Growing Up Bigfoot In the Pacific Northwest

My Dad wasn't an ordinary Dad. Every weekend, during the spring and summer time, sometimes fall, my family would pack up and learn about survival skills. My Mom would make peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, bring a bag a plain potato chips, and a cooler with ice which was filled with glass bottles of soda. A giant Coleman cooler with water in was always with us too. But, we were not allowed to eat or drink what was brought to the camp. My Dad showed us how to fish, trap wild rabbits, showed what plants we could and could not eat. How to collect rain water and water from the river. I hated going as i got older but one year was different. We camped at this one area we had never been before. My Dad jokingly said to be on the look out for Bigfoot. Oregon is well known for Bigfoot sightings. I didn't believe in Bigfoot. My Dad did. He always told us stories about that large hairy ape-like man and how many people seen it and seen the feet prints in mud or grass. The first day was my turn to gather wood for the fire. I was a few feet from the campsite when I started picking up different sizes of tree limbs when I realized, I was in a thick wooded area. I turned around and I could hear my family talking but could not see them. I started walking fast. I thought I heard crunching behind me. I walked faster. I tripped and fell. I got myself up and gathered the limbs. I hear this weird growl.My dad taught me what sounds each animal makes but I have never heard this sound before. I turned around and scanned the trees. I see nothing except the corner of my eye I see something move. It was dark in color and it moved carefully behind each tree. As it got closer, I could smell something nasty. An awful dirty dog smell. I cannot describe it only as that. This thing did not move after it walked behind four trees. It felt like it was looking at me. At first, I thought it was a bear. But bears will continue to walk and make this gruffing noise. I knew I had to run. So, I dropped the wood and ran back to the camp screaming at the top of my lungs. My Dad grabbed his rifle and told me to show him where I saw this thing. I saw my pile of wood. I pointed and told him what I saw. He asked me if it smelled like this when I was here. I told him yes. he told me stay. he walked around to the back of the trees. he then waved me over. I walked over and he pointed down at the ground. there on the ground was this enormous foot print that pressed down the pine needles into the dirt. I could not believe what I saw. My dad told me to run back to the camp and get the camera. I did what i was told. he let me take the picture. We went back to the camp. My Dad stayed up all nigh making sure whatever it was didn't come back. I knew what it was and so did my Dad. Bigfoot was real and now I am a believer.