Screaming or howling in Nevada County, California

One night in 1978, my 4 yr. old daughter and I, along with my boyfriend and his family were standing around a huge bon fire we had built. They lived on a ranch out in the country. It was dark about 9:00 at night and the stars were out bright. We were roasting marshmellows and having a good time. Suddenly, we heard a sound none of us heard before, it came from the bottom of the small canyon nearby the ranch. It was a very loud screech, howl, yelling burst of noise. It filled the whole canyon up and down the creek bed with its hollaring screech. We all began to ask "What is that sound"? What could be making a sound like that? We knew it was the sound of an animal but what kind, we couldn't tell. We were frightend! As we listened we realized that he was getting closer, we could hear the bushes crush under him as he pushed his way through them. We could tell by the sound that he was very huge and coming fast. We all dropped what we were doing and ran into the house. To my shame, when I got into the house I realized that my daughter was left behind. I ran back outside to get her. She was still standing there in the same spot, I picked her up and brought her into the house. She told me that she saw him (the creature). She said that he was very big and very hairy. She said that he walked up to her looked at her and then walked away. She still remembers seeing him that night, I just asked her about a month ago. I guess it will be a night we both will never forget!