Daylight sighting by a horseback rider, near a pond in Redwood National Park witnessed in Humboldt County, California

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Had been riding horses with three other friends on the six hour loop trail and stopped for lunch where the outhouse is located at the one day trail junction. We were all sitting at the picnic table having lunch and was hearing much crashing in the brush. Not unusual sounds for there are elk everywhere in the park. We did notice however that a "bear" or something had an awfully good time with the outhouse toilet paper, as it was strung all over the place. We all were sitting there having lunch and I decided that I wanted to go see where the elk were, maybe see a big bull! So I got on my horse and rode down to where I heard the noise and the trail is cut out on an old logging road and a creek crosses through a culvert to the other side of the road and the water forms a small pool before moving on down into the larger creek below. I could not tell you how long I was sitting there on my horse watching this creature not more than 30' away trying to get a drink of water out of the pool. I...