YEAR: 1991

SEASON: Summer

MONTH: June

STATE: Washington

COUNTY: Kitsap County

LOCATION DETAILS: One Mile NE of Hood Canal Bridge.

NEAREST TOWN: Port Gamble

NEAREST ROAD: 104

OBSERVED: Very early AM what I first thought was a bear digging on the shore with its hand (paw) I guess looking for clams or small crabs. I was doing some fishing and walked to the bank down a small trail when I spotted it. I thought it was a bear so I stopped and slowly started to walk backup the trail. I walked about 5 yards and turned to see if it was following or had left. When I stopped and turned around to see this ‘bear’ it stoodup on it's hind legs and looked right at me. It was not a bear.

It was about 7-71/2' tall. It walked very quickly to the north and disappeared into the brush and trees. I was to scared to follow it and in shock. I do not believe in Bigfoot, I still am not sure what it was I saw. It may have been a bear but it looked like a large hairy man (no neck to speak of or really any hair on the face) and it walked upright taking strides as a man. This was in 1991. I no longer live in Washington but now in Colorado.

When I saw the creature go into the forest I stayed frozen for a good 15 minutes listening to hear if it might be coming. After then I walked overto where it had been. There were only two footprints of any real detail in the rocky sand. I wear a size 13, these were 15-16 inches, 5 toes, no claws or "pad" prints like a bear. I am a ordained Assemblies of God minister and I do not wish to get involved in this kind of stuff but my wife said I should tell someone. I have two pictures of the footprints, one with my shoe next to it for comparison. As I said, I do not really believe in Bigfoot, I just don't know what it was. My mother in-law believes in these things and has shown these pictures to a newspaper.

ALSO NOTICED: Like I said, a place that had been dug up (4-6 inch hole) you could tell it had been dug by hand. Footprints (partial) and two good prints. One in the mud it had dug out of the hole, one in the mud next to the brush line in the place it entered the forest.

OTHER WITNESSES: Walking down a small trail to practice casting a new real I bought the day before.

OTHER STORIES: Only one from a Kitsap County Ranger. He was working by Seabeck (Bremerton Watershed area) saw a large bear/man like thing 20-30 yards away from him walking through the forest towards a small creek late evening (7-8 PM) this was a good two months after I saw mine. (I had not told anybody except my wife. As I said, I don't believe in them and don't wish to get branded a nut. He shared his experience one night as we were talking about spotted owls and different creatures in the area. I still never told him about my experience.

TIME AND CONDITIONS: The tide was still out.

ENVIRONMENT: Hood canal shore line. Sandy, muddy, small rocks and pebbles.

A & G References: Pg. 78, B3

Follow-up investigation report:

The BFRO is in the process of acquiring the photos associated with this event for study. We will update the information, as it becomes available.