A minor update on my original story:
This will be just a little more factual detail that I neglected to include in the original post.
I stared at his face, and couldn't make out any eyes. I did notice that his face was flattish, like a human's would be-- there was definately NO snout, such as a black bear would have to have. He had human shaped shoulders and I saw his human shaped arms down to the middle of his biceps. It was distinctly creepy how at the end of the staring match, he sank straight down smoothly and silently. I never smelled nor heard him make any sounds at all. He made good his rapid exit in complete silence. Visually, for what of its body I could see, he was just about a dead ringer for that creature in the Patterson film.
Now, here's a gob of supposition, my interpretation of what happened:
At the time, I was between labs, and so was hunting by myself. I have a habit of wearing full surplus camoflauge, and moving quietly and uobtrusively, so that as I wander, I can come up on game animals by surprise. I think this Hairy Man of the Forest was hanging out(hiding, really) in this thin, arid forest, and observed a camo'ed figure quietly walking around, and it piqued his interest.
Being an accomplished hider, he figured he could follow(?) or at least move around a little to get a better look at oblivious me. Well, he forgot himself and stuck up too far above the downed log, while stareing too long at me. I have a vague notion that if you stare at someone too long (or too hard?), that they will become somehow aware of this attention, and start looking around. I suppose this is the reason that I turned around "for no reason."
After he dropped down on his side of the log, he used it as visual cover to make good his escape.
Since he was my size or a couple of inches smaller, I imagine he was a juvenile, since other mass media witnesses claim the full sized ones are a few feet taller. I will guess that he was the equivalent of a teenager, who was just out messing around.
Can you imagine the wrath his angry family group would rain down on the perpetrator, if some hunter had been dumb enough to wing junior?! I'm telling you right now, the last thing you should do is make them seriously mad for light and transient reasons. I definately don't want any trouble from them, but neither will I meekly submit to having my labs torn apart by them. I don't think they like dogs.
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People are free to make up their own minds about stories they hear. I've got no proof or pics, only my say so.
Over drinks, I told my lawyer hunting buddy this story. His eyes got big and round, and he had a stunned look...
The biggest reason that people do not feel free to tell these sorts of wierd stories, is that nothing good ever seems to come of it.
