J.Vaughn’s Bigfoot/Sasquatch Page
By Linda Martin – © 2009
I internet-toured Kentucky Bigfoot (yesterday) and today I’m still in that state, looking at J. Vaughn’s Bigfoot/Sasquatch Page about Bigfoot sightings in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky. He emphasizes that his is a NO KILL Bigfoot research site. I’m definitely on his side with that issue!
He writes that when we’re outdoors hoping to hear a howl or scream, “…the main thing to remember is to have fun and enjoy your trip to the woods & be safe.” That’s so true. We need to remember that the joy of Bigfoot research isn’t just in having sightings or finding evidence. There’s also a lot of pleasure just being in the great outdoors, visiting with Bigfoot research friends, and enjoying fresh air and skies full of bright stars.
J. Vaughn has listed a lot of links to show how much information is available these days about Bigfoot sightings. He also has some very helpful links to related sites, such as “Maps, Tools, & Animal Track Links” and “Animal Sound Links.”
On a separate page he wrote more about his opinion on Bigfoot research. He states that he believes that Bigfoot is a flesh and blood living creature related to gorillas, orangutans, or apes. He does not pursue paranormal explanations including UFO or shape-shifting theories. He’s hoping for a no-kill end to the Bigfoot mystery. He also calls for an end to fighting and arguing between Bigfoot research groups since all have similar goals.
September 11, 2009
Kentucky Bigfoot
By Linda Martin – © 2009
Kentucky Bigfoot is the home of a compelling article about an ancient Cherokee burial ground that may have Bigfoot skeletons in it. The entire section on Bigfoot sighting reports is absolutely fascinating.
When you get close to the bottom of the page you’ll see the headline, “Henderson County – Spottsville, Ky. -1975,” and there’s a link to the entire story. Don’t miss this one… it is webmaster Bart Nunnelly’s story of the Spotsville Monster that terrorized his family when he was a youngster.
The Spotsville Monster story is especially fascinating when you read the neighbor’s experiences which include telepathic communication from the monster, and an apparent interdimensional gateway. The neighbor said the gateway was a few yards wide and looked wavy like hot air rising, and that he saw these monsters (Bigfoot?) emerging from it. Whether you believe in a paranormal Bigfoot or not, the story is worth reading. Bart Nunnelly is a great writer – his sighting stories are riveting.
There’s a nice selection of photographs on the site including one that could be some Bigfoot sitting with their back to the camera. But why are these photos always so blurry!? There are some drawings further down on the photo page that will make you wonder if Bigfoot is really that much more frightening in Kentucky. Very scary stuff indeed!
There’s a sighting report form on the site and a page full of new sighting reports. I’d call that essential reading for anyone who lives in Kentucky!
September 10, 2009
United Bigfoot Research Group
What I like about the United Bigfoot Research Group’s website is that it provides a way for researchers with a no-kill philosophy to band together for Bigfoot research opportunities and an exchange of information. While most of the sightings posted in their Bigfoot sighting database are from Tennessee, there’s plenty of room for expansion into other states; none are excluded.
The site has articles written by members, including topics like why Bigfoot has eluded us for so long, the question of telepathy, and what to take on a Bigfoot research outing into the woods. There’s a good selection of photographs of markers possibly created by Bigfoot and some cartoons and artwork too.
I liked the Bigfoot polls – they ask: What do you believe Bigfoot is? What do you think of our site? What abilities do you believe these creatures have? …And what about our sighting reports?
There’s a forum for Bigfoot research investigators to network on, and a list of officers that run the organization – this is not a one-person “organization”. I checked on that forum and found that there are multiple threads that have been updated recently by a variety of members – so this is an active organization that you can contact to volunteer to help. Investigators range from the USA East Coast as far west as Missouri, and from Florida in the south to Wisconsin up north. The organization would probably welcome affiliated investigators from other parts of the country.
September 7, 2009
Lawnflowers Jerky and Bigfoots
I love a site with a sense of humor. This has got it. Lawnflowers Jerky and Bigfoots is just that – pages about lawnflowers, pages about jerky, and lots of informative pages about Bigfoot. I found humor on the Author’s Page in the selection of photographs there.
Webmaster Dennis Bauer has been researching Bigfoot online for years, and has compiled an impressive series of links to Bigfoot information around the web. I especially appreciated the Bigfoot Behavior page which has links to sighting reports with Bigfoot vocalizations, among other things. This is a very effective and useful way to compile the results of internet research!
This site is the authority on Bigfoot in Alabama, with sighting reports divided into Upper Alabama and Lower Alabama. The Lower Alabama page includes parts of Florida nearby.
Ever wonder whether government agents are hiding Bigfoot information from us? I asked that question of a local forest service employee. He said that as far as he knew the information wasn’t classified, and that if there was anything to report it would be available to the public, but he added, “You would have to ask people higher up than me,” to get more information. Well…. here on Dennis Bauer’s site he has a helpful page called Bigfoot and Government. It contains links to sightings by government employees. Here in Happy Camp we had a sighting situation with two forest service employees and they did everything they could to cover up their involvement.
September 6, 2009
Indiana Bigfoot Awareness
The webmaster at Indiana Bigfoot Awareness posted good news recently. He finally had a Bigfoot sighting on July 5, 2009. That was after years of anomalies on his property and sightings by at least one of his children. His personal story started with one of his children being stalked after dark by an eight foot tall creature that originally was in the stooped “tree stump” hiding position. I’d like to read the details of his 2009 sighting!
My favorite section of the site is his rant page. His most recent rant compared GPS units. Before that he ranted about The Trouble with Sasquatchery Today, Bigfoot message boards, and people who have sightings then won’t talk about them. I do love opinionated people!
If you’re living in Indiana and have a sighting, you might like knowing there are others in your state who have seen things before. Check out the stories at Submitted Encounters and Sightings, Kosciusko County Indiana Sightings, and Bigfoot/Sasquatch Reports in Indiana. There’s a long history of Bigfoot sightings in the state.
The Bigfoot Discovery Project Video Archive
By Linda Martin – @2009 – http://www.bigfootsightings.org
Yesterday’s Bigfoot Site of the Day was the Bigfoot Discovery Project’s Video Archive. I spent a lot of time last night watching some of the many short videos of Michael Rugg of Felton, CA sharing his Bigfoot knowledge and wisdom. It was an enjoyable, mesmerizing experience, and I eventually realized I was too tired to write about the site… so for the first time in the duration of this Bigfoot Site of the Day project, I fell asleep without writing a post about the site I was checking out.
The place to find out where the site of the day is – is Twitter. I post the name of the site and a link to it there – usually early in the morning. I then spend the day reading the site (or in this case, watching it) and usually write something about it on this blog before midnight. Last night was the exception… sorry about that (in case anyone cares.)
Michael Rugg’s Bigfoot Discovery Museum in the Santa Cruz Mountains provides a central place for Bigfoot researchers to gather, and for people in the area to go to report things they’ve seen, heard, or experienced. He’s there to record the reports, and the ones he’s convinced of he includes on his Bigfoot sightings map which is there for members of the public to study.
The Bigfoot Discovery Project videos are full of his stories about Bigfoot encounters – mostly in his local area. Some of the museum exhibits are featured, and he recommends a few good Bigfoot books. The archive is definitely worth spending some time in. I watched episodes seven through forty-one yesterday. I’ll go back for more as there are now over 100 episodes of this video series!
September 4, 2009
Michigan Bigfoot
By Linda Martin – @2009 – http://www.bigfootsightings.org
Have you had a Bigfoot sighting in the state of Michigan? If so, you’re not alone, and there’s a team of Bigfoot researchers ready to take your report. They also follow up on recent Bigfoot sighting reports, whenever possible. Michigan Bigfoot provides a forum for anyone having questions or comments about Bigfoot research in Michigan, and there’s a sighting report form online. All personal information is kept confidential at the request of those who have seen Bigfoot. Privacy is a priority and all copyright on photographic evidence is respected.
The site contains a detailed article about trail cams: Game Cameras and their Potential Use in Field Research – which includes camera setup, choosing a location, stealth, and deployment for long-term field research projects. Although to date there have been no good photos of Bigfoot taken with trail cams, they are still popular with Bigfoot researchers. The author of this article believes that if more of them are placed in the field, eventually a good photograph of a Bigfoot will be taken.
Did you ever wonder what Bigfoot researchers do during their weekend squatching adventures? On the Field Journal page there’s a detailed account of a 2004 Bigfoot research expedition that included call blasting, wood knocking, an a response!
There’s a photo gallery page where you can see the type of terrain these researchers work in. It definitely looks like Bigfoot country!
For more information on this group, see the What We Do page. This Bigfoot research team gives Michigan residents a valuable resource for feedback whenever a Bigfoot is seen.
September 3, 2009
West Coast Sasquatch
By Linda Martin – @2009 – http://www.bigfootsightings.org
West Coast Sasquatch is a Canadian site, focusing on Bigfoot activity and sightings in British Columbia. There are some fascinating interviews: John Green, Christopher Murphy, and Thomas Steenburg, all well-known Bigfoot researchers and writers in the Pacific Northwest.
This site has been online since 2004 and has accumulated a lot of text in the last five years. I clicked on Reports and found a page called Hoss’s Notebook. Great stories! Hoss managed to come across more than one Sasquatch, plus he picked up a collection of Bigfoot sighting reports from others living in the remote Canadian mountains around beautiful Pitt Lake in British Columbia.
The energy behind the website comes from G.C. (Grand Cherokee, Gerry) and Thomas Steenburg. You can meet them on the profiles page. There’s a forum on the site and a photo gallery.
Every Bigfoot researcher needs to be familiar with the great classics of Bigfoot research. The site points out that three of the four great classics happened in Canada! The are the Albert Ostman story of 1924, the Ruby Creek sighting of 1941, and William Roe’s experience in 1955. With so many amazing Bigfoot encounters in Western Canada, you can understand why Dr. John Bindernagle moved there to study Sasquatch.
Speaking of Sasquatch, where do you think that name came from? The answer is right here on the West Coast Sasquatch site: “The name Sasquatch was coined in the 1920’s by J. W. Burns, through ..what is believed to be.. a mis-pronunciation of an indian word, and for the most part is used primarily to describe our Canadian cryptid.” You can find that information on the page about J.W. Burns.
September 2, 2009
North America’s Great Ape: The Sasquatch – Dr. John Bindernagel’s Bigfoot Biology Site
Dr. John Bindernagel, B.S.A., MS, Ph.D., is a professional wildlife biologist based in British Columbia, Canada. He has studied Bigfoot evidence since 1975. In 1988 he found and cast a set of Bigfoot footprints near his home. In the mid-1990s he wrote a book, North America’s Great Ape: The Sasquatch Since that time he’s written some well-received scientific research papers about Bigfoot and some magazine articles as well.
I read his entire Bigfoot biology website today and appreciated his discussion of three types of Bigfoot evidence: tracks, sightings, and other phenomena. With his discussion of other phenomena he provided several excellent photographs of tree twists – broken by a force that’s hard to imagine unless it could be an actual Bigfoot.
I especially appreciated the page about whether Sasquatch witnesses are confusing Bigfoot with bears. He mentions that forestry workers and other outdoors people are unlikely to mistake a bear for something else. An illustration shows the vital differences between an upright bear and a Bigfoot, and even the tracks of each are examined for perspective.
Dr. Bindernagel doesn’t doubt that there’s a real creature called Sasquatch, and focuses on understanding the biological aspects of Sasquatch life. He’s documented the distribution of Sasquatch reports across the North American continent.
On his page about Sasquatch and science he wrote:
“One aspect of my own sasquatch research and writing is that of assisting in validating the sasquatch as a subject for serious research by mainstream sceientists. I have attempted to acquaint students of natural history, field naturalists and colleagues in science with existing data and evidence. I do not try to convince them to necessarily accept the sasquatch as an existing animal, but rather to recognize that it … may be a subject worthy of serious discussion and some research effort.”
Dr. John Bindernagle is a pioneer in the scientific study of Bigfoot. His contribution to Bigfoot research is very much appreciated.
September 1, 2009
North American Bigfoot – Cliff Barackman’s Site
Cliff Barackman’s website is fairly new, but packed with fascinating information. For example, he’s installed a unique index of Bigfoot footprint casts giving the specs on each including the place it was found, the size, the date, and the name of the person who discovered it. There’s so much to see on this site I wasn’t able to read it all in one day… but I’ll be back. There’s an ongoing Bigfoot research blog associated with this site that I’ve only read a few entries of. I may feature that separately in the future, because I really want to read it all.
Cliff Barackman has been involved with Bigfoot research for at least fifteen years and currently has three ongoing Bigfoot study areas in Oregon. His comments about the kinds of things that go on there are fascinating. He’s also got articles on the site — I couldn’t read them all today but went down the list until I saw A Place for Amateurs and figured that was the article for me. It was very encouraging, giving practical suggestions for a scientific approach to Bigfoot research.
Speaking of encouragement, I met Cliff during the summer of 2008 when he came through Happy Camp (you can see the photograph on my blog post about Tom Yamarone) and he said something that was very encouraging to me. I was wondering how I should develop my approach to Bigfoot research and he said something to the effect that my blog was fine as it was – as being someone in the Klamath River area commenting on local sightings. A little bit of encouragement is very helpful, and Cliff, if you ever read this, I want to thank you for that!
Other articles on this site will appeal to more experienced Bigfoot researchers: Thermal Imagers in Bigfoot Research and A Case for Infrasound are a little too high-tech for me but may be exactly what you need to read about. More my speed, The Ten Essentials of Bigfoot Data Gathering lists practical items like a tape measure and latex gloves — things I can afford and know how to use.
Cliff included a section on the cultural impact of Bigfoot, recommending books, movies, artists, and musicians. Take a walk on the wild side… and if you have questions look at the Bigfoot FAQ. There are some Bigfoot videos on the site you may not have seen before. There are also Bigfoot sound recordings he’s collected during his Bigfoot research activities. For a new site, this is very comprehensive, but that is a reflection of his years of experience. If you want to be involved in Bigfoot research, this is definitely a site worth taking the time to read.
August 31, 2009
Bigfoot in Illinois
Bigfoot in Illinois is an article posted on the Prairie Ghosts website. After reading about the Illinois sightings, I believe there’s an infestation of Bigfoot in that state. Actually, from Bigfoot’s point of view (and he was here first, right?) there’s probably an infestation of humans. The run-ins people have had with a huge hairy creature there give me the impression that he’s so used to being around people he’s become very curious and takes risks on being seen.
This is a heavily populated state but still, Bigfoot has been seen in various parts of central Illinois including Effingham, Decatur, Clinton, Pekin, Peoria, and Farmer City; south to Centreville (and St. Louis,) Murphysboro, Enfield, and Chittyville, and north to Elizabeth. There was even a sighting in Westchester, Cook County! Weldon Springs State Park and Shawnee National Forest are sighting locations. Most recently, in 2000, there was a sighting in Essex. So if you’re in Illinois, by now you probably feel like you’re surrounded by Bigfoot encounter locations. Perhaps many of the sightings are of one rogue, lost Bigfoot roaming through Illinois, not knowing how to get out of the populated areas. Or… maybe there’s nests of them here and there with entire family groups.
To the man who emailed me on August 9, 2009 about finding Bigfoot footprints near Murphysboro, Illinois… yes… they’re in Illinois and at least one has been seen in Murphysboro before! Here’s another link on the same site with more information: The Murphysboro Mud Monster.
I looked on Google Maps for all these places. I saw how skimpy the wooded areas of the state are. I can only feel sorry for the poor Bigfoot who is trying to maintain cover when there are so many people all around.
One strange sighting was the Cole Hollow Road Monster, nicknamed Cohomo. Starting in May 1972, in East Peoria, there were multiple sightings of a tall white hairy being suspected of living beneath an abandoned house. On May 25 the police took over 200 calls from people who had spotted Cohomo.
One man said he spotted the creature nearby in Fondulac Park and stranger still, said that “a set of strange lights … seemed to descend vertically and land behind some trees.” Hmmm…
The last sighting of Cohomo was on July 27 that year when two people said they saw him swimming in the Illinois River. The site says, “They got close enough to him to know that he smelled awful and looked like a ‘cross between an ape and a caveman’.” Seems strange that he was swimming and still smelled bad! The map below shows the area where Cohomo was a resident in 1972.
August 30, 2009
Georgia Bigfoot
The Georgia Bigfoot website is the place to go for information about Bigfoot tracking in this forested southern state. Does Georgia seem like an unlikely place for a Bigfoot sighting?
Consider this:
Back in the 1990s a man living in a mobile home in Georgia was disturbed by something (or someone) walking around his home and pounding on the walls. Worse, the thing killed some of his dogs and stole lots of dogfood. His frequent calls to the Sheriff’s department were considered a nuisance. The result of this disturbance is the Elkins Creek footprint, cast by Deputy James Akin of the local Sheriff’s department. This footprint cast was studied by Dr. Grover Krantz and Jimmy Chilcutt and declared to be real. This is a sighting story worth reading and the site includes footprint cast photographs. On a separate page you can see Jimmy Chilcutt’s dermal ridge analysis of the Elkins Creek print.
Articles on this site include the practical matters of Basic Track Casting and Processing and Investigating Potential Sasquatch Evidence. The Photo Gallery has images from trail cams, tracks and casts, and wilderness scenes showing what the terrain in Georgia is like.
I looked over the entire site before moving on to the blog, which has quite a few valuable articles though it is no longer being maintained since the site was passed on to new owners at the end of 2007. What’s there is worth a read! It starts with Game Camera Survey Phase One, published March 2, 2006 by Samuel Rich. If you’re planning to use trail cams, this is a good primer. Or if you’d like to read about a wood-knocking, howling adventure, check out Mike2K1’s story, Serendepity…How we got from Point A to B. Part I and Part II. I also appreciated Red circles, shadows and the Blob agenda. I will come back to this blog to read the rest of the postings.
All this leaves one question unanswered… Do Bigfoot enjoy eating Georgia peaches?
Probably so…
August 29, 2009
The Skunk Ape Files – Florida’s Bigfoot
Who knows what’s lurking in the swamps and wooded areas of Florida? Emma Carroll, owner of The Skunk Ape Files knows what’s out there. On her website you can read about her sighting and many other sightings in Florida and elsewhere, even in Iraq.
There’s a sighting report form on the site and she’s received some great stories. She adds whatever is reported to her recent sightings list without judgment. She wrote, “I do not judge the sightings that are reported. Hopefully all are true but only the teller knows for sure.”
Do you want to know more about who Emma Carroll is? Check out her bio on her page about Florida Bigfoot researchers.
Emma is an artist. She’s posted some of her art and included paintings and drawings done by others too: Skunk Ape Art. She’s also got a page of photos.
I was fascinated by the historical stories on the Man Mountain page. It tells about burial mounds found with giants in them! The last story on the page was sad…
If you’re looking for information about the Skunk Ape of Florida, you’ll find lots of sighting stories and useful information on The Skunk Ape Files. This is a homespun site, unpretentious yet full of detailed sighting stories about Skunk Ape that will make you think twice about walking country roads in the Sunshine State at night.
August 28, 2009
Stocking Hominid Research
Continuing my tour of Bigfoot sites around the internet, I found Stocking Hominid Research, Inc. – a non-profit organization for scientific study of Sasquatch. The site says, “We use critical thinking and forensic procedure in our investigative process.”
The About Us page gives biographical information for Diane Stocking, Donna Stocking Cohrs, and a few other team members. Most of the work they’ve done has been in Florida but they’re willing to consider doing a follow up on sightings anywhere in North America. If I ever again need to refer someone to a field investigator in Florida, I’ll know who to call on!
There are some outstanding research papers on this site. I couldn’t read them all, but what I looked at impressed me. Check out The Credibility of Sasquatch Witnesses by Barbara Wasson (PDF file) or The Sociological Impact of Bigfoot Reports by Ron Schaffner. I can see I’ll have to return to this article archive when I’ve got more time.
An especially valuable page on the site has sound files of Bigfoot howls, as well as a fascinating 911 call recording. For comparison there are links to sounds made by other woodland animals, including the elk. On a separate page you’ll find some great photographs of animal tracks.
The page on hoaxes and misidentifications fascinated me. They rejected the Florida Skunk Ape photographs and even the Skookum Cast! Will they add a section on the Bigfoot massacre theory? Time will tell…
Don’t miss the page of their own photos so you’ll know what kind of evidence they find acceptable. There’s also a few sightings listed on the site.
August 27, 2009
The Bigfoot Information Project
The Bigfoot Information Project has good articles to read, podcasts, and resources. I believe this site is owned by the same webmaster who owns Bigfoot Forums.
There’s an interview with John Green by Gerry Matthews, in which you can find out how Green evaluates Bigfoot sighting reports and evidence, what he thinks of the BFRO Bigfoot sightings database, how he feels about the suppression of scientific Bigfoot information by the media, and what he thinks of the “Four Horsemen of Sasquatchery,” of which he is one.
The articles are well-researched and informative, for example:
An Archaeological Viewpoint of the Hairy Man Pictographs by Kathy Moskowitz Strain;
Evaluating Purported Sasquatch Photographic Evidence by Alton Higgins;
and Letters In Response To “Bigfoot Believers” by Dmitri Bayanov.
Podcasts are found in the lower-right corner of the front page of the site. You can download audio files and listen to Rick Noll, Kathy Moskowitz Strain, and Scott Herriot.