, California Class B #7097

Campers hear late night vocalizations at Carlon Station

The witness and two companions were snow camping in a tent when they were awakened in the early morning by loud footsteps in snow, puffing and grunting, and repeated piercing screams from a ridge above camp. The sounds moved around the campsite for about an hour before fading as the source walked away over the ridge. The group kept watch until daylight, then packed up and left quickly without seeing the source or approaching the ridge to look for tracks.

FootstepsGrowlScreamVocalization
Winter 1977 Tuolumne County, California Class B #2887

Loud, High-pitched Animal Screams Heard Outside a Cabin Late at Night

After midnight while getting ready for bed in a cabin near Pinecrest Lake, the witness heard extremely loud high-pitched screaming from behind the cabin that lasted over a minute. The witness judged the sound to be very close and unlike any known animal, ruling out cats, humans, and bears at the time. Months later the witness read a description of similar screaming and associated the sound with Bigfoot.

Scream
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
September 1976 Azusa, Los Angeles County, California Class B #1634

Varmint hunter has a night encounter with a large animal

While night hunting with a dying-rabbit call, the witness heard extremely loud, threatening screams from an unseen animal on a ridge. The animal screamed three times while moving to get downwind of the witness. The witness used a powerful hunting light and reported catching its glowing eyes, and described being truly frightened.

ScreamEyeshine