Bigfoot Lunch Club

Bigfoot Nest VS California Black Bear Den

2012-02-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

Ranger Robert Leiterman talks about a den

The BFROVideos uploaded one of their more interesting videos hosted by a Ranger. Read the description that was uploaded the video below:

While investigating their NorCal coastal redwoods research area, Bart Cutino and Ranger Robert Leiterman stumble upon a huge hollowed out redwood log. Inside they find what appears to be a nest constructed of sticks and other vegetative debris. Is this one time dilapidated wood rat structure a Bigfoot nest? We contend it's merely an impressive black bear den & we'll explain why.

SyFy Network: New Bigfoot Movie with Danny Bonaduce

2012-02-02T20:23:00.000-08:00

Some of our favorite TV stars, including Danny Bonaduce and Barry Willams will star in a SyFy movie titled simply as "Bigfoot." This is an update to an article we did last March 2011.

An article at EW reveals the other cast and crew:

Sherilyn Fenn, Alice Cooper join Syfy's 'Bigfoot' -- EXCLUSIVE

by James Hibberd

Categories: Television

Comments 8Add comment

Syfy’s newest creature feature is amassing yet another pop-culture cauldron of familiar names.

The network’s upcoming Bigfoot — which already stars the previously announced power team of Danny Bonaduce (The Partridge Family) and Barry Williams (The Brady Bunch) — is adding the following actors: Howard Hesseman (Head of the Class), Sherilyn Fenn (Twin Peaks), Andre Royo (The Wire), and rock legend Alice Cooper (School’s Out). Bruce Davidson is directing.

The story: When Bigfoot is discovered in South Dakota, two life-long rivals (Williams and Bonaduce) battle to capture the creature — one to exploit it and one to save it.

The movie will debut later this year. My only quibble: The name. Just… Bigfoot? Not Bigfoot: Toes of Terror? Not Bigfoot Stomp-Squatch? No Bigfoot-aconda? Here’s our previous list of Syfy’s most awesomely bad movie titles.

We just got word from Fangoria reporting we will have to wait. Ugh!!

You’ll have to wait until 2012 to see 1970s pop-culture icons Danny Bonaduce and Barry Williams face off in the hunt for the legendary mountain creature BIGFOOT -- Fangoria.Com

Theres not much information on this yet, but TV Guide is reporting:

Move over, Sharktopus: Syfy's next batch of campy TV movies include zombies, a Jersey Shore shark attack, Danny Bonaduce fighting Bigfoot and Shannen Doherty as Hansel's long-lost sister.

The cable network is set to announce a new slate of original movies on Tuesday, including Bigfoot, which will star The Partridge Family's Bonaduce opposite another 1970s sitcom icon, Barry Williams (The Brady Bunch) as they hunt for the mountain creature.

EXTERNAL LINKS
TV Guide reveals the SyFy lineup

Melba Ketchum's Movie Copyright Application: Sasquatch: The Tribe Revealed

2012-02-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

Melba Ketchum has filed a copyright for her movie and book titled "Bigfoot:The Tribe Revealed"

Looks like Melba has filed for a copyright for her book and potential movie. As you may know Melba Ketchum is spearheading Bigfoot DNA research. You can see the application yourself at this link or read everything in the application below.

Sasquatch: The Tribe Revealed

Type of Work: Entry not found.

Type of Work Preregistered: Motion Picture

Literary Work in Book Form

Advertising or Marketing Photograph

Preregistration Number / Date: PRE000003852 / 2010-09-16

Application Title: Sasquatch: The Tribe Revealed

Title: Sasquatch: The Tribe Revealed

Copyright Claimant: Melba Stinnett Ketchum. Address: P O Box 455, Timpson, TX, 75975, United States.

Creation of Work Began: 2008-04-07 (Approximate)

Date of Anticipated Completion: 2011-06-22 (Approximate)

Projected Date of Publication: 2012-02-15 (Approximate)

Authorship on Application: Melba Stinnett Ketchum.

Description of Work: A film and/or documentary, narration or audio book, supporting photos and literary paper/document/book that will follow the The Sasquatch Project, the scientist and the scientific testing and proof for the existence of Sasquatch/ Bigfoot. Information will include discussion of results including A New Tribe of Living Humans, the complete Sasquatch mitochondrial genome sequence and nuclear DNA variations and text will show complete mitochondrial (mt) genome sequences were identified from DNA, analysis of the assembled sequence unequivocally establishes that the Sasquatch mtDNA falls inside the range of modern human mtDNAs and discussions of the origins thereof. The proof that the Sasquatch is not only the closest living human relative but is actually a contemporary living human. Also discussed is nuclear DNA testing performed on the same samples and the variations found in various genes including MC1R gene RUNX2 and FOXP2 as well as other targets genes involved in the perception of sound, transmission of nerve signals, the production of sperm and the lactase gene. Also discussed is how testing has ruled out ape cross and any ancient contributor and that Sasquatch is indeed a modern human with some genetic mutations accounting for their physical appearance. Also included are discussion of the history of samples and circumstances surrounding the acquisition, their testing, the circumstances surrounding the entire Sasquatch DNA Project. Documentary stars Melba Ketchum, et al

Copyright Note: C.O. correspondence.

Names: Ketchum, Melba Stinnett

Squatch! Independent Bigfoot Horror Film out in 2012

2012-01-30T12:56:00.000-08:00

A brief glimpse of the Bigfoot from Squatch!

YNN (Your News Now) recently did a report on an indie Bigfoot film shot in Manor, Texas. manor is a stand-in for a fictional town called Quality, Oregon.

Lone Star Scene: Bigfoot hunting indie film sprouts in Manor

By: Victor Diaz

The fictional town of Quality, Oregon might look familiar to residents of Manor, where City Hall sets the scene for a contentious town meeting. The conflict between Bigfoot research experts and concerned citizens plays out in a key scene for "Squatch!" It's debut feature film from Austin-based Look Now Productions.

Manor is also the old home town of director Carlos Samudio. He plans to shoot about 75 percent of the film in Texas with the rest on location at Timothy Lake in Oregon.

Principal photography continues trough the summer as the local cast and crew give their take on a long running supernatural debate.

YNN's Victor Diaz has more in the video below.

SRC: Lone Star Scene: Bigfoot hunting indie film sprouts in Manor

Below is the sneak trailer for Squatch, produced by Look Now Productions

3 Dates Set for Sasquatch and Suds Meetings in Portland, Oregon

2012-01-29T17:05:00.000-08:00

Official poster for the first 3 Sasquatch and Suds events (click to see larger poster)

New details regarding the monthly Sasquatch and Suds events at the Sasquatch Brewery. Save the dates: FEB 21st, Cliff Barackman; MAR 20th, Thom Powell; APR 17th, Beth Heikkenin. These dates have been confirmed by Toby Johnson of the Oregon Sasquatch Symposium. Below you can read a brief Bio of the scheduled speakers .

CLIFF BARACKMAN

Cliff's interest in physical evidence led him to take a keen interest in footprint casts. Over the years, what started out as the gathering of a few Bigfoot souvenirs has eventually led him to holding one of the largest cast collections in the country.

A former member of the BFRO, Cliff's expert opinion, level-headed approach and analytical mind are essential. When numbers need to be extracted for the sake of data analysis, or when a footprint needs to be permanently recorded, he is there to offer his unique skills.

Visit the official website CliffBarackman.com and read his blog NorthAmericanBigfoot.com

THOM POWELL

Thom authored a book about Sasquatch research entitled "The Locals" which was described by reviewer Lisa Kearns as, "a brilliant combination of science and storytelling". His was the first book to suggest many fairly radical ideas that have since been endorsed by many contemporary researchers, such as habituation, infrasound, paranormal elements, human levels of intelligence in the Sasquatch, awareness of cameras, and much more.

Thom's newest book "Shady Neighbors" continues his unique ability to craft great narration, while revealing Bigfoot truths.

Check out the official Shady Neighbors website and read Thom's Blog.

BETH HEIKKENIN

Beth Heikkinen is an independent researcher living in the Pacific NW. Beth's first daytime sighting happened 50 miles from her home. Since that time, and with the help of wonderful people, her background now includes tacking, backpacking and hiking.

Of course we will be there as well, keep up-to-date with the upcoming 2012 Oregon Sasquatch Symposium and OSS sponsored events at the facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TheOregonSasquatchSymposium

Larry the Cable Guy Filmed with Alleged Bigfoot in Background

2012-01-29T16:16:00.000-08:00

Larry the Cable Guy host of "Only in America"

Larry the Cable Guy can't seem to escape Bigfoot. This year we have had some coverage Larry Bigfooting in Kentucky. Add Alaska to the list of states Larry may have encountered Bigfoot.

Below is a video sent to us by YouTube user BigfootInvestigation. The description of the video by the user is:

I found a possible Bigfoot that was inadvertently filmed on a Larry the cable guy show while he was shooting a scene in Alaska. He was quartering a Moose with (Palmer Alaska) football team members. It was a long hike to get into the area and the creature appears to have similarities that we have seen in the Patterson Gimlin film subject.

Charlie Raymond of KentuckyBigfoot.com notes, "... the dead moose had been laying there in the woods for some time before they arrived. Was the bigfoot on his way to lunch?"

Watch the video below and decide for yourself.

Robert Lindsay Comments on the Bigfoot Ape vs. Human Argument.

2012-01-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

Robert Lindsay of robertlindsay.wordpress.com/

Robert Lindsay has never hid from controversy. Since early May, with our post, "Humans shoot and kill Bigfoot on Average of Once Every Four Years," we have been quoting him. Long before it was fashionable by other blogs.

While there are some disagreements we have had with his opinions, for instance, we think he gives Biscardi too much credit, we do appreciate the "outsider" perspective Lindsay has on the community. Right or wrong, we always welcome a new perspective, even if it's one we can respectfully disagree with.

With all that said, we enjoy Robert Lindsay's comments on the community in general, not the individual personalities necessarily, but the trends he sees from a far. The excerpt below is from his latest post where he touches upon the ape vs. human argument.

The war between the Ape Theory Gang versus the Human Theory Collective.

There is a war in Bigfootery between the Bigfoots are Human folks and the Bigfoots are Apes theorists. The Ape Theory Gang is led by Field Marshall Meldrum and includes Bindernagel, Moneymaker, Bart Cutino, Mionczynski, Tim Fasano, Rick Noll and many others.

On the other side are the Bigfoots as Human Theory Collective. This line includes Bobbie Short, David Paulides, Richard Stubstad, and others, including us. The Human Theory folks have complained for years that they have been marginalized by the Ape Theory Gang. In fact, they say that Meldrum’s stranglehold over Bigfootery is the biggest thing that is holding the field back. I am inclined to agree. I am starting to think that Lord Meldrum is a problem – the despotic associate professor of Bigfootery.

This is excellent story, but unfortunately, we am not allowed to report on the juicier bits at this time. Hopefully we can dig up some more with time.

SRC: RobertLindsay: Bigfoot News January 29, 2012

We hope Robert continues stories along this line, but that's because we have always been more interested in the healthy debates we can have. The personality conflicts are a no-win situation. Visit RobertLindsay.com to get more DNA updates.

Ohio's Tim Stover Jr., On Finding Bigfoot

2012-01-29T12:36:00.000-08:00

Tim Stover Jr. from a WKYC-TV newsclip

Tonight's Finding Bigfoot episode is titled "Buckeye Bigfoot" and takes place, as you might guess, Ohio. The episode description: The team travels to Ohio to investigate an alleged close encounter with a bigfoot caught on tape. They assemble a group of volunteers to search a notorious forest for evidence, in hopes of proving bigfoots exist in Ohio.

One of the people we will meet in Ohio, will be Tim Stover Jr. Who has been searching for Bigfoot for nearly 20 years.

Kent man still chasing Bigfoot

Show tonight recaps 20-year pursuit

By Paula Schleis

Tim Stover Jr. holds a 17-inch-long plaster cast of a strange impression he found in November in the woods at West Branch State Park in northeastern Ohio.

It was one of seven imprints that led from a creek bed up a hill. A friend spotted it several yards from where Stover discovered a deer that was untouched except for a snapped neck.

There was a time that the lifelong Kent resident would have been embarrassed to utter the name of the beast he thinks could have made those prints and killed the deer. But experience and the support of fellow believers has erased any trepidation.

Bigfoot, Stover says.

“You can sort of see the toes here,” he said, pointing to details in a mold made rough by forest-floor debris.

Stover, 45, has been stalking Bigfoot for 20 years.

The moment that set him off on his quest will be explored in the Animal Planet television series Finding Bigfoot, airing at 10 tonight.

Stover was asked to re-enact the events of Oct. 6, 1992, in the spot where he was deer hunting at Salt Fork State Park near Cambridge.

He said when he awoke that day, Bigfoot was no more real to him than the Loch Ness monster or aliens from Mars.

All Stover wanted to see was a deer. But after sitting in a tree stand for six hours, he was ready to call it a day.

As he was leaving the tree stand, he heard rustling coming from a ravine. Then he caught his breath at the sight before him.

“It was a whitish, silvery-gray color, and as weird as it sounds, my first thought was it looked like a hairy old naked man of the woods,” Stover said.

The thing looked in Stover’s direction, took a step or two toward him, then turned and walked away. That’s when he decided he had seen Bigfoot.

The creature appeared to be more than 7 feet tall. Hair 2 to 3 inches long covered its body. The head was attached to broad shoulders by a thick neck.

Since then, Stover has searched the woods around Portage County, closer to his home, hoping for another sighting.

He has invested $8,000 in high-tech camera equipment, and when he’s not at his job as a remodeling contractor, he spends 30 to 40 hours a week exploring.

He has no hard feelings for anyone who doesn’t believe in Bigfoot.

“You can’t force anyone to believe something they’ve never seen,” Stover said.

“You have to see it for yourself.”

SRC: THE AKRON BEACON JOURNAL

Ohio's Sasquatch Triangle, Tim Stover, and the Failure of Local TV News to get it right

2012-01-28T11:48:00.000-08:00

Tim Stover Jr and the map of the Bigfoot Triangle

In central Ohio there is the Sasquatch Triangle. This triangle, including sections of Tuscarawas, Guernsey, Muskingum and Coshocton counties, is home to the most frequent Bigfoot sightings in the state. They also have a more specific name for their Bigfoot called the Ohio Grassman.

Recently WKYC, an NBC-affiliated television station located in Cleveland, Ohio did a terrible job promoting next episode of Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot by calling the show Bigfoot Hunters.

You can read their blurb below, view a few videos with Tim Stiver Jr., and a interactive map of the Bigfoot Triangle in Ohio.

Bigfoot spotted in Portage County?

Written and fact-checked poorly by Carl Bachtel

RAVENNA -- A local "Bigfoot" researcher says he's seen one in Ohio.

Twenty years ago, deer hunter Tim Stover Jr. saw something in the woods that changed his life.

"This thing was white, gray, silver-colored and hairy looking. It was a bipedal subject staring right at me," he recounts. He believes it was Bigfoot.

Since then, Stover spends his free time in the woods searching for evidence of the hairy beast. He says he has found footprints in Northeast Ohio at West Branch State Park, located in Portage County.

Stover says he and his son, plus a few like-minded friends, hike the woods near the state park's campground. During camping season, they even do seminars on Bigfoot and lead night hikes for Bigfoot researchers of all ages. The walks get people outside and generate real interesting stories around the campfire.

Tim's story will be featured on the Animal Planet show "Bigfoot Hunters" [Fail!] this Sunday night.

WKYC-TV

View AKA Bigfoot World Map in a larger map

Bigfoot Hunters Dallas and Wayne are back

2012-01-27T15:54:00.000-08:00

A screen shot of the old Dallas & Wayne website

"Despite setbacks over the past year, Dallas and Wayne continue their research, and we've continued to film their adventures." -- Series Creator/Producer Andrew Dodson

You can read about the previous adventures of Dallas and Wayne. They gained notoriety mostly from the award winning documentary, Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie. You may have even watched the movie with us, as we were at the Portland screening of the movie. The movie is decribed below:

Dallas Gilbert and Wayne Burton, two real-life Bigfoot researchers starring as themselves in a semi-fictional story providing a look into the trials and triumphs of life in the Apalacian foot hiils. Through these two amateur BF researchers from southern Ohio, we see how the power of a dream can define a friendship and provide hope and a meaning that transcends the harsh realities of life in a dying steel town.

After several failed attempts to attract national attention and convince the world Bigfoot exist, Dallas catches a lucky break. He pursuades a high-profile Bigfoot researcher [Tom Biscardi] to stop in Portsmouth and see check out the research accumulated by Dallas and Wayne. As the movie accelerates ever closer towards the realization of their mutual dream, we are reminded how fragile this shared hope truly is.

The movie turned into a TV series titled Dallas & Wayne: The Bigfoot Hunters. You can watch video of the season two premier episode below.

Bigfoot Lunch Club Stars in Cliff Barackman's Finding Bigfoot Video Debrief

2012-01-25T20:41:00.000-08:00

Cliff Barackman answering questions about Todd Standing

At Cliff Barackman's Official Blog, he has posted the newest video debrief from the Canadian episode. Click the following link to read his Cliff's Field Notes from the episode.

As you long-time fans know, we have an unhealthy obsession with Todd Standing, and since his "evidence" was showcased in the Canadian episode we begged to be in on the Video Debrief. Cliff and Craig were nice enough to oblige. As usual Cliff does a terrific job breaking down the pragmatic approach to Bigfooting, and Craig Flipy does a terrific job as a Videographer/Editor.

Enjoy the video below, while you are at it, catch up with the previous Video Debriefs and the Field Notes on Cliff Barackman's Official Blog NorthAmericanBigfoot.com.

Time Magazine: Should We Declare Open Season on Bigfoot?

2012-01-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

In our earlier post Skeptic Benjamin Radford posed the question, "If You Spot Bigfoot, Should You Shoot Him?" This is a debate that continuies among Bigfooters to this day. It has been said that the late Grover Krantz was in favor of killing a Bigfoot for science (read the Grover Krantz Obituary by Loren Coleman) .

You can read an interview of a man who would kill Bigfoot and an article documenting Bigfoot has been shot or killed, on average, once every four years.

To see the kill/no kill debate reach mainstream media status makes us hopeful that the rhetoric has gone beyond , "Is Bigfoot real?". True, this is only two articles that take on the debate, but two points makes a line.

Below is the Time Magazine piece on the debate:

Every year, believers and enthusiasts provide heaps of secondary proof that Bigfoot exists: low-quality video, out-of-focus snapshots and the occasional fossilized “footprint.” But it’s not the quantity but the quality of proof that’s lacking, MSNBC reports. These days the public will accept nothing less than concrete physical proof.

Animal Planet’s show, Finding Bigfoot, does its part to increase the amount of evidence that the “creature” really does roam the wild. Now in its second season, each week the show features a team of four explorers traveling the globe and adding more shaky hand-cam fuel to the fire.

Gonzo Bigfoot hunters aren’t the only people trying to move the creature from myth to reality. Last October, more than a dozen “experts” traveled 2,000 miles east of Moscow to the Kemerovo region of Russia for a daylong conference. There, the existence of Yeti (Bigfoot’s Russian cousin) was confirmed with 95% certainty.

But that rate is just not good enough. The other 5% must be proven in blood, or at least a high-resolution, tranquilizer-dart-induced photo. This has stirred a debate among the Bigfoot community as to whether it’s ethical to shoot and kill the creature.

The real question NewsFeed is pondering: does anyone really want to find Bigfoot? Proving Bigfoot’s existence puts an end to all of the fun, and in the case of Animal Planet, some serious ratings. The season-two premiere of Finding Bigfoot had 1.6 million viewers, making it the most watched episode of the program and the second-best season debut of any show on the network.

Four episodes into season two, Finding Bigfoot is still going strong. The show averages more than 1.4 million viewers a week, beating out other reality-TV favorites like TLC’s Hoarding: Buried Alive and HGTV’s “Holmes Inspection.” Not Kardashian numbers, but pretty respectable for basic cable.

Hunting Bigfoot poses potential ethical, legal and permitting issues, not to mention putting an end to profitable TV franchises. “Finding Bigfoot” has six more episodes before it’s season finale.

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/01/25/should-we-declare-open-season-on-bigfoot/#ixzz1kUNvUIHR

WierdAustralia: Bigfoot hunting’s not so new … Meet Australia’s 19th century Yowie Hunters

2012-01-25T04:56:00.000-08:00

Early illustration of a man chased by a Yowie

Weirdaustralia.com covers all that’s weird in Oz. UFOs, yowies, ghosts strange disappearances, out of place artefacts & everything paranormal in Australia. Follow on twitter @weirdaustralia

With the current atmosphere of digital trailcams, night vision goggles, thermal cameras, parabolic microphones, and high-tech recording devices, its nice to turn back the clock and see how they searched for Bigfoot (or Yowie in this case) back in the 19th century. WierdAustrailia does a terrific job taking us back to a place and time before these high tech gadgets.

Bigfoot hunting’s not so new … Meet Australia’s 19th century Yowie Hunters

Posted on January 12, 2012

Reputable witnesses swearing by their sightings, tantalising but ultimately inconclusive evidence, enthusiastic search teams out scouring the wilderness, outlandish claims by dubious characters of creatures captured or killed, and a scientific community stubbornly unwilling to take seriously the possibility that some hairy hominid may just be living within our midst … sounds like the search for Bigfoot in 2011, right?

Well, think again. This is Yowie hunting 19th century style.

From the time those early colonials first headed out from the relative safety of the expanding settlement by the banks of Sydney Harbour into the unknown wilds of the Australian bush, stories quickly spread of terrifying encounters with a huge hairy, and often smelly, ape-like animal.

Many of those first encounters occurred in the rugged Blue Mountains that lay to the west of what is today the ever-expanding metropolis of Sydney. Check them out in The wild hairy man of the Blue Mountains.

Claims that a Yowie was shot

One of those earliest reports, from around 1820, is of the intriguing, yet unfortunately unsubstantiated, account of a colonial soldier startled by such an ape-like creature while out hunting for food. Apparently, the creature approached the unsuspecting soldier from out of the trees and began making “threatening gestures”. Obviously in fear of his life, it is said he shot the creature dead.

No convincing photo or video, no body, no DNA. But who knows? With the remoteness and ruggedness of the area, it’s unlikely the soldier could’ve dragged such a huge body back to civilisation. He would’ve had little choice but to leave the carcass to quickly rot in the bush and return to camp with his more appetising bounty.

As more colonists moved into the mountains, more encounters were reported. The creature was now well known to those hardy residents of the mountains. They often referred to him as the wild hairy man or the Yahoo. Today, we affectionately know him as the Yowie. He was said to like chickens, and was blamed for raiding many a local’s coop.

Opportunities for moneymaking

It didn’t take long before some of the more enterprising chaps of the colony began thinking of the entrepreneurial opportunities. One such chap was Mr Cummins of the Royal Hotel in Springwood. He offered 50 pounds for the capture of a live Yahoo so that he might “fasten him up in a hen coop and exhibit him to an admiring public, or sell him as an advertisement to a hair-restorative company”.

The Australian Town and Country Journal, in August 1885 also saw the merit in Yowie hunting.

“The rising generation in and around Tarago have been almost frightened by the appearance of an orangutan, or hairy man. Some short time ago one of these certainly very peculiar animals for this country was reported as having been seen near Parker’s Gap.

“Here is a chance for curiosity hunters,” the paper stated.

Yowie Hunters go bush

It was the good townspeople of Bredbo and Jingera who soon took up the challenge.

In An Esoteric Guide to Australia’s Capital, weirdaustralia reported the case of the Jingera Yahoo, spotted by a young man looking after stock on a Bredbo station and later also observed by several other reputable locals. The Yahoo was described as “walking with an unsteady, swinging, and fast step, his arms being bent forward and nearly reaching the ground, whilst the colour was described as bay, between a red and chestnut”.

Perhaps it was that same entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated by Mr Cummins of the Royal Hotel, perhaps it was for the advancement of science, or perhaps it was the fact that they did not fancy a huge, hairy apeman wandering the district terrorising farmers and their stock. Whatever the reason, the Queanbeyan Age reported: “It is the intention of Bredbo and Jingera residents to scour the bush in a strong body and capture the monster alive or dead. For this purpose they will meet at Mr. Kelly’s hotel … on Monday next to organise their forces and obtain a supply of ammunition.”

Unlike the high tech recording equipment and cable TV contracts of today’s Bigfoot Hunters, this party of 19th century Yowie Hunters would go in search of the creature with nothing more than their guns, lots and lots of ammo, a swig or three of liquor from Mr Kelly’s hotel … and quite possibly a few flaming torches and pitchforks for effect.

This early Yowie hunting party did share one similarity with their modern counterparts, however. They returned home empty-handed and extremely disappointed.

A Tom Biscardi moment?

This was not the first time that disappointment had been experienced in relation to such cryptozoological wonders. Back in October 1871, The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser, announced to the world, (well to the inhabitants of the Hunter Valley at least) an astonishing revelation. A mysterious creature had been captured in the Lower Hawkesbury, said to be a Bunyip or Yahoo and that “it was determined to forward the wonderful animal to Sydney, and there exhibit it to a wondering and gratified public”.

Sound familiar?

But, yes, like so many similar promising breakthroughs since, this exciting news soon proved a huge letdown for the wondering and gratification-seeking public. The article concluded with the following heartbreaking bombshell: “An inspection proved the animal to be a large wombat … peculiar to New South Wales. The brute weighs about 100 pounds, and gave his captors a tough job to secure him”.

A captured Yowie … for real this time?

And then, a few years later, in 1912, hopes were again raised with the headline: A Queer Capture. Enormous Creature Resembling A Man.

“There is considerable excitement in the Bombala district over the reported discovery of a hairy man on Creewah station,” the article announced.

The owner of the station, Mr Sydney Jephcott, came across some peculiar tracks while out mustering stock. He described them as “like a human footprint, nearly 20 inches in length and 8 inches across”. Mr Jephcott, realising he had stumbled upon some remarkable evidence, or wanting to prove he was not a stark, raving lunatic “sent to a Bombala storekeeper for a quantity of plaster of paris with which to take an impression of the tracks”.

A neighbouring landowner, Mr Summerill, then claimed to have also seen the Yowie. “In a thick bush yesterday he saw an enormous creature resembling a man, covered with long hair. The animal was carrying a big stick and with long leaps made off through the bush.”

The article ended with the startling statement that: “A report was received later to the effect that the creature was captured today.”

And of course, that’s where the story ends. At least Mr Jephcott took some plaster casts!

The scientific debate rages

Like today, the scientific establishment seemed unwilling to accept the possibility that the Yowie or similar creature may actually exist, as the following correspondence to Australian Town and Country Journal from Mr H J McCooey of Mandurama Survey Camp illustrates.

In the journal’s The Naturalist in 20 October 1883 Mr McCooey wrote:

“A telegram from your Blayney correspondent appeared in the Evening News … announcing the fact that ‘a strange animal, like an ape has again been frightening the residents on the road from Orange to Bathurst, at a place called The Rocks. Several ineffectual attempts have been made to capture it’.

“Now, it is probable that you and many of your country constituents may remember that in your issue of December 9, 1882, I gave a somewhat lengthy description of a large ape, (or Yahoo, as the animal is called by bushmen) I had seen a few days previously in a rugged mountainous locality on the coast between Ulladulla and Bateman’s Bay …

“But strange to say, Mr. Ramsay, curator of the Australian Museum, disbelieves in their presence. Not because it is not possible for apes to be in the country up to date without being captured, but because of the deficiency of food plants for them to exist upon.”

McCooey goes on to argue that these Yahoos “have been frequently seen throughout the colony and that they were known to the aborigines of this colony, and were dreaded by them, long before a museum was ever founded in Australia”.

He then makes the tantalising, but sadly unproven, claim that “one was actually captured and killed near Braidwood within the memory of persons still living”.

But again, no photo, no video, no body and no DNA.

Mr McCooey, however, remained optimistic about obtaining suitable evidence with which to convince the stubborn curator that the Yahoo did indeed exist.

“The curator of the Museum, last December, offered me a bonus of £100 if I brought him either alive or dead an indigenous ape, and I think it is highly probable, that before many months elapse, I shall be in a position to claim his bonus.”

Unfortunately, that proved wishful thinking on Mr McCooey’s part. However, that did not stop him continuing his debate with the curator. In a second letter published in the journal in November of 1883, McCooey made the following valid point:

“The position taken by the curator of the Museum in regard to the presence of indigenous apes in this colony is wholly untenable. His argument is this. That as there are no fruits or food plants in Australia there can be no indigenous apes. Now, I readily admit that this argument would be of some weight if no ape had ever been seen in the colony, or if it were satisfactorily proved that without fruits or food plants it was impossible for the Australian ape to exist, but when it is notorious that apes have been seen in all parts of the colony at different times and by different persons, and when it is not shown that fruits or food plants are absolutely necessary for their existence, the curator’s argument becomes illogical.”

Well, it seems not much has really changed over the past 150-odd years.

SRC: WeirdAustralia.com

Robert Lindsay: Bigfoot DNA News Updates

2012-01-25T04:33:00.000-08:00

Robert Lindsay continues to be the go-to guy for updates on Bigfoot DNA news. In particular, he takes a pulse on the current status of Melba Ketchum Study/Erickson Project. Below is an excerpt from his post, "Bigfoot News January 25, 2012"

Apparent photos of a real Bigfoot examining and then licking a trail cam revealed. First DNA proven photo of a Bigfoot ever revealed! In the summer of 2009, a Bigfoot apparently approached an Olympic Project trailcam, examined it, and then licked the camera, leaving a large amount of saliva. The OP retrieved the saliva, stored it and sent it in Ketchum’s DNA project. A source has just informed us that this saliva sample from a Bigfoot licking a camera tested presumptive for Bigfoot by Ketchum.

We then went back to the Olympic Project and searched for photos of a Bigfoot examining a camera. We found this set of photos that we believe represents photos of the Bigfoot that licked the camera and left the Bigfoot-positive DNA on the camera. So the photo above is apparently of a Bigfoot 100% proven by DNA. This would be possibly the second photo of a proven Bigfoot. The Matilda the Sleeping Bigfoot photo is from a site where positive Bigfoot DNA evidence was obtained, but we do not know if that evidence included Matilda or not.

A photo of a Bigfoot looking at a camera on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. This is apparently the first photo of a DNA-proven Bigfoot ever released.

A photo of a Bigfoot looking at a camera on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. This is apparently the first photo of a DNA-proven Bigfoot ever released.

The photo above was taken by the Olympic Project. A few Bigfoot footprints had been found in the area before the camera trap was set. Apparently the Bigfoot started licking the camera soon after the photo above was taken. Photo taken July 25, 2009 at 4:23-07-23 AM on the east slope of the Olympic Mountains. The Bigfoot apparently approached and then licked the camera for 16 seconds. The camera was a Reconyx RC60 trailcam.

When the team returned to the site to retrieve the film on August 22, 2009, they found that the camera had been moved about four inches, apparently by the Bigfoot.
In the photo above, the Bigfoot’s left arm is up near the face as if it is scratching its head wondering what the camera is.

An artist's rendering of a the photo of the Bigfoot looking into the camera above. Drawing by Chris Gunter.

Robert Lindsay continues to Revised Ketchum study tally, Ketchum DNA paper has definitely passed peer review. Justin Smeja Bigfoot steak is 90% human, and Adrian Erickson Bigfoot documentary project apparently being worked on in Hollywood. Read all these updates at Robert Lindsay's post, "Bigfoot News January 25, 2012"

Maps of Sasquatch Sightings Between 1800 and 2010

2012-01-24T10:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Facebook.com/FindBigfoot (FB/FB) we were alerted to these really cool maps that are available through Arcturus Consulting. These maps were created by cartographer Andreas N. Korsos. A short bio below captures his passion for cartography.

Raised in south central British Columbia, I now reside in Alberta. As a professional Cartographer and Geographic Information Analyst, combining my career with my lifelong interest in mapping and the exploration of western Canada has led to the creation of numerous thematic maps built around the life experiences of such historic figures as Simon Fraser, Peter Fidler, Charlotte Small and David Thompson.

These maps along with the years of research behind them have found their way into a variety of publications, newsletters, magazines and books including the long-awaited ‘The Writings of David Thompson’ (ed.) William Moreau, by the Champlain Society. I have also the good fortune to act as a consultant on many interesting writing projects such as the National Geographic publication, Crown of the Continent.

Unexpected Encounters - Sasquatch Sightings in Western North America

Dimensions: 98.5 x 63.5 cm (38.75 x 25 in)
ISBN 978-0-9783708-0-0

(click map to enlarge)

According to the journal entries of explorers, accounts of citizens, and legends of the first nations peoples, something is wandering the forests and mountains of western North America. Hundreds of eyewitness reports of giant bipedal animals have originated from the mountains and forests of the western United States and Canada. Commonly referred to as Sasquatch or Bigfoot, these encounters include actual sightings, the finding of tracks, vocal sounds, or a combination of all three. Within this map are colour coded encounters that demonstrate the age of each encounter and highlight each encounter’s approximate location. Statistical charts are also within the map and provide stattistics with respect to the number of each specific encounter and the months that the encounters occur in. THe statistics used for the creation of this thematic map cover the period between 1800 to 2010.

PURCHASE THIS MAP

Unexpected Encounters - Sasquatch Sightings in California

Dimensions: 65.5 x 62.0 cm (25.75 x 24.5 in)
ISBN 978-0-9783708-2-4 0

(click map to enlarge)

According to many eyewitness accounts, something is wandering the forests and mountains of California. Hundreds of eyewitness reports of giant bipedal animals have originated from the mountains and forests of the the state.

Commonly referred to as Sasquatch or Bigfoot, these encounters include actual sightings, the finding of tracks, vocal sounds, or a combination of all three. Within this map are colour coded encounters that demonstrate the age of each encounter and highlight each encounter’s approximate location. Statistical charts are also within the map and provide stattistics with respect to the number of each specific encounter and the months that the encounters occur in. THe statistics used for the creation of this thematic map cover the period between 1800 to 2010.

PURCHASE THIS MAP

Oregon Sasquatch Symposium Starts "Sasquatch & Suds" at Sasquatch Brewing Company

2012-01-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

The start of a great monthly tradition: Sasquatch & Suds

The Sasquatch and Suds are monthly events open to the public, anybody and everybody are encouraged to join us. Toby Johnson, the man behind these events couldn't have picked a better place than the Sasquatch Brewery. (Thom Powell gets a little credit too).

The Portland Monthly has already written an article about it. Below you can read about the Sasquatch Brewery and at the very end of the article they mention the monthly event.:

First Impression: Sasquatch Brewing Company

A new home for brews, bites, and babies

Posted by: Sarah Moore on Jan 23, 2012 at 04:00PM

If your weird uncle polished up his floors to a high sheen, bought a bumload of brewing equipment and a whole bunch of classy wooden furniture, and started cranking out gourmet popcorn and toothsome cheese platters, his place would probably look a lot like Sasquatch Brewing Company, a spanking new gastro-pub located out on Capitol Highway. Sporting Southwestern wall hangings, a mounted buck head and a variety of eclectic art—not to mention the requisite ginormous beer-selection-bedecked chalkboard—the place maintains a fun garage-sale charm with none of the spiderwebs. It’s family-friendly vibe, far from detracting, adds to the allure of this refurbished Portland rambler.

Prospective visitors should be advised that, while cozy and cheerful, the bar area has limited seating. Groups should plan to gather around tables, and while doing so, enjoy some of the wonderful food on offer, such as beet fritters with chevre, or buttermilk fried chicken. During happy hour, peckish patrons can munch on excellent fries or house-made herbed popcorn for $2, warm olives or a honeyed pretzel for $3, and the house burger for $6. With its comfy chairs, broad rain-spattered windows, evening candles, and able serving crew, Sasquatch is as good a place to duck in and grab some chow as it is to stay and chill for an hour, two, three…up to you, really.

Live music is in the works and on February 21, giant ape enthusiasts can come meet notables from Animal Planet’s Finding Bigfoot and learn more about the pub’s elusive namesake. In the meantime you can partake of a wide selection of worthy craft beers (e.g., Oakshire’s Overcast Espresso Stout or the venerable Fred Ale from Hair of the Dog) while anticipating the arrival of Sasquatch’s own house beers; among those planned are a few IPAs, a brown ale, red ale, and a light session ale, all made with Northwest ingredients.

SRC: Portland Monthly Mag

White Mountain Apache Nation: Bigfoot Sightings Have Increased

2012-01-23T17:33:00.000-08:00

White Mountain Apache Police Officer Recalls an Encounter

Although these two videos have been around since 2007, they are new to us. These news segments are quick to acknowledge how unprecedented, and perhaps controversial, it is for Native Americans to share information about the Hairy Man AKA Sasquatch.

Already there have been a few episodes of Finding Bigfoot where they have had to ask the indigenous people for permission to film or interview regarding the subject of Sasquatch. Even more interesting, is what they are saying. According to multiple Native Americans, Sasquatch have become more visible in modern times. Oh and Tom Biscardi makes a guest appearance too, this is the pre-frozen-bigfoot-in-a-freezer Tom Biscardi.

PART 1: Bigfoot: Legend of the Apaches

PART 2: Hunting for the Apache Bigfoot

360 Degree Interactive Panoramic View from Roof of Bigfoot Trap

2012-01-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

What is believed to be the world's only Bigfoot trap is located in the Siskiyou National Forest

Below is a cool 360 degree panoramic view from the top of the Bigfoot Trap. You can read about the history of this federally funded Bigfoot trap at our previous post aptly named, "FEDS FUND BIGFOOT TRAP."

VIEW FROM THE ROOF

sasquatch in USA

VIEW FROM THE FRONT

trapb in USA

INSIDE THE BIGFOOT TRAP

Bigfoot Trap (interior) in USA

View BFRLC Lunch Locations in a larger map

Todd Standing: Finding Bigfoot Team and Producers are Morons

2012-01-23T01:30:00.000-08:00

We recommended Todd Standing for an Oscar back in 2010

Thanks to the folks at TheCryptoCrew.com we were able to get Todd Standings reaction to the Finding Bigfoot Canadian episode he starred in. As the cast of Finding Bigfoot were less than impressed with Todd's evidence, research and over all account of his experience, it seems Todd wasn't impressed with them either.

We are proud to say we probably have the most comprehensive coverage of Todd Standing. Some of our most popular are: Todd Standing Jumps the Shark with Expedition 4, The Original Todd Standing "Sylvanic" Website, and Why don't Journalist Just Google Todd Standing?.

Read Todd's reaction to the Finding Bigfoot below and watch what Todd considers "Good TV show" coverage of his adventures.

"Well congrats to the "Finding Bigfoot' team and producers. After being on hundreds of newspaper, radio and tv interviews and shows, the finding bigfoot production is the worst I have EVER seen. Their production company is Called"Snake oil productions" for a reason. They have no intention of finding bigfoot and they couldn't possiblly be stupid enough to believe they could. They literally filme...d me in a spot they choose where cows are grazing all around. And they couldn't even sneek up on the cows! That is what the morons are hearing "in the Candian wilds" that they cannot identify. They are right when they say it is not coyotes making that sound. Its cows they are hearing. That is what happens when you go bigfoot hunting by a ranch you idiots. I could right a list of 500 reasons these people will never film a deaf three legged moose in live action. Never mind Bigfoot."

"Here is a link to a good tv show that did a real piece on my bigfoot work."

Cliff Barackman Publishes Field Notes for Finding Bigfoot Canadian Episode

2012-01-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

Todd Standing and Cliff Barackman (Photo Credit: NorthAmericanBigfoot.com)

"Questioning Todd further, we found that he was unaware of the elevation of the Sylvanic location. He said that he never paid attention. This, if true, would be a very dangerous thing to ignore..." -- Cliff Barackman

Cliff Barackman has published another detailed-rich Finding Bigfoot Field Notes. His latest post is based on the recent Canadian episode which originally aired on January 23rd, 2012. Below is a short excerpt covering the Todd Standing portion of Cliff's notes we recommend reading the whole thing At Cliff Barackman's Official Blog.

Excerpt from Cliff Barackman's post "Finding Bigfoot - Alberta, Canada Field Notes"

"Todd is a very polite and well-spoken man. I genuinely liked the guy, as well as his message regarding sasquatches: protect them, and let them be. He has taken great strides to increase the public's awareness of bigfoots through his actions. While these actions are labeled as self-serving by his critics, the fact that attention was brought to sasquatches is undeniable.

Todd currently lives in Calgary, but he lived several hundred miles away when he obtained his videos at Sylvanic. He told us that he could not take us to the actual spot because it is a three-day hike back to this secluded valley, and the last day would be spent belly crawling up a river bed in a specially designed gillie suit made by Todd himself. He went on to say that nobody wants to be back there because of the problem grizzly bears that inhabit that area. He claimed that the rangers say there is a 10% chance of being killed by a bear while in the area, and it was too dangerous to go. It seemed to me that a bunch of hurdles were put in the way of anyone wanting to see the location for themselves. Todd did offer to take anyone there who wanted to go at a later time, but it would take a week or two for the trek.

Questioning Todd, I soon learned that at this time he had five videos that had bigfoots in them. The first video is apparently only a sound recording with no images of sasquatches (I didn't get to hear the recording). We investigated video number two, with the creature quickly bending over out of sight while above Todd on a hill. His third video shows what is either a bigfoot or a man in suit running on a hillside. This creature is the same brownish orange color as the creature in video number two. Video number four is a close up of what appears to me to be a bigfoot puppet behind some branches. Its dark eyes stare unblinking off to frame right, and there is very little movement visible. The skin appears very much like felt, and its fur lacks the flow pattern that one would expect from a living creature. Video number five is a similar shot, but with a much more convincing bigfoot head. It slightly resembles Patty from the Patterson/Gimlin film, but with a rounder face and more dog-like nose. Over the last month or so, there seems to have been another still released showing this same head, but possibly from another film.

I asked Todd what was up with video number four, the one that looked like a Muppet head. He said that he does not know why it looked so bad. He suggested that the lighting might have made it appear that way.

We were to be investigating his second video, the one with a brief glimpse of a creature bending down facing away from the camera. The video is very brief, but it seemed that it showed something bipedal and hairy. An arm and even possible buttox muscles can be seen, or are at least suggested. We were to rely solely on Todd's measurements since we were unable to go to the actual film site. This would be problematic for our reconstruction, as going to the actual film site is very important for a sense of scale. Trusting someone's measurements when you're trying to find out if their film was hoaxed makes little sense anyways, but it's all we had to go on.

Todd claimed to have not even believed in bigfoots at the time he obtained his second video. It was his film flip that convinced him they were real. This was very peculiar to me because he claimed to have made approximately a dozen trips to the location trying to film a bigfoot by the time he got his video. He chose Sylvanic as likely bigfoot habitat, and he even developed an intricate theory of sasquatch social/family structure, all before he believed in bigfoots. I personally don't believe that griffons exist, and I don't plan expeditions based on how they would live (if they were real) to see if I'm wrong...

Questioning Todd further, we found that he was unaware of the elevation of the Sylvanic location. He said that he never paid attention. This, if true, would be a very dangerous thing to ignore, as we would soon find out during that night's investigation (it snowed on us in August). How could Todd have chosen a location, planned his hikes in (most likely using topographic maps), visited a dozen times, and not noticed the elevation? This seems very unlikely.

When investigating a film, I sometimes think of the late Rene Dahinden and his comments on the Patterson/Gimlin Film. He said that what you need to know is in the film. Certainly, Rene would think that the context of a film is very important, too, but I like to examine films starting with what is actually seen. Good films stand on their own, and their context only serves to reinforce or put in doubt a clip's authenticity.

With so little to go on for video number two, I am left with not knowing what is in it. The film looks like either a bigfoot or a guy in a suit bending over. Since there is very little information to be gleaned from the actual video, I have to rely on the context. Todd was unable or unwilling to go to the actual spot, there were inconsistencies in his story surrounding the clip, and there's that Muppet face staring, unblinking in film number four... These leave me with serious doubts about what is shown in any of his videos.

Expressing my concerns to Todd, he correctly stated that video will never be enough for proof. How true. Todd goes on to say that only a body will ever suffice. As much as I hope this isn't the case, it could very well be the grizzly truth at the end of the bigfoot mystery."

SRC: NorthAmericanBigfoot.com

Skeptic Benjamin Radford: If You Spot Bigfoot, Should You Shoot Him?

2012-01-22T23:35:00.000-08:00

Benjamin Radford Arguing against the possibility of Bigfoot

"Ethics and the lethal-or-nonlethal debate aside, there's a good reason aiming your gun at a Bigfoot could be a bad idea: It might be illegal." -- Benjamin Radford

In a previous post titled, "Skeptic gives Top 10 why Bigfoot does not exist," we share Benjamin Bradford's top ten arguments against the existence of Bigfoot. As a contributor to LifeLittleMysteries.com, Mr. Bradford argues against shooting Bigfoot. Probably good advice, but on average, people ignore it once out of every four years. Read our article titled "Humans shoot and kill Bigfoot on average of once every four years" to see the list of Bigfoot shootings.

If You Spot Bigfoot, Should You Shoot Him?

Benjamin Radford, Life's Little Mysteries Contributor

Date: 20 January 2012 Time: 10:20 AM ET

Ben Radford lectures at CFI West

In the new Animal Planet reality TV show optimistically titled "Finding Bigfoot," a team of experts examines video of an alleged Sasquatch spotted in the Canadian Rockies. The video, shot by a man named Todd Standing, shows something large and dark, standing atop a wooded ridge and then ducking back behind a bush. It could pretty much be anything, and when the experts concluded that the subject was probably not a Bigfoot, Standing expressed his frustration: "No video is ever going to be evidence, ever. It's never going to be good enough…"

Standing, like many Bigfoot researchers, misses the problem: It's not so much that any Bigfoot video is inherently worthless, it's that his video, like all that have come before it, is of such poor quality that there's no way to know what we're seeing. It could have been anything – a guy in a dark jacket (or gorilla costume), a bear or even Bigfoot. The fatal flaw in Bigfoot photos and videos is the image quality, not the image subject. If Standing, the "Finding Bigfoot" team, or anyone else shot well-lit, clear video of what was obviously a 12-foot-tall, hairy bipedal creature in the woods, that would be compelling.

But even the highest-quality photograph or video can't be considered definitive proof of Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or any other mythical beast. Similarly, if the goal is to simply make scientists and the general public take Bigfoot seriously, then some verified remains of the creature – be they hair, teeth, blood, bones or something else – would do the trick. [Infamous 'Yeti Finger' Flunks DNA Test]

But definitive proof is a very high standard. Most Bigfoot enthusiasts — and the general public — would be satisfied with nothing less than the rock-solid definitive proof offered by a living or dead specimen.

This issue brings up a longstanding debate within the Bigfoot community: Would be ethical to shoot and kill a Bigfoot? Some say yes, because that's the only way to prove they exist, and once proof is found, funds could be made available to protect them as an endangered species. Others say no -- that because Bigfoot sightings are so rare, they must have very small populations and killing one might drive the animals to extinction. Shooting a suspected Bigfoot with tranquilizer darts is an option that has gained some steam.

Ethics and the lethal-or-nonlethal debate aside, there's a good reason aiming your gun at a Bigfoot could be a bad idea: It might be illegal. A Texas teen shot what he believed to be a Chupacabra earlier this year, and while charges were not brought against him, if the creature turned out to be someone's dog or a mangy coyote, he could potentially have faced a felony charge.

The point is, you simply can't know for sure if the mysterious, burly figure you have lined up in your sights is the real beast, or a bear or someone's pet – or, even worse, just a person in a gorilla suit.

Benjamin Radford is deputy editor of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine and author of Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries. His website is www.BenjaminRadford.com.

SRC: LifesLittleMysteries.com

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Weekend Bigfoot Hunter

2012-01-22T22:49:00.000-08:00

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will star as a Weekend Bigfoot Hunter in upcoming movie The Monster Hunter's Survival Guide

Guide to Bigfoot from issue #2
(Click to enlarge)

The Monsters Hunter's Survival Guide is a live action adventure film based on the comic book miniseries by John Paul Russ that was published by Zenescope Entertainment. The film will be produced by Simon Kinberg through his Genre Films shingle. The movie is tentatively scheduled for a 2013 release.

The release date seems pretty impossible according to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnsons's schedule. Johnson is currently filming G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation, where he plays Roadblock. He’ll follow G.I. Joe 2 with the action thriller Snitch, where he stars opposite Susan Sarandon and Michael K. Williams. He’s also attached to play Goliath in a retelling of the David and Goliath story in Goliath, but that film is currently lacking a David. Johnson will next be seen in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, which opens February 10th, 2012.

Based on the premise of the comic book, we would like them to take enough time to do this right. The comic book series has covered how to survive against all sorts of monsters. The first five issues have covered the undead, cryptids, giant monsters, unnatural beasts, and fantasy creatures. It's a good bet they will definitely include Bigfoot in the movie, as all the initial buzz has The Rock as a Bigfoot Hunter. The best description of the comic book is found at CS Moore studios where they are creating an action figure for the Monster Hunter:

Action figure design of Monster Hunter

“The Monster Hunter’s Survival Guide is the comprehensive guide every Monster Hunter must have! The guide covers the strengths and weakness of every known and unknown monster on earth or otherwise. Monster hunters will find it packed with tips on how to take down these creatures, or if they should steer clear of the beasts. Whether they are a weekend Bigfoot hunter or a hardcore Vampire slayer, this guide will help keep even a novice hunter alive.”

If the action figure design is any indication of what we are in for, it seems to be something sort of of a modern day Van Helsing.

The Bellingham Herald Pop Pundit: The Political Implications of Sasquatch

2012-01-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

Cliff Barackman preaching pearls of Bigfooting wisdom (photo credit: Neo Edwards)

Cliff Barackman, star of Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot is interviewed by the Bellingham Herald. As always, Cliff is an eloquent ambassador for us bigfooters with his ability to articulate the best of bigfooting to the media. This is no surprise to us that read Cliff's Official Blog.

Read the interview below and don't forget to tune in to Finding Bigfoot tonight as the team talks to our favorite Bigfoot ~~researcher~~ ~~advocate~~ personality, Todd Standing.

When it comes to Sasquatch, ignore Mitt Romney. Even though the Republican presidential candidate called him a "hoax" in Monday's GOP primary debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Bigfoot is big business - or at least the search for him is.

The Jan. 1 second season premiere of Animal Planet's "Finding Bigfoot" drew 1.6 million viewers. This the second-best premiere for the network and a healthy number for a New Year's Day opening, and the ratings for the following two episodes have remained respectable.

Produced by Ping Pong Productions (the same company behind Syfy's monster-hunting series "Destination Truth"), the Sunday night show follows the Bigfoot Field Researcher's Organization (BFRO) as it chases down leads, examines supposed evidence and attempts to track down the most famous cryptid.

"Finding Bigfoot" stars educator Cliff Barackman along with BFRO founder Matt Moneymaker, research biologist Ranae Holland, commercial fisherman James "Bobo" - and a possible cameo each week by the mythical beast.

Barackman isn't an eccentric monster-hunter type. Originally from Long Beach, Calif., he has taught fourth, fifth and sixth graders. He's also a jazz guitarist and teaches lessons, but has always maintained a passion for science. He says his interest in Bigfoot came more from pop culture than from science, and that he grew up loving monster movies. It wasn't until he saw documentary shows like "In Search Of" in the 1970s that he became excited about the possibility of a "real" monster in the woods. He says it hooked him "pretty deep," and when he was in college he would spend time between classes reading up on the Sasquatch. The research led to Barackman thinking of Bigfoot as not just "fun and quirky and weird," but also as real and believable.

Barackman recently discussed the show, his own experiences and how his work might also mean the downfall of the beast he's pursuing.

QUESTION: What was your most compelling experience?

ANSWER: I've heard them very close to me on many occasions. I've had very large rocks thrown very close to me to get my attention - like, head-sized rocks. I've heard splashing in the river very close to get my attention. I've had them 40, 50 feet from me, screaming in the dark, waking me up at three in the morning. I've found footprints before. I've found trees snapped. I've found hair samples. I have numerous vocalizations on my website ... although I have yet to physically lay my eyes on them. Unless that thing I saw in North Carolina that Matt swears was a person (in Season One) was a Bigfoot.

And I'm kind of inclined to think it was Bigfoot instead of a person.

Q: What do you do when you're out in the woods and you encounter this thing? What happens next?

A: Bigfooting is not a situation for the mind-state of most hunters with their super awesome guns, wearing camouflage and all that other stuff. Because that kind of person, that kind of mentality, is the kind of mentality that tries to gain control. And when you are with Sasquatches, in the woods, you are not in control. These things are super ninjas. That's the best analogy I have. They can literally be 50 feet from you and you won't even know. ...When they're around and they come in close, they stand off in the woods, 50 yards or so and watch you. And if there's more than one around, maybe they're going to knock into each other or clap or whatever they're doing to make that popping noise that they do. You can hear them. So I think the best you can do is sit tight, look interesting, maybe talk to them, maybe throw some food out into the woods. And try to record them with a digital/audio recorder. Or if you have a thermal imager, try to catch a glimpse of one in between trees as it darts around.

Q: Is the goal to capture it?

A: No, of course not. How do you capture an 1,100-pound primate with hands that's as smart as you are? You just don't do that. I think, as far as Bigfooting goes, everyone has their own personal goal ... my personal goal is to learn about them as much as possible. Because when discovery does happen, like I said, it's going to be pretty bad for them. People are going to go out to the woods. Fools are going to go out and try to hunt them. My personal goal is to soften the blow of discovery by learning as much about them as I can now, and then hopefully use this platform that I've been given by Animal Planet to educate the public.

Q: You say that discovery is the worst thing that could happen to them. Do you worry that you and your show are contributing to that, and part of the problem?

A: Absolutely, but at the same time, if the opportunity is given to me and I refuse it because it's going to be bad for them, it's going to be given to somebody else. I feel that my heart is in the right place.

I'm actually interested in Sasquatches whereas other people - known hoaxes and charlatans that are out there - they are just doing it to further themselves and earn money and fame and all that other junk.

I'm a professional educator. I look at this as an educational opportunity.

Q: What is the timeline to discovery and when will the really solid proof emerge that Bigfoot exists?

A: I think there's going to be a rising tide of acceptance where more and more academics step forward and start studying this thing until eventually some cold-hearted person would go out and shoot one of these things - or a trucker will just run one down on a freeway somewhere and we'd just have a body. ... It's really only a matter of time until that happens. I know that's a long answer but I don't think it's going to be two years from now. I think there's going to be a rising tide in acceptance. Until somehow or another, a dead one is brought in.

Q: What are your thoughts on other cryptids like the Jersey Devil, the Loch Ness Monster, Chupacabra?

A: I think the Jersey Devil is just another local name for Sasquatch way back when. I know they're reported to have hooves and wings and all this other stuff, but that probably came out later. Most likely back in the early Colonial days, there was a long oral history of the Jersey Devil. Practically all the settlers, whether we're talking 1690 or 1890, they were all Christians, right? So, as they moved into unknown areas, they ran across scary things that howled at them - or most likely they didn't even see them, by the way, because there's a lot of places with reportedly hauntings in the woods, but those hauntings are limited to rocks being thrown and scary noises, screams and howls. Those are all Bigfoot things. ... As far as other species of cryptids, it was through bigfooting that I came to realize that giant river serpents are probably the real deal. I did an episode of "Monster Quest" years ago where "Bobo" and I were the first white people basically to ever go bigfooting on the Yurok reservation in Northern California on the Klamath River. Just by talking to a handful of Native Americans on that trip alone, I came across like three or four eyewitnesses to these giant river serpents that come up in the river chasing salmon, or used to when there were lots of salmon in the rivers.

Q: Stories of these creatures often revolve around people hiking in the woods, but what about when campers are more vulnerable, like when they use the bathroom in the woods?

A: You'd be surprised how many of those stories I've heard. Now you picture someone who does go out to take a leak or take a dump around a campfire. They leave the campfire area and go 50 yards out somewhere.

They're exactly in the right position, so to speak - squatting - to see a Sasquatch because Sasquatches come close to fires and watch campers. A lot - a lot being like 1 or 2 percent of the time you're out there. Now, these people are away from the fire and squatting, which in primate body language, squatting is a very inoffensive pose. In fact, mountain gorilla specialists, they say when you get close to mountain gorillas, squat down and don't make eye contact. This is exactly what these people are doing when they're out in the woods taking a dump or when a woman is taking a leak. They do see Sasquatches a lot.

Aaron Sagers writes about all things pop-culture each week, but you can follow him daily on Twitter under AaronSagers and on his site, www.paranormalpopculture.com. He can be contacted at sagers.aaron@gmail.com.

2012, Aaron Sagers.

SRC: http://www.bellinghamherald.com

BFRO Insists Evidence Exists

2012-01-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

The header from The BFRO Website

"The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization insists that, yes, there is evidence and, yes, there are credible reasons bigfoot remains have never been found." --HULIQ.com

HULIQ.com is an independent news organization and is owned by Hareyan Publishing LLC. Currently HULIQ has 16 reporters and 3 editors. Today the file a report on the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization: The video they reference is from the Todd Standing episode.

'Finding Bigfoot': BFRO insists evidence exists, nonexistent remains easily explained

By Mechele R. Dillard on 2012-01-22

According to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization—or the BFRO, as Matt Moneymaker typically refers to it on the Discovery Channel show Finding Bigfoot—the term “sasquatch” is an anglicized derivative of "Sésquac,” a word in the Stó:lõ dialect of the Halkomelem language meaning “wild man.” In Canada, where the team is heading in tonight’s episode of Finding Bigfoot, “sasquatch” is the more common term used as opposed to the popular “bigfoot” in the United States.

Background: 'Finding Bigfoot' team divided on validity of Canadian Rockies video (VIDEO)

In the mid-20th century, the media created the term “bigfoot,” the BFRO indicates, during a rash of sightings in the area of northern California. Since then, the term has become popularized, although Native Americans are reported to have more than 60 different names for the elusive—maybe non-existent—creature. Terms used by pioneers of North America, as well as non-native inhabitants, include “skookums” and “mountain devils,” the BFRO says.

Descriptions given by the BFRO of bigfoot, they explain, are compilations of thousands of sightings of the creatures; the infamous 1967 Patterson movie footage; more recent computer imaging analysis of what the creature could look like; and statistical analysis of a large database of information gathered over the last 50 years, primarily, the BFRO credits, by John Green. The BFRO maintains that there is absolutely a wealth of evidence of the existence of bigfoot, regardless of what skeptics claim:

“The assertion that there is absolutely no physical evidence is absolutely false,” the BFRO website states. “There is more physical evidence than most people realize. Physical evidence is found every month in various areas across the country. Distinct tracks that do not match other animal tracks, hairs that match each other but no known wild animals, and large scats that could not be made by any known species, are all ‘physical evidence.’

“The presence or absence of ‘physical remains’ is a wholly different matter. ‘Physical remains’ means body parts, or fossils of body parts. Though mammals may leave tracks, scats and hairs behind, they do not leave body parts behind very often. Body parts of mammals are only available when they die. Thus availability of physical remains is initially determined by population size and lifespan. A rare species with a long lifespan will leave very little physical remains, collectively, for humans to find. The probability of humans actually finding and collecting and identifying those remains before they are completely reabsorbed into the biomass complicates the ‘physical remains as evidence’ equation dramatically.”

According to the BFRO, there has never been a serious effort made to discover natural remains of any type of ape in areas where they are rumored to live. And, as remains are unlikely to become fossilized, they become completely reabsorbed into the ecosystem over time. “No one should expect remains of such an elusive species to be found, collected and identified without some effort,” the group says.

Some people suggest that there should at least be “roadkill” bigfoot, or bigfoots killed by hunters. However, the BFRO says that there have been no credible reports about a vehicle colliding with a bigfoot. Additionally, they explain, bigfoots seem to be far more intelligent than other species that do get hit on a regular basis, such as deer, that become “dazzled in the headlights” of oncoming cars. Bigfoots, they say, actually make an effort to stay out of the way of vehicles. And, as far as hunters go, not only are there laws in place that could make killing a bigfoot a potential crime, most hunters who have claimed to have had encounters with a bigfoot, the BFRO says, simply said they did not initially know what the creatures were, and they were so human-like, they did not feel comfortable shooting at them.

For more information on bigfoots, visit the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization website.

SRC: HULIQ.com

Dr. Jeff Meldrum: Sasquatch Most Closely Resembles a Form of Ape

2012-01-22T08:42:00.000-08:00

Renowned bigfoot researcher Jeff Meldrum of Idaho State University spoke to Wofford students studying urban legends during the January Interim. Here, Wofford senior Dominque Cox gets a book signed. (GERRY PATE/gerry.pate@shj.com)

In our previous post, "Dr. Jeff Meldrum Speaks at Wofford College," we alerted our fans to Meldrum's speaking engagement to Wofford students studying "urban legends" during the January Interim.

The Spartanburg Herald-Journal is a daily newspaper, and the primary newspaper for Spartanburg, South Carolina.The Journal covers what happened at the event in the article below.

Bigfoot researcher talks at Wofford about urban legends

By LEE HEALY

lee.healy@shj.com

Published: Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 11:36 p.m.

When a class of curious Wofford College students began debating the fact, fiction and in-between of popular urban legends, they recently turned to a widely known expert to find out more about one of the world's age-old phenomenon — Bigfoot.

Jeff Meldrum, a professor of anthropology at Idaho State University, spoke Friday to students in accounting and finance professors Ryan and Jenny Johnson's Interim course, Urban Legends: (Mostly) True Stories Verified by a Friend of a Friend.

Interim opportunities are available to all Wofford students during the month of January each year. The classes aren't usually the traditional academic courses students are used to, but a time for exploration and experiential learning.

So for another week, the 32 students in the Johnsons' Urban Legends course are exploring the truth — or lack thereof — behind popular stories, such as whether trick-or-treaters should inspect Halloween candy for dangers or if catfish the size of Volkswagen Beetles swim near the base of a Colorado River dam.

“It's an interesting topic. The focus of our class is not always if it's truth or fiction, but that people choose to tell the story,” Ryan Johnson explained.

“We're not trying to debunk anything,” Jenny Johnson said.

On Friday, Meldrum signed books next to plaster casts of could-be Sasquatch footprints — examples of the evidence he's personally discovered during years of research on the elusive “wild man.” A known expert on primate locomotion, Meldrum has appeared in a number of documentaries for the Discovery Channel and has written several books on the topic.

“Oftentimes, behind the stories there's a kernel of truth,” Meldrum said. “Do the roots of the stories about wild men point back to a real creature or creatures? Could any persist into the present?”

Meldrum said he enjoys speaking to college-age students because they're usually open to novel ideas and weigh points on their own merits.

Meldrum told students that he personally operates under the hypothesis that the creature known as Sasquatch most closely resembles a form of ape. He said that tales of similar creatures have been passed through the generations in many of the world's cultures.

Taking a scientific approach to the subject, Meldrum discussed the evolution of ape-like mammals that could have, over time, traveled to and settled in various places around the world.

“The prospect that some of them might have existed into the present isn't so far-fetched,” he said, pointing to casts of footprints he first personally encountered in 1996 near Walla Walla, Wash. The tracks closely resemble a human's but are significantly larger and show a pressure ride in the center rather than an arch. The flex at the mid-foot, Meldrum explained, is more similar to a chimp's.

Meldrum told students that one of the themes of the Urban Legends course — and stories like that of Bigfoot — is that there is no history without myth and said he's gained an appreciation for folklore and tradition through his scientific study.

Wofford senior Dominique Cox said Meldrum's presentation made her think. She called the Urban Legends Interim the favorite of her college career.

“The stories are so outrageous sometimes, but there's always a grain of truth to it, so it could be true,” Cox said.

SRC: Spartanburg Herald-Journal