The Mothman is a legendary creature that gained prominence in popular culture due to reported sightings and alleged encounters in the Point Pleasant area of West Virginia, United States, in the late 1960s. It is described as a large, winged creature with glowing red eyes, standing around 7 feet tall and possessing a wingspan of 10 to 15 feet.
The name "Mothman" was coined by local newspapers after the creature was likened to a giant moth due to its wings and its ability to fly. Witnesses described it as having a human-like shape, but with wings and distinctive glowing red eyes. Some accounts claim that it emitted a high-pitched noise or a screeching sound.
The Mothman sightings reached their peak between November 1966 and December 1967. The encounters were often associated with other strange phenomena, including UFO sightings and the collapse of the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, which resulted in the loss of many lives.
Due to the mysterious nature of the Mothman sightings and its connection to tragic events, it has captured the imagination of many people, leading to various theories and speculations about its origins and nature. Some believe it to be an extraterrestrial being, while others suggest it is a cryptid or a harbinger of doom. The legend of the Mothman has since become a part of folklore and has been the subject of books, documentaries, and a Hollywood movie titled "The Mothman Prophecies."
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]]>The existence of Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a subject of debate and folklore. Reports and sightings of Bigfoot have primarily emerged from various regions, particularly in North America. If you're interested in exploring areas associated with Bigfoot sightings or want to dive into the legend surrounding it, here are a few places often mentioned:
Personally, I think we could add what is called the Ohio Triangle, with the Salt Fork region located within that. Historic sightings go all the way back to 1912 with a newspaper report from Gallipolis, Ohio.
What locations do you think should be added to this list? I feel like we are missing some locations?
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We had met Hoodoo at the place where the pavement ends and were set to arrive at the ranch right about 9:00PM, after the 30-minute drive. As we made our way down the road we came upon a house that we hadn’t seen previously in the day. Confused, Hoodoo called out “What the hell is that? We must have made a wrong turn.” We all found it strange that he would miss a turn, he’d been this way many, many times. He was frustrated and bewildered as to where we were and how we ended up there. This would be the first in a series of very strange occurrences. We turned around and drove another 20 minutes or so until Hoodoo finally gave up, he had no idea where we were. Joel pulled up the GPS on his phone and found that we were way off course, it took another half-an-hour to finally arrive at the ranch. In the second of strange occurrences, we arrived at exactly 9:00PM. We spent at least an extra 50 minutes driving around and still made it on time? What is happening!
After trying some experiments around the property, we eventually ended up at the ranch style house that was built by Bob Bradshaw after he purchased the property in 1960. Hoodoo had been telling us about the strange things that happen there, paranormal events were common. We began by using the REM pod and spirit box to try and initiate contact with what ever was lurking around in the shadows inside the house. Our team was getting some minor results when I decided to use the GhostTube SLS app on my phone to see if I could detect any entities that were not visible to the naked eye. Bingo! The app locked onto a figure across the room from me. I grabbed the K2 meter and B-lined it right towards the figure following it on my phone screen. As I approached, I stuck my hand out and plunged the K2 meter directly into the figure. The first thing I noticed was a column of ice-cold air, then the K2 spiked and the reading stayed pegged until I withdrew my hand. The figure disappeared into the wall.
Our next stop was the old adobe building, this structure is known as the oldest standing structure in Sedona, Arizona. We attempted the same exercise as we did in the ranch house. I was leaned over the REM pod asking questions to the spirit box when Hoodoo chimed in. I decided to let him ask the questions since he had history with the place and whatever is there. I stood up, and when I did I happened to be facing south-east and looking directly out the window. There was something outside the building.
Just outside the building, maybe 50 feet away, was a dark figure silhouetted against the night sky. This was no ordinary figure though, it was huge. I’d estimate the shadowy presence to be around 6ft tall and a whopping 4-5 feet wide at the shoulders. It looked like a linebacker, hunched over at the line of scrimmage ready for the ball to be snapped. I felt paralyzed, I was totally mesmerized as I pondered what I was looking at. The figure appeared to move to one side, then the other, getting closer to me each time. After doing that a few times, it was gone. The whole encounter lasted almost 2 minutes. I was unable to speak or move until it was gone. I then explained to our team what had just happened and we went outside to look around. Nothing was found.
On the way back to drop off Hoodoo, we discussed what I had witnessed in detail. As I explained to him what this creature looked like, he replied “Have you seen my photo?”. “What photo?” I said. “It sounds exactly like the creature I photographed at the ranch a few months ago.” So, Hoodoo brought out his cell phone and showed me the photo. There it was, sure enough, that’s what I saw. It was a Bigfoot.
- ALAN MEGARGLE
For more on the mystery at Bradshaw Ranch, watch the trailer for the upcoming documentary:
Watch Hoodoo Tall's documentary on Bradshaw Ranch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dj8yU1vnAH8
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I never saw the shimmer but I felt an overwhelming presence, we were not alone. This strange feeling came over me and I turned to Joel and asked him to turn off the camera. He didn’t seem surprised and obliged, I’m still not quite sure what made me say that. I continued forward through the gap a couple hundred feet, the others stayed back, I was stopped by a waist high fence. On the other side of the fence was a large tree, much larger than most of the others, whatever it was, it was next to the tree. I couldn’t see it or hear it, but I knew it. At that moment, the whole top of my head began to intensely tingle, the sensation made me disoriented, it was similar to an electric shock. The feeling only lasted a few seconds and I recovered quickly and joined the others. I told them what had happened and didn’t say much else. We left the ranch shortly after and in a few hours I would be curled up in a ball on a chase lounge in the corner of the bedroom of our Airbnb. I remained in this condition, fighting extreme nausea and dizziness, until the morning.
I’ve heard stories of Bigfoot cloaking, people report seeing the “Predator” effect, a reference to the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Predator. Could this strange creature make itself invisible, or at least translucent? CJ sure thought so, I honestly don’t know what else it could have been. There was one time at Salt Fork State Park in Southeast Ohio where the team I was leading heard something approach us deep in the woods at night. We could hear the footsteps in the dry, fallen leaves. We went lights out and one team member tried to locate it with the thermal camera. Nothing. Eventually the footsteps got closer and closer directly in front of me. The next step would run into me! I clicked on my very powerful white light and nothing was there. I walked off the trail and into the woods looking all around with the flashlight, nothing. Once back on the trail I turned my light off, and we all heard it walk away, never once seeing anything.
Back in Arizona, the following day, woozy and drained, I skipped breakfast and returned to the ranch. A short time later, CJ arrived. She told me that she had received a message last night, from Bigfoot, for me. A little stunned and slightly skeptical, I listened. The context of the message was as follows:
Bigfoot is trying to contact you and you need to open up more and be ready for this kind of interaction in the future.
According to CJ, the creature has been interacting with me for quite some time and decided to make contact with me yesterday afternoon. They attempted to communicate with me by sending energy into my head which I blocked. By blocking that energy I became effected and felt ill and that was not their intention.
Well then, I guess I’ve got some homework, open up your mind…got it! Do I think Bigfoot can cloak? I'd say it's a possibility we have to consider.
- ALAN MEGARGLE
For more on the mystery at Bradshaw Ranch, watch the trailer for the upcoming documentary:
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The Aper perspective refers to the viewpoint that Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, is a type of undiscovered great ape living undetected deep in the forests of North America.
Then, in more recent times, we have the “Woo” believers, as they are sometimes referred to:
Woo, also called woo-woo, is a pejorative term for pseudoscientific explanations that share certain common characteristics, often being too good to be true (aside from being unscientific). The term is common among skeptical writers. Woo is understood specifically as dressing itself in the trappings of science (but not the substance) while involving unscientific concepts, such as anecdotal evidence and sciencey-sounding words.
Basically, the Apers are looking for an ape, they focus the scope of their investigation on the traits associated with a primate and often dismiss other attributes of their investigation that are outside the normal convention. “Woo” investigators consider all possibilities and evidence no matter how unusual or difficult to interpret it might be. To me, the approach is different, but at the end of the day we are all looking for the same thing…Bigfoot/Sasquatch.
In my opinion, the key to being a good Bigfoot “researcher” is having an open mind, removing your fears and accepting the events that unfold as they are. Let Bigfoot be what it is and don't try to make Bigfoot what we want it to be! I believe that Sasquatch is flesh and blood AND has characteristics or abilities beyond our comprehension. This conclusion was reached by more than a decade of interviewing witnesses, being out in the woods looking for answers and many personal experiences. Most people can agree that at the bare minimum, Bigfoot is more intelligent than the average animal or ape.
Jerry Crew cast the first set of Bigfoot prints in 1958, 65 years later we have barely moved the needle closer to the discovery of the North American Ape. Are we just that bad at discovery, or is something else going on? There is evidence to suggest something exists, something is out there. But there is not enough evidence to definitively prove what it is. For this reason alone, we must explore all possibilities and leave no stone unturned. Those that believe in the ape theory like to site the use of science to prove the existence of Bigfoot, this basically means they hope to collect meaningful DNA. There have been many DNA studies done, some very controversial, and so far, it has yielded nothing conclusive.
Woo. First off, this term is unwarranted and was clearly dubbed as an attempt to undermine the alternative investigation into the origin of Sasquatch. Woo suggests a lack of science, this is untrue. Since I subscribe to the alternative search for Sasquatch, I can attest to the use of science and technology in my research. Actually, I would argue that I use more science and technology in my search than the average Bigfoot “researcher”. I have collected hair samples and would indeed seek DNA proof if the opportunity presented itself. But DNA isn’t the only science we can use. For instance, if Bigfoot was sighted and suddenly disappeared in front of our eyes we could use a tri-field meter to see if there are any electrical or magnetic spikes or disturbances. We could utilize thermal and motion tracking technology to see if the Bigfoot was still present even if not visible with the naked eye. We could attempt contact through various means such as frequency blasting and white noise generators. There are many avenues to take in our search for Sasquatch.
So, what conclusive evidence do we have so far? Large bipedal footprints that seem to differ from that of humans, sightings of a large ape/human figure usually covered in hair, strange “vocalizations” & sounds and little else. Most photos and videos appear to be hoaxes or misidentification which basically means the photographic evidence is unreliable at best. This mystery will not be solved with an image, not in the modern age of AI. So where do you go from here? Keep trying to get that conclusive DNA? Collect more footprint evidence? There are more Bigfoot “researchers” than ever, and we’ve had decades to find and collect the required evidence for proof…yet will still don’t have it. Let’s try something new, something more! In conclusion, there is no flesh & blood, there is no “Woo”, there is only Bigfoot.
- ALAN MEGARGLE
For more on Alan's experiences watch Spiritual Bigfoot: A Personal Journey on Amazon Prime Video:
https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Bigfoot-Personal-Alan-Megargle/dp/B0B69RBCRL/
Alan recently presented a lecture on his thoughts on Bigfoot research and how he thinks we can move things forward. The video of this presentation is available here:
]]>I believe it was 2009. I had just, err, finally graduated college, and was looking to find a way to relax, clear my head, figure out what's next.
Timing is everything and within that first week or two, Alan, my best friend since we were in underoos shot me a text saying he had a great idea. I would learn later that I need to question this statement, and not just accept it carte blanche, but, I digress.
Alan proceeded to layout a perfect trip to Upstate New York. We would hop in the car, drive 8 hours to visit his parents, stay on a cabin a mere 50 yards from Lake Algonquin, and then, oh, and then we would drive about an hour to head up into the Tongue Mountain Range, just across from Lake George and Whitehall, NY. This area has a long history of Bigfoot sightings. Well, needless to say, I started buying snacks and packing before the phone hit the table.
I don't remember much of anything from the drive up. What I do first recall was the wonderful welcome from Alan's parents. I believe the first thing we did was sit down for a home cooked meal. Alan's mom took us over to the cabin and stopped to chat for a bit while we unpacked, and started to settle in, Alan's mom said goodnight, but not before letting us know when we should be over for breakfast and making sure to point out the table full of cookies, and other decadent snacks.
The next couple days are a blur filled with streaks of fishing on the lake, heading up into the woods to do some day and night time wanderings. Oh, and running from a demon horde of fly's. We had stopped to check out a possible camping spot (there were multiple open spots along the winding road up the mountain to pop a tent. Alan pulled straight into the small pull off and got out to do a quick scout. I am not sure why, but I had stayed in the car. Half paying attention, I hear a high pitched girl voice, OK, that's not true, but I had looked up and a moment later Alan is hauling arse back to the car. Then I see it, I see them, a cloud of demon flys sent from the burning wretched bowls of hell. The cloud is alive, and like a cartoon changes shape as one autonomous unit, flexing and moving to chase him down. Alan gets in the car and we can hear the mini-demon flys hitting the car. It is a light pinging as they throw themselves into the car, relentlessly. Alan throws the car into reverse, does his best stunt driver tire spinning, dirt kicking, I am outta here in a cloud of dust. The little fuckers are chasing us as we drive away. We never did go camping up there. Nope.
It was the eve of our ascent into hell, err, um, I mean the climb into Bigfoot country. I was woefully unprepared.
PART 2 to come.
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For many decades now, or longer, people have been reporting visual sightings of a large hairy ape-like creature roaming the woods of North America. Many people have decided to investigate these sightings and have began collecting physical evidence. Footprints have been cast, hand and fingerprints have been recovered, hair and other biological material has been analyzed, and where has this gotten us? …nowhere. We are no further along in understanding the origin to these sightings.
One thing is clear, people are seeing something and evidence suggestions that something is most likely of unknown origin. But here is where the problems begin. When humans do not understand something, they tend to try and put it in context of something they can understand. Some of these include an undiscovered ape, an alien, a primitive human and even a ghost. The fact is, we do not know what it is, and it might just possibly be …something new.
So, let us look at the human element. A lot of these witnesses, and I mean A LOT, are from rural areas. Most were going about their normal lives when suddenly they saw something they cannot explain. Each witness has a unique experience and interprets that experience in a very individual way based on previous experiences, their own knowledge base, and biases they have. Sometimes these experiences are very short, only partial and contain limited information to interpret. This combined with excitement, stress and fear makes the witness accounts unreliable and hard to extrapolate any pertinent information. However, these accounts are the single most important part about the sighting and hold the key to unlocking the mystery.
Physical evidence is only relevant in the case where it corresponds to a human witness to the event that created the evidence. Otherwise, we have something unusual and no reasonable explanation for it. The story is what links the evidence to the event. As an investigator myself, I often spend more time getting to know the witness than scouring the scene for physical evidence. For me, the key is not always about truthfulness, but that is very, very important as well, but in understanding the story and how it was interpreted. I have had several instances where I believe parts of the witness’s story were embellished or even fabricated but I still felt the individual did in fact have an interaction with something unknown.
In many cases, I will spend a whole day or more with the witness and sometimes I have my own experiences while investigating there’s. I like to understand what they think they saw and why they chose to classify that in the way that they did. I arrive at these locations with an open mind, I try and suppress my biases, and I reserve judgement as best that I can until I feel confident that I understand the people and the events they witnessed. Jumping to conclusions, pre-judging or dismissing parts of the event they witnessed only interfere with my journey to understand and interact with these mysterious beings of the forest.
For me, it really has become about interactions and contact with the Sasquatch. I do not find it necessary to prove they exist; I already believe they do. I am, however, interested in what they are, what they want, what they do and why they choose to interact with humans in the ways they do. Interpreting the interactions others have with the Bigfoot helps me progress in my understanding of who these beings are and how I might have my own interactions with them. No one should be making snap judgements about the truthfulness of a witness. Doing so is not only unfair but is preventing the discovery of useful information that may be relevant to the investigation at hand. The fact is, good people, bad people, truthful people, non-truthful people, observant people and non-observant people have all been witness to something unbelievable. Labeling people as hoaxers and liars is serious business and should be avoided except in extreme cases. We are all human and even though we think we know the truth; we really do not.
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Well, sort of…
Alan had actually been present for a BFRO investigation in the area back in 2013. As you will hear in the film the area within the Mohican Valley had an surge of sightings start in 2013. Within this series of sightings was on the surface a fairly common report, a road crossing. The reality however, was that no sighting is ever really common for that person, or people. You have just seen something that you have never given more than a moments thought to, or were dismissive with a quick laugh, or shoulder shrug. Well, now you are one of those people. And then the questioning starts, the doubts, the struggle to comprehend. Then… It shows up on your property. This is real. This is really happening, I have seen a Bigfoot. We focused on that story in particular as we believed it needed to be told.
That is where our film, The back 80 really begins.
A woman stops to photograph some horses on a lazy country road. As she is sitting there, something, some movement catch’s her eye down the road. Then it happens. A large, black, hairy creature “jumps across the road.” Others will doubt, they will selfishly question for there own satisfaction not hers, they will walk away, not even wanting to hear her story. But for her she has to live with it. Those questions, they haunt her. But she hardly has time to really comprehend what happened, when, it is no longer a fleeting moment, a challenged memory, but a reality right on her property. Here she is safe at home, but there it is, in the woods surrounding her house, and the field in the back yard. This was not just a sighting, this is a horror story that has a an ending yet to be determined. Her journey eventually leads her to an 80 acre secluded rarely used patch of woods, known as, The Back 80. Is this where she will find answers, or just more dark shimmering and dancing shadows paths taking her deeper into the woods?
As of today, we have completed filming and are in post production, knee deep in editing, and trying to get the word out.
This is our third filming project, and our greatest effort to date.
Visit www.theback80.com for more. Find us on Facebook here, on Twitter here and on Instagram. Like them all!
]]>At some point we were invited to be on The Bigfoot Field Reporters talk show, hosted by someone named Sharon Lee. We were thrilled to be on the show and though we were still pretty green as things go in the Bigfoot world, we dove in head first with child like abandon, and disregard for what could happen. Well, we are glad we did.
What also worked out great for us is the Sharon Lee lived here in Northern Ohio, a mere 1/2 hour away from us. One of our most memorable research adventures included spending time on some private property in southern Ohio. We were able to camp on the edge of a U shaped holler, right in the middle of what had been an active area for sightings and sounds. During one of the nights we played recordings from the Sierra Sounds,and we got a loud howl back, followed by the sound of a tree being pushed down. This really happened. The hiking at night was risky do to tree fall from a recent storm, so even with flashlights we stayed around camp. That ended being the only interaction we had.
During that weekend a new adventure idea was born. How about a weekend that is family oriented, and gets people outdoors, we head out into the night in one of the hottest areas for Bigfoot in Ohio, Oh and we’ll learn about other aspects of nature to give us, and everyone else a solid base to learn from when heading to the woods. Great, and The Salt Fork Bigfoot Experience was born!
Since then what is now called Bigfoot Adventure Weekends has grown, as have we, and we have met some amazing people and some have become friends.
The Bigfoot Field Reporter, Sharon Lee has moved on to seek other adventures. She will always be a part of this, as with Alan and I we created this incredible weekend. Sharon we thank you for those early mornings and hot coffee and your ability to take a herd of kids and get them together. We thank you for those grocery store runs. I am still amazed you were able to get all of that into your car. Thank you for knowing folks who could provide us with snacks and those incredible breakfast burritos.
Most of all through the sometimes challenging effort to pull this event off, the rainy days, and sunny days, the drives, we thank you Sharon for your friendship. We hope to be able to share stories of your adventures, in whatever you do.
Alan and I could not do this by ourselves. We knew we needed someone to work with us to help make this happen. We look to past BAW’s and we found who we were looking for, David, “Taters” Wickham. David brings amazing enthusiasm, passion and creative ability, not to mention an interest in the Bigfoot phenomena. We look forward to working with David and bring more awesome adventures to share with folks.
For more check out www.bigfootadventureweekends.com
]]>The 2013 Ohio Bigfoot Conference lectures had ended, everyone was pumped up and talking about the bonfire that night. A blood red sun and brilliant sky were waning into the oncoming dusk. My friend had to leave immediately and I just stood there by our cars, wondering, ‘do I really want to go home already?’. I’d just met a few really great folks, shared some
awesome stories and the very thought of hanging by a big bonfire with like-minded individuals sounded amazing. Let’s do it, I thought to myself, let’s go camping and make good on my word. I hopped in my car and drove off towards the Bigfoot Ridge primitive campground. I prayed there would be other people camping nearby. I realized I was actually ill provisioned for solo camping, no wood to be exact. Never mind the hatchet I’d wished I’d packed too. I picked a site near the parking lot entrance, far enough from the random campers, close enough to not exhaust myself setting up. By this time, I was strictly motivated by food remembering that I’d forgotten to eat since breakfast. But, I still needed encouragement to do this. I promised myself if I could get this tent up and a fire started before the true dusk, I would stay. I was definitely prepared for cold sleeping. I rationalized that I was ok with this.
I put together the mother of tents ‘Big Bertha’ in about 15min (it’s a 10×14, just in case you wondered) and was more than pleased. I worked on that crazy fire for the majority of the time, kindling? No problem, there were twigs and leaves everywhere. The FUEL, on the other hand, that had to be found!! Thank goodness I didn’t have to look too far. Somehow on either side of my tent there were 4 largish branches, 2 on either side. I was stoked, till I really started looking at them. They were in perfect crosses. One branch wedged in the fork of another branch… Both sides were the same. I probably looked insane trying to break them apart, but I did and I said out loud ‘thanks buddy’, half joking. Eventually I managed to get a nice, hot fire going and poured my jambalaya & juice into the kettle. Then I turned on my favorite Pandora station, kicked back and began feeling so much better about this whole experience.
As its getting dark, I headed back to the car to get out my two headlamps and a gallon of water (for a jug lamp, yes, it works!!) oh!!! I was excited! I had just replaced the headlamps with all new ‘brand name’ batteries before I left, they both turned on, bright and happy to be used, tromped back up the hill to relax, groove to some tunes, star gaze, hope to catch the northern lights and EAT!! Life was GOOD!
Sprawled out on the picnic bench I’m texting a few friends, enjoying the commotion of a caravan of screaming kids honking their horns with some poor fool standing in the bed of a pickup waving his hands while they’re all screaming ‘We got him! We got him!’ (Sasquatch, of course! Haha!!) Coming back to the peaceful bliss of good tunes and stargazing, I’m comfortable knowing I’ve got hours until I needed to charge my phone again, it still had 50% battery left.
Then the music stops. I thought I was getting a phone call and had left my ringer off for the lectures. No silly, that abrupt silence was my phone actively dying, circle, circling more and then black screen. I picked it up and just stared at it, wondering if the solar flare earlier had something to do with this. I clicked the on/off button… Oh no- it’s really dead. So I’m still staring at my phone, its eerily quiet now and then it gets darker. Darker? Yep, one of my headlamps is now only dimly lit. Weird, I thought. I just replaced those batteries, all 3 of them!! It did decide to blink at me, almost in jest, right before going black too.
To be continued…
]]>I attended the 2013 Ohio Bigfoot Conference this year on a funny ha-ha whim from my co-worker, who decided she didn’t want to join me after all (but that’s another story). I’d been planning to camp along ‘bigfoot ridge’ for weeks, WEEKS! Red ink was scrawled all over my carefully planned, painstakingly neurotic lists of cold weather equipment and gear. Thankfully, one of my friends agreed to join me – YAY!!! So excited, Bigfoot Friday came and I finally clocked out of work. My car was packed to the gills and totally ready for the whole (LOL) BIGFOOT EXPERIENCE! Oh boy…. Let the weekend begin!
A little history here… Have I ever seen a Bigfoot? Experienced a Bigfoot? Heard a Bigfoot? Cared about Bigfoot? No, not really. I can’t exactly say that I’d ever really thought about it much. I’m of the mindset- since I can’t disprove the existence, I can’t rule out the possibility of existence. Like Schrödinger’s Cat Paradox, sort of…
It was about a year ago I became intrigued with the Bigfoot phenomena. I suppose I do all sorts of random things. During this particular time, I had just started going to a UFO group a few towns away. A fella walked in, Mick Rohr, one particular evening with pictures he had taken of a supposed Bigfoot. His passion was magnanimous, fervor like a dervish. He showed us multiple photos and although they were grainy on account of the distance and forest settings; they were unmistakable for a large, dark thing sequentially moving up a short ridge. WOW, I thought! He told his story (which included having been interviewed for the ‘Finding Bigfoot’ show) and I simply had to ask where this event took place. Turns out, it’s a park I visit often, but NEVER had I experienced an ordeal like his before! Hiking there took on a whole new meaning for me. I was indeed – jealous (Amazing what jealousy can do for you sometimes, eh?).
I had never done any research on Bigfoot, no website stalking, no inquiries into local organizations, I listened to my boyfriend keep me up to date on new fun facts from around the web and continued hiking with my camera phone. Of course I posted pictures on Facebook saying ‘that looks squatchy’ and just plain having fun. The random comments on my pictures made for good conversation anyhow. But then this conference came along. I actually did some research, bought the VIP tickets and emailed Marc DeWerth back and forth. I reviewed backgrounds and bio’s on the lecturer’s because I know how passionate I am about ufology and wanted to be able to speak to and share in the same respect (plus, I hate not knowing…). Friday was a blast. I heard amazing stories and met amazing people! My friend and I went to check out the campsites later Friday afternoon with the brutal cold wind howling and knowing the temps were going down into the 30’s (never mind the wind-chill).. So we hot footed it back to the lodge and SCORED a room (with heat!) I was thankful, but crushed at the same time, oh well.
Saturday was filled with anticipation and excitement! The lectures were incredible and actually really informative. They spoke of evidence, witness accounts, personal records and played sound samples that you cannot find online. I was pretty damn impressed and so glad I was there. These speakers definitely changed my perspective on a lot of things Bigfoot related…. But, nothing compared to my own experience that happened that very night.
]]>I awoke on day two of the 2013 Ohio Bigfoot Conference to the sound of Alan opening the balcony door. Alan would very shortly be heading down to the conference room to meet with the staff from the Salt Fork State Park Lodge, and make final checks of the audio and video feeds. We had set up an overflow room with an audio and video feed and we wanted to make sure it was all going to work as planned, because everything always does, right?
Since Alan was taking the lead on the A/V set up, my responsibility was to get our vendor table up and running. Shortly after Alan left I grabbed a shower and a donut and made my way downstairs to scout it out. I briefly met with Alan to see if there was anything he needed. He said that everything was fine, and that I needed to get my ass in gear on the vendor table set-up. I do not recall the time exactly, but let me just say, that vendors were setting up at least two hours before they were officially set to open, and the floor was already beginning to fill up with people. I remembered this time and I made a quick scan to look for one of those skate board things with roll bars to carry stuff to the floor, but they were all in use. It is going to be a long walk with a couple heavy boxes.
I was concentrating so hard on putting the table together that I had not noticed, that despite the conference speakers not kicking off for nearly another three hours, it was packed!
I took what would end up being the first of several trips around the vendors that were set up. With somewhere around 20 vendors filling the floor there was no shortage of a variety of Bigfoot and other Crypto related products. The items ranged from authors selling their books, movie, and a whole slew of different t-shirts. Some of the coolest items were the hand made products. There was Walter Tippie with his custom designed by hand leather goods; a vendor with custom Sasquatch books for kids; original paintings and drawing; rare Bigfoot related books, and Snuffy Destefano and his wood work. Well, calling it wood work does not really do it justice, all of them are a work of art. Watching him work with a chain saw is pretty amazing as well, but that is for the next post. Destefano had brought in a couple of seven or eight foot tall carved Bigfoot, and the coolest thing was to watch people stop and taking photos with them. We would also like to thank those of you who visited our Fathom Frontiers table.
As the actual conference started, Alan and I took up our posts and began to film the speakers, and other special events.
The main conference room was filled to the brim with nearly 400 people. The over flow room was filled with about 90 people, as Captain Bly of the Ohio Bigfoot Organization (OBO) held watch over that and was in communication with Alan in case anything with the audio or video went wrong.
The line-up of speakers each brought their own unique view, and collectively created an educational and entertaining afternoon.
A few of the highlights included the induction of Mr. John Greene into the Ohio Bigfoot Hall of Fame; Dr. Esteban Sarmiento, a biologist specializing in primatology, one of his specific fields of study is hominoid skeletons, both living and extinct. Mr. Thom Powell speaking about a variety of topics including paranormal aspects and the theory of infrasound; Mark Maisel and Dr. Russ Jones of the BFRO, who, based on feedback from the 2012 conference, represented the local Bigfoot researchers and Loren Coleman, founder of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine. Mr. Colman’s topic was related to sex and Bigfoot, which was something to see.
I am in a unique position from where I film the conference. Standing up front gives me a view of both the speaker and the audience as a whole. It is quite interesting to watch people get caught up in the presentation. Nodding of heads, smiles, sometimes the look of a furrowed brow from confusion, or sometimes looks of disagreement, these are just some of the interactions my viewpoint gives me. Perhaps the best though is seeing people young and old, engaged with the speaker and all sharing in laughs together.
After the conference was over Alan and I spent some time with a pizza and found our way to bed. It had been a long, but very satisfying day. With tomorrow right around the corner and a day filled with more filming and a hike waiting for us, we needed the rest.
]]>Infrasound, sometimes referred to as low-frequency sound, is sound that is lower in frequency than 20 Hz (Hertz) or cycles per second, the “normal” limit of human hearing. Whales, elephants, hippopotamuses, rhinoceros, giraffes, okapi, and alligators are known to use infrasound to communicate over distances—up to hundreds of miles in the case of whales. One study has suggested that infrasound may cause feelings of awe or fear in humans. It also was suggested that since it is not consciously perceived, it may make people feel vaguely that odd or supernatural events are taking place.
2013 Ohio Bigfoot Conference speaker Thom Powell talked about this phenomenon during his presentation last Saturday evening at Salt Fork State Park’s lodge. He recalls an incident that occurred while researching where he was “zapped” by something unseen. His knees turned to jelly and he could no longer stand. He knelt down, and then he laid down on the ground falling asleep. He awoke two hours later still lying in the woods unaware of what had happened. He believes this was an infrasound “attack” by a Sasquatch. Thom writes on his blog in a post from December 7th, 2012 titled “Finding Bigfoot by Blimp: Really?”:
“In my field experiments, the Sasquatch had demonstrated (to my satisfaction) the ability to generate infrasound, to disable electronics, including cameras, from a distance, to somehow cloak their presence, and even temporarily paralyze people and animals in their tracks.”
We left Don Keating’s meeting at the Salt Fork Lodge on Saturday March 23rd, 2013 and went to one of the picnic areas with some friends for a little while. We left and headed over to an area of the park where activity had been reported a year ago in April. We followed the dirt/gravel roads through the wildlife area to where the road dead ends down by the water, it was now just before midnight. Jesse and I stepped out of the car, the cold air was barely tolerable, it was quiet, very quiet. We heard a few noises of something moving very slowly through the heavily wooded hillside. I decided to use my Fenix TK35 860 lumen flashlight to pan the hillside and try to spot the source of the sounds we were hearing. I pointed it toward the hill and clicked it on, I cranked through the light settings until the light was at full power. The bright white beam pierced through the tree line illuminating the entire area. Nothing was visible from my vantage point. I scanned the field to the left as we heard the noises again. With one quick snap I swung the beam of light back to the hillside, the flashlight went off. I toggled the light on and off, still nothing except a very dim glow from the bulb. Flipping through the light settings produced the same results. Jesse piped up saying “Something feels weird, I don’t like this” just as a high pitch ring started in my left ear. We got in the car and left. Back at the lodge I put new batteries in the flashlight and everything seemed to work just fine.
Three weeks later, after the Bigfoot Conference festivities were over, we did a night hike with a fairly good size group over in the wilderness area. Afterwards we drove over to the same dead end road where the flashlight quit. It was Sunday just before midnight and most of the Bigfooters had left, the park was quiet. We decided to stay in the car after what had happened last time. I positioned the car so I was in the same spot we were standing in last time. I rolled down the window and began to scan the hillside with the TK35 again. I recreated the same motions as last time, nothing happened, it was quiet. We drove slowly out, down the dirt road as I scanned the hillside with the light out the car window. Just about 50 feet to the right of where the light was pointed when it cut out three weeks ago, the beam penetrated deep up the hillside then blackness. The light shut down again. I stopped the car and got Jesse’s light on and pointed up the hill, I could see nothing. I scanned with his light a few more time with no results, we headed back to the lodge. Was this the second of a series of infrasound attacks that drained my flashlight batteries? We may never know.
I don’t want to believe in this side of Bigfoot, I have a hard enough time trying to convince people a North American primate might be out there, but this, no one will believe this! To have the same thing happen in the same place two times in a row is just too much for me to dismiss. The flashlight batteries had full charges on them before the weekend started and the light was only used sparingly. I’ve had the light on much longer in previous adventures with no loss of power. I’m not sure what this was but it has my attention. I spoke to my good friend Todd Cook, who recommended the TK35 to me, and asked if he has had any trouble with his light. He said when the batteries get low the highest light setting stops working, he’s never seen all the light settings act this way though. Todd said he has heard of other researchers having similar experiences at Salt Fork. The flashlight still sits, dead, at home, I haven’t brought myself to change the batteries out yet. It might finally be my link to the big guy. When out searching for Bigfoot keep an open mind and be on the lookout for unusual things happening.
Please leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comment field below.
]]>Back at the room I finished filling up my camel-back with water, filled another liter container with a water/Gatorade mix and grabbed a few trail mix bars and threw them into my backpack. I had already prepared the rest, having a small first aid kit, a rain jacket, towel, flash light, and casting material-hey, you never know! Alan finished packing his backpack, double checked the charge on his shoulder camera, the large main dv cam, and the small hand held I would carry throughout the day. I grabbed my hat, and we headed out to the parking lot to meet everyone else.
Out in the parking lot somewhere near 50 people were waiting to get going. After a brief overview of what to expect and some introductions, we headed out in a caravan to the location. Alan and I had space and took up the chance to share the ride with a couple friends we had met the previous year at the Bigfoot adventure Weekend we had co-hosted with Sharon Lee, The Bigfoot Field Reporter.
The drive out was fun, as you got the feeling that a lot of the regulars living in Cambridge and surrounding farmland had not seen such a sight. A ten plus car caravan driving through a small town, and rural areas seemed to provide some excitement. As we passed a road crew, they all stopped and stared mouth agape as we drove by. I am sure this made for some interesting conversation at the bar that night. We arrived at our location and began to gear up for the hike.
The day turned out to be a near perfect day for hiking. A cool temperature, minimal to no sun and it did not rain while we were out. As we headed out Alan quickly moved up front to make sure to get some video from there, and I brought up the rear. The group became strung out a little after an initial easy flat start just inside the wood line. After the flat part which was now filled with the aroma of wild onion that hikers had stepped on and broken open, you are met with a decent uphill climb. The area is an old strip mine that has become covered in young forest growth, so the biggest concern resulting from an overnight rain was slipping back down the hill, and having it on video.
The initial hill really gets the blood pumping as several hikers quickly found out what was meant by an “advanced” hike. Feeling a slight burn in my legs and searching for wind, I pushed on. After getting to the top of the hill, the land flattened out some, and you could begin to see a massive rock cliff of to our right. At one point during the hike in, a couple of the Conference speakers who were on the hike with us stopped to investigate a tree which had been bent over the trail. It is a pretty cool experience to watch veterans of the Bigfoot world including Mark Maisel of the BFRO and Dr. Esteban Sarmiento observing and discussing the tree. In case you are wondering the conclusion reached is that it was a natural cause of a tree coming down on top of another.
As the hike progressed DeWerth, who himself had a sighting in this area would stop to share and point out things to keep your eye open for while out in the woods. The hike culminated with a slight downhill walk that opened up on the edge of what amounted to a beautiful small lake. This is part of Bigfooting that some may miss. I love to be out in the woods, feeling the breeze across my skin, listening to the sounds, and seeing. You cannot just look. The more time you spend in the woods, the more you will be able to see. There is a quote I really like that really puts it all together. “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” This is from Marcel Proust and truly captures the feeling that comes when you have spent time in the woods.
As we headed back DeWerth stopped with a group and let out a good whoop. With some encouragement, a couple of the kids who (I envy the bottomless energy!) hiked with us let out some good whoops as well. It is great to see their smiles and energy out here. With that we headed back out, and made our way back to the lodge. This is the second post in a series covering the 2013 Ohio Bigfoot Conference.
]]>If you have never attended a Bigfoot conference, I urge you to sweep aside any preconceived notions you might have. Sure, the main hub is Bigfoot but the surrounding connectors are the drivers of what happens here. These are stories exchanged over shared pizza and beer. This is a family vacation. This is seeing the glimmer of excitement shared between young kids and kids at heart. This is about a PhD and a woman who works a 9-5 and a guy who drives a big rig standing in a circle on common ground sharing a passion for something that crosses cultural and social lines. If you think you know Bigfooting today, you have not been here.
This is the story of one such Bigfoot conference. I would not claim to say it is like any other, as I have not been. Writing from the experiences I have seen and been a part of here, this is my humble submission to those who would hear me.
The 2013 Ohio Bigfoot Experience was a full weekend that sends you home with no doubt that you had a squatchin’ great time. With events that cater to the whole family, researchers and the curious-no one got left behind.
Beginning on Friday afternoon there was an advanced hike that was more rugged, off trail and in areas that BFRO and other researchers have had encounters before. The hike was followed up that evening with a well-earned VIP dinner at Theo’s, a local restaurant in Cambridge, Ohio. After dinner those who wanted to could head back to the Salt Fork Lodge and Conference Center for a casual Meet & Greet with the speakers. These two parts of the event are another aspect that sets this conference apart from others. There is no red rope, no overly pumped up security guard, (Though I urge you to not question a guy nick-named “Coyote”) just a shared meal and conversation among friends new and old.
Saturday is the core of the conference. It is a day jam packed with people, vendors and a hearty line-up of speakers. This year’s featured speakers included Thom Powell, Dr. Russ Jones & Mr. Mark Maisel of the BFRO, Dr. Esteban Sarmiento and Loren Coleman. Mixed into the fray of speakers are local Bigfoot researchers sharing experiences and encounters, a film trailer by the director of a new documentary film on people who have had sightings and how it has affected their lives, an auction of Bigfoot related materials and the induction of this year’s member of the Ohio Bigfoot Hall of Fame, John Greene.
Picture in your mind a flowing river with multiple veins shooting off to all sides. This was the river of people flowing through the vast sea of vendors all Saturday. They stop to peruse the wares of the nearly twenty vendors selling a variety of items. These included the perfunctory sea of T-shirts, stickers and Bigfoot related films. That however, is where the expected fades into the realm of unexpected creative insights that only a special passion for what you do can be manifested. To wind down the Saturday events, there was a massive bone fire held outside the lodge.
Sunday is the finale of the conference with another day filled with a whole host of events. Highlights included separate stations that covered a variety of topics including witness interviewing, what to bring out to the woods while investigating, print casting and how to use technology such as trail cameras and other devices while in the field. One of the most entertaining parts of the day was a live demonstration of chainsaw carving a Bigfoot, and a big foot, a really big foot. Lunch was provided, and then the day wrapped up with a family hike on Morgan’s Knob. The ability to have the vast resources of Salt Fork State Park, its incredible team of people and its 17,000 acres is an invaluable asset, and Marc DeWerth, President of the Ohio Bigfoot Organization and organizer of the conference has maximized those opportunities.
]]>I raised the camera up and found myself fumbling as I was lost staring at a labyrinth of trees and branches. I had no clue where I was aiming. I tried to calm done, and made a half-hearted effort to try to slow my breathing, but being summer and in the middle of a hike up a hill-side, I found it nearly impossible. I decide to take a knee, and I find my place and zoom in as far as the camera will let me. As I look through the lens, a million thoughts and emotions run through my head. Keep steady, don’t be the “blurry video of Bigfoot” guy, is this really happening, what the hell do I do if it charges, and is it a bluff charge, I think I gotta pee. The weird thing is, these emotions and the thoughts run through in what feels like hours as it all slows down around me.
Finally Alan speaks up and asks where is it, I point in the general direction and we both start moving towards the location. When we arrived at the spot about two hundred yards or so away, we noticed a deep ravine not too far behind the bunch of trees, maybe twenty or so yards back. That ravine would offer a quick getaway. We scoured the area for evidence, but found none in the immediate vicinity. We moved forward through the area, and veered off slightly to our left moving carefully through some serious thorny undergrowth. When we got to the other side, it opened up into a low grass area, with just a few small trees roughly in the shape of a circle and moving gently uphill. Still in amazement of the surprise of this location, we noticed something very odd.
We smelled a very obvious, pungent smell that was, or resembled a dirty wet dog smell. It was not faint, it was if something, some animal had very recently been there. The odor seemed to be hanging in this opening between the thorny undergrowth and the rest of the woods which were down the other side of the hill. This spot would have offered cover and concealment, and a decent observation and sleeping location. You would be noticed and heard trying to get into it.
The video we have is inconclusive, and we have yet to upload it as it would just be lost in a vast the sea of highly questionable squatch videos.
These stories of frustration, lost moments, and other missed opportunities is nothing new in the world of cryptozoology. As we see in this video below of “In Search of” Season Three with Leonard Nimoy, in Episode 57, “Monster Hunters,” which first aired on November 9, 1978, the efforts do not always go unrewarded, but the hours that are put in are grueling.
The focus is on the Bay Area Group which spent a lot of time exploring in Northern California.
I was going to leave this post as it is, but in doing some research, I came across a timely yet unfortunate article relating to the Bay Area Group featured in this episode. Warren Thompson, one of the founding members passed away on March 20th, 2013. I have included a link to a very nice article written by Loren Coleman.
]]>When you listen to people tell stories of their dogs going missing, you can’t help but feel a slight twinge of personal pain as you think of your friend back home, his tail wagging happy-panting self patiently waiting for your return home. I felt that pain this past weekend.
This past Saturday Alan and I ventured to Salt Fork State Park for a Tri-State Bigfoot Study Group Meeting with host, Don Keating, with the topic being, “Sounds in the woods”. Some of the events discussed included a review of a recent report of unusual noises coming from a rural Guernsey County residence and recordings of these noises, and some very intriguing personal stories were shared from a very engaged audience.
Keating relayed his report as coming from an anonymous person who was outside with their dogs one evening this past January. While standing outside as the dogs did their business there was a loud howl from across the street. Upon hearing the howl, and quickly realizing that it was something unusual, the property owner dashed back inside and grabbed a voice recorder. As the owner made their way back outside, and before they could set up the recorder another deep bellow of a howl came pouring in from across the road again. The owner got the recorder set up in time to get a pretty good recording of a third and final howl.
After relaying the overall story, Keating played the recording. At first, it really didn’t seem that impressive. The howl could have been a coyote, not uncommon in this part of Ohio. However, after listening to the recording a couple times, Keating then placed it up to the room’s microphone to increase the volume. Keating had looped the recording several times, but it only took the first play of the howl to realize, this was not a coyote.
The deep smooth howl, which lasted about three seconds or so had depth, and carried the weight of the animal producing it. Could it have been Bigfoot? No one saw what was making the howl, so the debate will remain, but the recorded howl makes you think twice about what produced it.
After some discussion, Keating opened the floor as he always does for those who wish, to share stories of personal experience.
A woman spoke up who was seated directly in front of Alan and I. She said that she hears howls like those played on her property on a regular basis. She spoke with such a matter-of-fact manner that my intrigue was peaked and I was hoping she would share more.
The woman said that they burn trash on their property and while outside during this process she heard one of these howls, and said, “My heart about stopped”. She stated that she had never before believed in Bigfoot. As she spoke she seemed to loosen up more, and began to relay a heart breaking story of some of her dogs going missing. She did not say how many, and that there were no traces of evidence on how they disappeared. Since the disappearance she finds it difficult to take her dogs out anywhere near dusk or in the dark as they are afraid, and at the slightest noise will practically run her over to get back inside the house.
Another story shared by Keating was about two little girls who were playing outside this past January. While playing the girls noticed some tracks in their backyard. The girls, with curiosity peaked began to follow the tracks. As they got closer to the woods one of them noticed something large move quickly by in front of them. They ran screaming back into the house to tell their grandmother. The grandmother hearing the story of two very excited little girls was reluctant at first to believe them, but in the end gave in to the girl’s enthusiasm. As they made their way back outside whatever they saw was again on the edge of their yard, perhaps curious about these two little humans, saw them and ran into the woods.
Now if the story ended there, it is not that interesting. Two kids playing outside, wild imaginations, and so on. But, one piece of their story merits attention. As the creature they described was running away the second time, they described how it tripped over something as it was running away. That in itself makes for a very interesting story.
What does it all mean, howls in the deep dark night from an unknown source, footprints in the snow or dirt, animals acting out of character? As I heard someone say recently, “…Everyone has their own definition of what proof is.” We have to make that decision for ourselves. It is a very personal choice. I have not seen a Bigfoot as of yet, but for me, proof will come when I see one, and that is what I need.
]]>I was nestled in the top bunk just above Jesse, this was my first bunk bed experience. I felt like a spider on the ceiling. “Bigfoot” Dave was on the bottom of the other bunk. Just before lights out Dave introduces us to his “woosh” box. It’s a cassette recorder sized device that emits a static “white noise” type of sound at a pretty decent volume. We are then informed that this is required to be on all night so he can sleep. An hour after lights out I’m still struggling to stay asleep, now the snores from Jesse fill the cabin as the “woosh” box drones on. I tossed and turned until morning.
We all emerged around 9:00am and by 10 we were out the door, back to Wills Creek. We arrived at the area where Marc had his sighting and filmed the video we had watched the night before. He led us through a pretty substantial brier patch to the base of an old strip mine. You could see the different layers but they were flattened out so the whole side was more like a hill rather than a wall. It was pretty dense forest even in the winter and you could only see so far before the growth blocked your view. Marc began to reenact his sighting for us. Here is where I was, here is where the Bigfoot was, it was really interesting to be in the exact spot his story took place while he was telling it.
“Bigfoot” Dave and I had heard enough, we wanted to find this creature for ourselves so we took off up the hill in the direction Marc said the Bigfoot went. The rest of the group was still discussing the story and hadn’t really noticed Dave and I had slipped away. We could still hear them talking behind us as we reached the plateau of the next tier. From this level we could see a huge high-wall to the north towering over us, stretching up to the sky. It would make an excellent lookout point from someone or something but it was not reachable from where we were. There was a beaten down path that ran the length of the old mine and it created enough of an opening we could see quite a ways down the tier in both directions. This path was too irresistible for me and Dave so we headed south to get a better look.
There was evidence of some old possible Sasquatch structures or dens. Branches were leaned up against the trees making a type of lean-to with pine branches spread across the top as a roof. Most of them were partially collapsed. We could no longer hear our group so we found an active game trail and followed it back to them. Our group made its way back to the vehicles and we headed home. We plan to return to this area in the next couple of months and put some real time in trying to locate the creatures DeWerth had filmed. Stay tuned for updates later on this year.
]]>Marc scanned all around the ridge lines and trees, nothing, the night was still. He let out a loud Squatch call that pierced through the woods and echoed down the valley. A faint but distinct whoop replied from the north, could that have been the group? We continued to hold our position for several more minutes, then a wood knock rung out from the top of the ridge directly in front of us. Clear as day, “Crack”, another rang out no more than a minute later. “Crack”, again, this time closer. This continued at different intervals for the next 20 minutes or so, 17 knocks total. The batteries in the thermal were starting to run out so we decided to make our way up the road and find the group. Marc scanned the hillside where the knocks came from as we passed using the remaining battery juice, nothing.
We found the group 2 tenths of a mile up the road. They had heard some of the knocks and the reply whoop and they indicated the sounds had come from behind them. The source was somewhere between where we had been and where the group was. They had not made any sounds and were quietly moving up the road during the time we heard the noises. We put fresh batteries in the thermal and headed back down the road. As we approached the hillside where the sounds had been coming from Marc began to scan with the thermal again. He stopped, I could tell he was seeing something. “You see it?”, “There is something laying on the ground up there” he replied. He handed me the thermal and I kept it pointed to the same spot he had it. I saw a large bright white heat signature low to the ground but fairly large. It looked like something big was lying on the ground partially behind a tree. It wasn’t moving but Marc assured me it wasn’t there on our trip up the road.
Mark Maisel instructed us to keep moving down the road. He said it was too dark to try and go in after it and we should see if we can get it to follow us. As we made our way down the road Mark told me about his three rules of Bigfooting.
I couldn’t agree more. The stranger in the woods did not follow us. When we returned the thermal showed no signs of life on the hillside. We heard one last faint knock come from down the ravine on the other side of the road. It was gone.
To be continued…
]]>Our evening started in Cadiz, Ohio at the Puskarich Public Library for DeWerth’s “Bigfoot in Ohio” lecture series. The basement was overflowing with over 150 people and some lined the halls not able to fit into the main room. DeWerth entertained the crowd with sighting reports and stories from all around Ohio, his eager audience hanging on his every word. Many of the children in attendance lined the front, sitting on the floor, trying so very hard to interject with their own stories and questions. When it came time for Marc’s personal sighting story and video from Wills Creek the crowd settled in and seemed to surge forward as everyone’s eyes fixated on the big screen television at the front of the room.
The old VHS tape has been around awhile now but it still plays well and the creatures shown on it are impressive. Marc’s commentary during the showing was priceless as he mocked and conversed with his video tapped alter ego, often times comparing himself to Patrick from the SpongeBob television show. As things wrapped up many in the crowd swarmed to the front to talk more with Marc and view some of the casts and books he had brought. After some vocalization demonstrations outside and a few more questions our small group piled into the Jeep and headed to Wills Creek for some night ops.
To be continued…
With all of the Bigfoot crypto-craziness that has been going on lately, I needed some clarity. After watching Season 1 Episode 5, of In Search Of “Bigfoot”, I gained some insight as to how far things have come, and in some cases how little progress has been made in the world of Bigfoot research.
This episode is chock full of some of the most synonymous names in Bigfoot research. We are talking about Peter Byrne, who I was very fortunate to meet at last years Ohio Bigfoot Conference.
Included as well were Grover Krantz, an Anthropologist from Washington State University. There is a great write-up on Dr. Krantz on BFRO. This was a man who did not just play the arm-chair quarterback and publish over 60 academic papers and 10 books, he got out in the field and did the down and dirty research.
I remember watching In Search Of as a kid, and today as I put my feet up, grab a pop (soda for some of you) and some chips and settle into the chair, I hear Leonard's voice and that music, I get the same chills I felt as a child.
The episode touches on some topics that are still relevant in Bigfoot research today; kill or no kill, hoaxers and hoaxes among others. The debate that can arise from these topics is intense and leads to perhaps the most contentious point of debate: How do we prove Bigfoot exists? I will leave you with this episode of In Search Of, and keep in mind this aired April 28, 1977.
Check out our cryptid collection here, it is sometimes, out of this world.
]]>To those who have seen one, they need no scientific proof of what they saw, they know. Sure the DNA might help validate their sighting or save some face amongst friends and family. But knowing they saw what so few others have, it’s something special. To those who have seen enough physical evidence and heard enough eyewitness accounts to believe, your search will continue regardless if the scientific community approves. And to the others, like me, we want to believe but just haven’t seen quite enough to go all in like the others, the mystery is what draws us into the woods.
My search, for one of America’s most fascinating mysteries, is driven by the adventure of it. It’s a reason to hike these woods, to be one with nature, to feel like a part of something. If I knew exactly what I was searching for the excitement would be diminished, the end result would be known. It’s that unknown that pushes me deeper into the forest, it’s the curiosity, the fear. I want, with every fiber of my being, to see this elusive creature for myself once and for all but it’s that want that keeps me coming back. I try so hard to put myself into a position, like Patterson did so many years ago, to get it on film, to watch how it moves, breathes, I don’t want to believe, I want to know it’s real.
I will reserve judgment on Dr. Ketchum and her group until the dust settles and more of the truth is revealed. I am intrigued but suspicions. Science might be able to, one day, prove the existence of Bigfoot, but it will never be able to disprove it. The legend of Sasquatch will live on forever in the stories passed on from generation to generation, the blurry videos, blobsquatch photos and the plaster casts that were left behind.
To read Dr. Ketchum’s report go to the publisher’s website www.denovojournal.com ($30 fee required).
To see more about the study and find answers to some of the questions surrounding the report’s release checkout the accompanying website www.sasquatchgenomeproject.org.
]]>Laying on the roof we stared at the sky, hoping to see something, anything. The night was cloudless. It was like staring into a bottomless black pool with millions of little pin-pricks of light struggling to punch through the darkness.
When it happened, it was one of those, “did I really just see that?” moments. I can still recall it today, though I am not sure of the specific movements, I am sure I saw it occur. A small light, one of those pin-pricks of light started to move. Rapidly, left to right, then up and down, and as quickly as it had started it was gone. Unsure of what I had just seen, and hoping to quell those, must be my eyes playing tricks on me thoughts, and logic desperately trying to take over and fill me with rationale, earthly reasons, I asked Alan if he had just seen anything.
Quivering with restrained excitement surrounded with mild confusion an answer slipped through a half-smile, and what I think had very quickly become, just as much as mine was, a dry mouth, a yes come forward.
Could it have been a man-made satellite, or some other space craft? The possibility exists of course. It was the rapid direction change that left us stunned. How could something make those moves that quick?
Since that night we have spent countless hours scouring the skies for more. What have you seen? We would love to hear about your first UFO sighting.
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