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BigfootBigfoot is the name given to a large creature allegedly living in the remote wilderness areas of the United States and Canada. His areas of alleged habitat include southwestern Canada, the Great Lakes, the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, the forests of the U.S. Northeast and the U.S. Southern states. An alternative term is Sasquatch. Along with the Loch Ness Monster and Yeti, Bigfoot is perhaps the most famous creature in cryptozoology. The modern Bigfoot phenomenon began in 1958 with reports of enormous footprints in Humboldt County, California. While most Bigfoot encounters (including the best-known ones) are from the Pacific Northwest, similar encounters have been alleged from much of North America. There are many earlier accounts of large, hairy, apelike or "wild man" creatures (or reports of inexplicable large, human-like footprints) from the Pacific Northwest, perhaps dating back to the late 18th century; some researchers have argued these accounts are consistent with more contemporary Bigfoot reports. As noted below, some of these early accounts are of doubtful authenticity, and critics have questioned the accuracy of interpreting older reports through modern preconceptions. Most mainstream scientists have found existing Sasquatch evidence unpersuasive, and generally consider such evidence and sightings the product of mythology, folklore, misidentification or hoaxes. Many academics and professionals contend that further study is a waste of time, but others have argued that though current evidence may be lacking, evidence should be evaluated objectively as it arises. Others (including an active subculture composed primarily of amateurs) continue research and consider the existence of Sasquatch a possibility. Bigfoot PhenomenonBigfoot is one of the more famous creatures in cryptozoology. Cryptozoologist John Green has postulated that Bigfoot is a worldwide phenomenon (Green 1978:16). Many who consider the creature's existence a possibility claim that accounts of large, hairy, ape-like or "wild man" creatures (or reports of inexplicably large, human-like footprints) from the Pacific Northwest date as far back as the late 18th century. Some researchers have argued that these earlier accounts are consistent with more contemporary Bigfoot reports, while critics doubt their authenticity and question the accuracy of interpreting older reports through modern preconceptions. Skeptics also question the authenticity of these earlier reports in general, as many of them were not documented before the 1950s. The earliest unambiguous reports of gigantic ape-like creatures in the Pacific northwest date from 1924, after a series of alleged encounters at a location in Washington later dubbed Ape Canyon, as related in The Oregonian [8] As noted in "Etymology" below, similar reports appear in the mainstream press dating back at least to the 1920s. The phenomenon attained widespread notoriety in 1958 when enormous footprints were reported in Humboldt County, California. Mainstream scientists have found existing physical Bigfoot evidence and sightings unpersuasive; generally, science dismisses the phenomenon as the product of the misidentification of common animals, mythology or folklore. For instance, northern Europe's former belief in trolls has been suggested to be similar to Bigfoot legends. The Swedish author, naturalist and debunker of cryptozoological claims, Bengt Sjögren, suggested this humorous explanation (1962) to the reported hominid cryptids: "Since we stopped worrying that the trolls would come and get us, their existence have become so pointless that they have all emigrated. Some of them got lost and ended up in the Rocky Mountains, and one of them was temporarily seen by professor Pronin in Soviet Pamir. But the majority of these poor trolls into exile have established themselves in Himalaya, where they only risk being seen by people with a desire to have something to tell." Less charitable scientists have argued that many (or most) sightings are simply hoaxes. Many academics and professionals contend that further study is a waste of time. Others (including an active subculture composed primarily of amateurs) continue research and consider the existence of Bigfoot a possibility. Eyewitness ReportsSome cryptozoologists have argued that the most persuasive circumstantial evidence for Bigfoot's existence is the high number (possibly thousands) of credible eyewitness reports from individuals, who claim to have clearly seen creatures that they describe as large, bipedal and ape-like. The majority of Sasquatch reports are generated from areas having low human population densities, but many do originate from parks near major cities, such as Portland, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, most sightings are near rivers, creeks or lakes, and from areas where annual rainfall exceeds twenty inches (500 mm). Researchers point out that these common factors indicate patterns of a living species occupying an ecological niche, as opposed to hoaxed sightings. The late Grover Krantz noted these same points and offered a detailed proposal for Sasquatch ecology and social behavior (Krantz, 158-171). Critics suggest people may have mistaken bears for Bigfoot, as sightings are near habitats of bears. However, the witnesses include experienced hunters and outdoorsmen, who claim to be familiar with bears, and insist that the creatures they saw were not bears. Biologist John Bindernagel argues there are marked differences between bears and Sasquatch reports that make confusion unlikely: "In profile, the bear's prominent snout is markedly different from the Sasquatch flat face. In frontal view, the Sasquatch squarish shoulders contrast with the bear's tapered shoulders. The Sasquatch has relatively long legs that allow for a graceful stride, in contrast with the short-legged shuffles of a bear when it walks on its hind legs. A bear's ears are usually visible, while those of the Sasquatch are apparently hidden under long hair". Krantz made similar arguments (Krantz, 5). Problems with Eyewitness ReportsAs previously mentioned, Bigfoot sightings are near the habitats of bears, including the grizzly bear. Bears are large and furry and often stand up on their hind legs, leading to speculation that Bigfoot witnesses mistook bears for something more exotic. It has also been suggested that the number of people reporting Bigfoot sightings could be explained by hoaxes or "confusion" about what they really encountered. Similarly, Napier wrote that however accurate and sincere witnesses might seem, "eyewitness reports must be treated with considerable caution ... Although we don't always know what we see, we tend to see what we know" (Napier, 19). He also adds, "without checking possible (ulterior) motivations, they (eyewitnesses) cannot be acceptable as primary data" (ibid, 198). Bigfoot researchers claim that there are many sightings that pre-date the worldwide interest in the subject. It has, however, been suggested that such stories were either not reported until afterwards, or have little or no resemblance to typical Bigfoot sightings; researchers may be misinterpreting or selectively citing these accounts to support their own conclusions. YetiThe yeti is a large primate-like creature reported to live in the Himalayas. The Western name is derived from the Tibetan yeh-teh, "little man-like animal"; it is a false cognate with Old English geottan (or yettin in Modern English), an antiquated word for an orc or troll (see also jotun). Most mainstream scientists and experts consider current evidence of the yeti's existence to be unpersuasive, and the result of hoaxes, legend, or misidentification of mundane creatures. Still, the yeti remains one of the most famous creatures in cryptozoology. Certain physical evidence, however, such as tracks and nests have suggested to some that yeti is an unknown primate, a remnant hominid, or a type of bear. The term yeti is often used to describe a number of very different reported creatures:
The term is also often used to refer to reported ape-like creatures that fit any of these descriptions: for example, the fear liath may be referred to as the "Scottish yeti". The yeti is sometimes referred to as the "abominable snowman". This name was popularized by the press after a reporter related a mistranslation of a Nepali name for the yeti. Migoi is another name for such a creature. Links about Bigfoot / YetiBigfoot in Texas? Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization Gulf Coast BigFoot Research Organization Bigfoot Central The Cryptozoologist Australian Yowie Research Bigfoot of North America Bigfoot in Illinois The Mysterious Bigfoot Yeti : Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas The Study of Unclassified Bipedal Primates Shadowlands Bigfoot Page Oregon Bigfoot Bigfoot : fact or fantasy? Nepal's Bigfoot: Yeti |
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Bigfoot Encounters: California Sightings List - Hundreds of people have reported seeing a large, hairy, human-like creature lurking in the remote regions of California, mostly Northern and central California. Bigfoot Encounters - Researchers Using DNA Testing to Verify Bigfoot. Bigfoot of East Texas - A research group studying our friends in the forest commonly called Bigfoot or Sasquatch. |
Walking with Giants - The information found here is to provide you with a foundation for you to drawn your own conclusions as to wheather Big Foot is the Missing Link, or nothing more than a Legend. East Texas Bigfoot Independent Study - Does a large unknown species of primate inhabit the dense forests of East Texas? There are tales of "Wild Men" or "Ape Men" lurking just on the edge of civilization being seen only on rare occasions. |
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