Fish & Game employee recalls following possible tracks while hiking near Little Payette Lake witnessed in Valley County, Idaho

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In November of 1979 my wife and I drove out to Little Lake just east of McCall. The lake is very low this time of year and I went for a walk on the mud flat following the stream that feeds the lake. I wanted to cross the stream but it was hip deep and I would have gotten soaked. As I followed the stream I could start to see large tracks on the other side headed my way. I was a little amazed to see that this animal had crossed the stream and climbed a steep mud bank without skipping a beat. There was no indication that it even shook itself off after getting wet (all animals do that!). Now that the tracks were on my side I followed them hoping to find one clear print in the mud. Generally they seemed bipedal and if I took a really long stride (I'm 5'11") I could walk naturally in the tracks. The tracks dwarfed my size #10 boots however. They were huge! Maybe an inch or two wider and 6 inches or more longer. If somebody told me that Shaquille O'Neal had just taken a walk here the whole...