Man retells his close, visual encounter at dawn on Pine Mountain as a young deer hunter witnessed in Ventura County, California

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An unknown ape-like creature walked upright out of the thick patch of bushes and stood looking, for several seconds, up and down the fire lane. I cocked the hammer back on the .32 caliber carbine, shouldered the weapon, and began to press the trigger. Something in my mind ordered me to not shoot the creature! I call it Devine intervention. I asked myself if this was a bear? No, I instantly decided that it didn't look like a bear because there was not a long, protruding snout jutting out from the face. Besides, bears were not legal game in this area of California. It certainly was not a buck, never mind the fact that if it was a deer there were no horns on this animal. I immediately told myself it looked like a 'monkey man'. I can hear myself today saying these words out loud: 'What the hell is a monkey doing out here in the mountains'? In the meantime, as I made the move to shoulder the carbine, and spoke those words, the big animal turned towards me from the waste up. Looking over the sights of the little carbine, I observed this being to be about 7 or 8 feet tall, with well-muscled, long hairy arms hanging down to the waist. The hands looked almost human; I remember noticing these things as I slowly put down the gun. This creature was completely covered in long dark, brown hair, from head to feet and appeared to have a huge, barrel chest. Some other striking features that I noticed were a flat, square jawed face; a flat, dark looking nose; no noticeable hair on the face; and a 'sloping fore head'. I don't remember seeing any sign of ears on the animal ' too much long hair around the side of the head ' and there was no discernable neck. Since I had no idea what this creature was, I've always been glad to have instantly decided NOT TO SHOOT IT! Thank God for protective Angles? The other thing I thought about, at the time, was this could be some idiot in a 'monkey suit' playing a prank on some hunter like me. But, then, only a 'village idiot' would dress up in a monkey costume and roam around the mountains during deer hunting season. As I contemplate the incident today, I realize now that this was a Bigfoot! And, it had both seen and heard me. I could not tell what sex it was because of all the long, dark hair around the body. However, now that I have seen numerous showings of the Patterson film in which 'Pattie' was documented, I must guesstimate it was male in gender? Within 10-15 seconds, as quickly as the creature had entered my field of view, it calmly made about two strides across the open fire lane, parted some tall bushes with well-muscled, uplifted hairy arms, and disappeared into the thick bushes. Right away I noticed that it was now standing inside the screen of thick brush along side of the fire land like it was watching me. I could readily discern the huge dark shape, as it stood there for possibly a minute or so. Apparently, it was looking at me sitting up the hill on the ground. I didn't know at the time whether it was going to attack me or leave. I kept the little carbine in the 'ready position' across my chest and slowly stood up to get a better look at this unknown animal. I decided at the moment when I stood up that, that if this thing would 'charge' me, I was going to run back up the hill to my dad - unless it got too close to me. Then, and only then, would I consider shooting the animal! I admit it ' I was scared fit to wet my pants. I now recall seeing the bushes shake violently and the dark shape stepped out of sight. I slowly sat down again and listened to its rustling footsteps as the huge 'ape-man' descended down the hill away from me. Boy was I glad it was gone. Now the shakes started. If I had been smoking in those days, I would have lit a cigarette and probably smoked the whole pack. Finally, after about 15-minutes, when the stillness was broken by singing birds and scurrying chipmunks, I got up enough nerve to carefully go down to the spot where I had seen this creature. Was I dreaming? No, because there, in the loose dirt, I saw a couple of huge, human-like, barefooted tracks where it had crossed the fire line. Then, a raunchy odor hit my nose. I remember thinking it smelled like a horrendous fart. In fact, at the time, I decided to call it the 'Fart Creature'. I know, that is not a very endearing name for such a marvelous being, but that's how my scared brain was working that fateful morning. Deciding that now would be a good time to leave the area; I quickly walked back up the hill to where I had been sitting and stood there for a few minutes. Clearly, I had seen something unexplained. Now I had to decide if I should tell my dad or just keep quiet. To tell you the truth, I was afraid to tell my father because I knew he would never believe me. I thought he would most certainly take my hunting privileges away for seeing 'buggers in the hills'. I began slowly walking back up the firebreak towards my father in the piney flats above me. I remember now that he had asked me why I had left my deer stand so early. I think I replied that I was hungry and bored at not seeing a buck right after daylight. He probably chewed me out for leaving so early, but, at least, I didn't incur his wrath for telling a 'bugger' story! Honestly, for many years I forgot about this incident. I had to go back to military school the next week and the ensuing years later my life was filled with other things. Of course, I really never did totally forget about seeing a Sasquatch! It was only later on in life, after getting married, serving in the military, and leaving California for Florida, that this sighting began to trouble my conscious. How I kept this a secret for this many years I will never know. I guess I was frightened that people would think I was crazy? Usually, I'm the blabby type, sharing plenty of secrets with almost anybody, especially family or friends. But this deal, oh no ' I kept these cards close ' too close for too long, really! I swear to all persons reading this report that the facts documented here are recalled to the best of my ability after 44 years and one month in the past! ____________R.R.R._____________ Friday, September 12, 2008 p.s. The photo of a Bigfoot creature from the 'Patterson film' looks very much like that being I observed in August 1964.