Geographical Index > United States > California > Lassen County > Report # 15039
(Class B)
Submitted by witness on Thursday, June 22, 2006.
Possible vocalizations heard by resident near Lassen National Forest
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YEAR: 2005
SEASON: Spring MONTH: July DATE: 12 STATE: California COUNTY: Lassen County LOCATION DETAILS: I live near Susanville California in a small community just off Eagle Lake Road (which branches off Highway 36 about four miles west of Susanville proper) surrounded by the Lassen National Forest. It is a mountainous pine forest, above 5000 feet in the northern Sierras. My community is about a 2 - 3 mile drive through Lassen forest up Eagle Lake Road from Hwy 36.
NEAREST TOWN: Susanville NEAREST ROAD: Eagle Lake Road OBSERVED: I cannot say this is a Bigfoot event. I did not SEE what was happening - I only HEARD it.
I was outside early one morning in June, 2005 - around 0600 - when I heard perhaps three dogs start to bark. They were perhaps two or three blocks away (the forest is very near there) when they began.
This went on for a couple of minutes until the dogs began to bark louder and more fiercely. Then I heard a very loud howl, which certainly didn't sound like any dog I've ever heard. It reminded me of a Gibbon call in the zoo; more ape-like than dog.
The dogs continued to bray, and the howler got louder and tended to drown them out.
It did not sound like a fight but rather, a bunch of animals having a verbal argument over their respective territories.
This went on for several minutes - perhaps 5 - until the animals grew tired of their noisy discourse. It presently stopped.
I did not see any of my neighbors out and about so am not sure who if anyone else heard this.
I am not a believer in Bigfoot per se, but since being up here and that episode, I have to wonder. ALSO NOTICED: Only that it was unusual enough that I stood and listened! Slight chills down the spine, maybe... OTHER WITNESSES: Only me, as far as I know. People up here keep mostly to themselves, and I don't know many hereabouts. OTHER STORIES: You have two reports for Lassen county from earlier years. I believe one at least was off Highway 44 and probably not more than five or ten miles away. TIME AND CONDITIONS: Morning, maybe slightly overcast. Pleasant morning, if I recall correctly. ENVIRONMENT: Pine Forest in mountains.
Follow-up investigation report by BFRO Investigator B Brewer:
The following is the text from an email inquiry:
Witness:
>Your questions with my answers below follow.
First though, please amend the date in my report to
July 12. Since writing, I found a blog entry I made
at that date.
1. Did it seem as if the howler was moving, or
stationary? How long were the individual howls? Did
they change in pitch, and if so, how?
Ans - It was a few blocks off, but it sounded
stationary. The howls, as best I recall, lasted
longer than the dogs - perhaps around 45 seconds or
so, as opposed to 15-20 secs for the dogs. Didn't
change in pitch so much as it grew louder. Maybe 2 or
3 good howls.
2. The inevitable question: Are you familiar with
sounds from known animals such as coyotes, mountain
lions, elk, etc.?
Ans - I've encountered mountain lions and bears, but
it didn't sound like them. Coyotes - only from a
distance. Mostly on tape or film. Never heard an elk
so couldn't say.
3. Have you listened to any of the sound files on the
BFRO website?
Ans - Unfortunately, my sound card is not working.
So, no I haven't.
4. Does what you heard sound like any of the sound
files, either of known animals or of supposed
bigfoot calls?
Ans - Again, not on your website.
I can only say it was at a distance. It could have
been a dog, but it was strange and reminded me more of
a large gibbon. Whatever it was, it surely upset
those dogs that were barking at it.<
Comments: Although the witness was unable to do their own research to try to identify the vocalizations that they heard and eliminate known animals that they have not heard before, they were unusual enough and the circumstances extraordinary enough to warrant the filing of a report with the BFRO.
About BFRO Investigator B Brewer:
Former student of Anthropolgy and Primatology as part of studies at the University of Oregon. Currently architectural designer/fabricator in CA. Active field researcher in Western states. Attended the following BFRO expeditions: California Redwoods - 2005; California Redwoods - 2006; California Sierra Nevadas - 2005: New Mexico 2005 ; Arizona Mogollon Rim - 2006 , Oregon / California Border Expedition in November 2006. Oregon 2007, Sierras 2008, 2009, Redwoods 2008, 2009, 2010, Bluff Creek 2011, 2012, Shasta 2012.
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