Bobbie Short...

I am on an email listing for a newsletter from the legendary Bobbie Short. Her main website, www.bigfootencounters.com, is a great site for old and new anecdotal evidence including eyewitness descriptions, professional discriptions and discussions and sometimes the totally bizarre. I appreciate her efforts to not only expand our knowledge base on the cutting edge technological break throughs but also keep us in touch with the original and early narratives from early explorers and First Peoples.

More drivel...in my opinion (lawyers may be listening!!)

http://www.cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/boa-mmm/

Why was this even necessary? So this advances the debate...backwards!??!

Cryptozoology - A Terrible Mistake?

For your consideration: Has self nominating a classification of study, here cryptozoology, hurt or damaged efforts for serious research dollars and grants?

Is This the End?

I have to say that after spending several years now reading books, watching media programs, researching the internet and general fact checking I am not sure that this whole Bigfoot thing exists. It all comes down to the fact that after 50+ years we ought to have more than a few bad, fuzzy videos and questionable prints. What large mammal has escaped attention for this long? Sure, you can argue the great apes - but come on!! They were hidden when we didn't have the tremendous technology that lies before us now. It's becoming an emperor's clothes situation. I believe some have gone so far out on the limb that it is now impossible for them to judge the evidence objectively - this would include world famous interview-seeking bloggers and professional scientist.

I believe that I have become a Bigfoot agnostic - I want so badly to believe, but I'm fairly convinced it's all a bunch of bunk!!

Monster Pig not so monster?

There is quite a storm of disagreement brewing between this lad's family and a site calling itself Stinky Journalism. Please check out their sites:

www.monsterpig.com

http://www.astrobio.net/stinkyjournalism/

Now, any intelligent person can say with confidence that these pictures aren't kosher. It's apparent that tricks of depth perception were used to inflate the statistics and appearance of this hog. It also appears that some amateur photo shopping has been done to the pictures as well. What's troubling now is that the dad apparently won't let go of this story about how he and his son have done nothing, etc. What a great lesson to teach your kid.

However, before we lose perspective, that is a really big hog!! My current understanding of the story is that it's a farm raised hog which basically means immensely overfed for size. My cryptozoological curiosity finds me wondering if a hog could get that big in the wild on its own. What's the far end of the scale for an animal that keeps growing as much as it can eat?

Once again, my brother and I have searched Youtube for bigfoot, sasquatch, etc. videos. What a hoot! I wasn't aware that so many people had an interest in the subject enough to waste a whole day, week, etc. just to create a crappy video that convinces only the yahoos at those other blogs. Please take some time to check out the website and do a general search for this amazing topic.

I saw at www.cryptomundo.com an interesting article on the megamouth shark being related to an old crypto photo. Good reading...be sure to check that out. Please take a look at purchasing a Loren Coleman book or two. It's either interesting reading or hilarious reading depending on which side of the fence you reside.

Also, take a look at www.strangestate.com. My brother wrote a really great book on everything mysterious here in Oklahoma! You can purchase it for a really great price for the quality offered.

I also plan to copyright my video of my toe nail clipping UFO that abducted a bigfoot for psychosexual research. So if anybody is using that on their website, please take it down before I make a fool of myself and sue your ass!

A Sketch in Time: Where are the earliest sketches?

Rant: The community researching unknown creatures, such as bigfoot, need to place eyewitness sketches on their research web sites with dates. Currently the sketches are hap-hazard and cross-contaminating. Especially bad are the sites with bigfoot "art" interspersed with the "eyewiteness" accounts. This muddies the water for true research.

A question to be answered would be to look at the earliest sketches and see how the face of the creature was constructed. What points stood out in the witnesses memory because these could provide clues as to the ancestry of this creature.

If, for example, earliest sketches were more gorilla-like in appearance or more like the orang's face, these could provide valuable clues as to the genetic relationships between the NA creature and Asian species. Various other details could provide more clues to support the authenticity of the sighting - but not without those all crucial dates and places attached to the images.

If, on the other hand, the face features fangs and slobbering jaw - please refer to recent cinema posters for inspiration and not into the wilds of the forests.

REMEMBER THE COELACANTH: Possibilities & dangers in dating "extinct" creatures

Hominoidea contains three groups, two of which are the Pongidae (Orangutans, Chimps, and Bonopos) and the Hominidae who are the humans.

The Pongidae great ape, the Orangutan, is located in an increasingly small pocket of SE Asia while the African varieties (gorilla, Chimp, Bonopos) exist in small narrow bands across central Africa. Looking at a map there is a vast distance between these two great ape locals. The immediate question that springs to mind is “how did they get from Africa to Asia”? Followed by “where are the intermediary species?”, and “What happened to the great ape in Asia?”

Complicating the issue is that very few great apes fossils have ever been found, and when they do appear, they serve to add layers of intrigue rather than make their history more clear.

Thus the one Great Ape represented in Asia in fossil form becomes a true missing link. GIANTOPITHECUS originated in Asia, perhaps as long ago as 6 million years and became extinct (?) only about 300,000 to 200,000 years ago. Researchers have located fossil teeth and some bone in regions in China, but because China has a long history of grinding up such “dragon bones” for making medicines, the available resources to study are rare.

Scientists will tell you, though, that this dating and extinction are all ironclad…..

Interesting to note, however, is that in many other fields of science , long held assumptions about correct dates are challenged by new finds. Sites of human occupation dated at 40,000, 50,000, and even 60,000 years are pushing back long held beliefs. Signs of occupation have been found in locations where science had said there was no human occupation that early (coast of Virginia, Mexico, Peru, etc.).

Is it possible that pockets of a large primate survived past that 200,000 year mark? Is it possible they fled away from encroaching humans into the fertile and high country (like Pandas)? Would some of these small pockets have crossed the land bridge into the North American continent? Could small clusters of them linger into the 20th century in the high mountains of Asia (Tibet, China, the Himalayas, and Russia) and in the thick jungles of Vietnam and Thailand?

Once again think of that map with great apes in Africa and SE Asia....and none in between? None...unless you take into account some of those tales of "monsters" and "beasts" in the lonely high places....

What if a new find of Giantopithecus is found that dates to 100,000? 50,000? It is a question to ponder as experts continue to debate the reality of a great ape existing in the American North West and in high, isolated regions in other parts of the world.

Simply because it has not been found, or only a fossil of it has been found, does not negate the possibility of its existence. Remember the coelacanth.

FOR FURTHER READING:

http://www.uiowa.edu/~bioanth/giganto.html
The Ape That Was – Russell Ciochon

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/12/1208_051208_giant_ape_2.html
Early Human – Ape Interaction?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/10/1023_031023_bigfoot.html
Forensic expert says Bigfoot real

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/03/0306_030306_orangutanfossil.html
Ape Fossill….

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/12/1220_021226_orangutan.html
Orangs show signs of culture

http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=2096832

The link above takes you to the local KFOR news story that really got the Oklahoma Bigfoot fever started in 2004. I believe you can still find those broadcasts out on Youtube.com if you have an interest in viewing them. KFOR is sometimes known to be a tad sensationalistic in their reports, but the effort here is pretty sharp. I have to reserve my judgement as to the validity of the witnesses. Basically, I'm not sure grainy video, hyperactive imaginations and (my opinion) chemically dependent witnesses indicate an active woodland presence. So take some time to view the facts and form your own opinion.

THERE'S SOMETHING IN THOSE OKLAHOMA HILLS WE CALL HOME: An Annotated Bibliography

In the early 1960's stories begin to surface of strange critters roaming the river runs and forests of Oklahoma.

El Reno Chicken Man. Oklahoman (1970 Dec pg?).
Article not yet found. Mysterious tracks located around a chicken coop that had had its door pulled off [cited in “Monster prints called fake”]

Lawton alert for “wolfman.” Oklahoman (1971 Mar 3 pg 46).
The “thing” described in this AP story as traipsing around this southwestern corner of the state as being “tall, very hairy, with a distorted face and wearing pants several sizes too small.” Moreover it was alleged to be able to jump 15 feet from a standing start or drop from a second story balcony with out ill effects. C. Edward Green, 24, was a witness and declared it was no hoax. He described its ability to jump, said it was heavily bearded with extremely thick, black hair all over its body. Donald Childs, 36, suffered a seizure when it sprang out of a nearby field, leap a fish pond, and “really move out” toward an alley. When first seen was simply sitting in a flower bed near the pond. Unidentified others, including three soldiers from Ft. Sill, reported sighting it as well.

Monster prints called fake. Oklahoman. (1972 Jul 26 pg 21) by Cecial Peaden.
The director of the OKC Zoo, Lawrence Curtis, and Hayden Hewes, director of the International UFO Bureau in Oklahoma City, gave their opinions on a set of tracks from a Louisiana, MO sighting (by Edgar Harrison’s son and daughter) that had people in two states puzzled. Zoologists from the University of Missouri declared it was not a bear but could not say what it was. The creature seen making the tracks was described as “tall, hairy creature”. Hewes leaned toward a “visitor from a flying saucer” and Curtis of the zoo declared they were probably fakes. However, black hairs were found around the print and were being sent to Oklahoma for analysis.

Experts to join search at Noxie. Oklahoman (1975 Sept 9 pg 28.).
A group of researchers with Hayden Hewes, associated with the Association for the Investigation of the Unexplained, descend on a small community southwest Oklahoma near. Hewes reported about a dozen sightings had been made of a “hairy seven-foot monster” with “eyes that glow in the dark” had been reported in the area since 1972. Armed with cameras, tape recorders, and a Geiger counter they planned to search for evidence.

State’s own “Bigfoot” topic of talk.. Oklahoman. (1977 Jun 4 pg 9).
Bob Stamps of The International Organization for the Unknown presented a talk at the Edmond Broadway Motor Inn. He reported sightings from the NE corner of the state and shared alleged tapes and films of the “Bigfoot” creatures.

Sasquatch send sooner…. Oklahoman (1977 Aug 7 pg 200).
Story by staff writer Robert B. Allen “somewhere in northeast Oklahoma”, along researchers Mike Williams and Bob Stamps investigate the “fabled, hairy monster of Big Timber Hills”. An OKC psychic, Charles O. Rhoades, had led a group into the area where he as “confident that a “fossil man” is roaming the area” and this creature had been spotted since about 1975.

Mysterious Creature Stalk….Oklahoman (1977 Aug 10 pg 33)
From Stilwell, staff writer Jim Etter reported that a teenager had been clawed by a “hairy nine-foot-tall “something” with “glowing red eyes” in wooded northeastern Oklahoma. Adair county Gary Faden had confirmed their investigation being kept low key to prevent a panic and people getting “guns out there and getting someone shot.” Reports indicated the creature “stalks in the moonlight, peers through windows with its red eyes, grunts like a hog and bounds off…”

Lie-Detector….. Oklahoman (1977 Aug 8 pg 240).
Jim Etter continues with an account of a Colorado private detective who ran a “psychological stress evaluation” lie-detector test on statements made by 17 yr old Brian Jones about his story of being attacked by a hairy creature. The youth had reported to authorities he had made the story up and had lied during a polygraph test in Ft. Smith, Ark. The Colorado detective, Forrest Erickson (Wheat Ridge, CO) said that it was his opinion the boy had told the truth and his test bore it out. “I really believe the boy’s telling the truth…I can’t believe that he’s not telling the truth.”

Search for “Big Foot.” Oklahoman (1977 Aug 21 pg. 30).
Profiles Bob Stamps who hoped to become a full time big foot hunter and support himself by writing. To that end he had written several un-published magazine articles, including one titled “Sexual Encounters with Sasquatch.” Timeline of events noted: Aug 7 article appeared with story of Stamps and the overnight Big foot hunt; two days later Brian Jones reported that on August 5 he had been attacked (clawed and thrown in the air) by 9 foot tall hairy creature near Stilwell. Other reports of the period were cited without dates but included people had reported partially eaten goats and missing calves.


--M.A.Hudson of "Research That!"

Snowmen and Hairy Creatures: An Annotated Bibliography

A basic tenet of research is finding information as close to the events as possible. This is certainly true in this field of study. A person reads in a book or a webpage about an event but never really "connects" to the original story. Anything going through so many filters is sure to become distorted. To help "re-connect" with the facts, this short annotated bibliography addresses some early wire service stories about this mysterious creature.

Mystery fish is real thing experts find .Oklahoman (1952 Dec 30 pg 13).
Reuters story out of Johannesburg, South Africa on the discovery of a mysterious creature thought extinct for 50 million years. The coelacanth rather than being extinct was alive and well. This story sets the stage for a ‘scientific’ acceptance of other tales of mysterious creatures over the coming decades.

Snowman capture reported. Oklahoman (1953 Nov 16 pg 37).
Story out of Bombay provided by Paranavnit Parekh. The tale of captured creature held in a Tibetan zoo (Shigatse) is enriched by intriguing details such as “captive snowman ,,a stunted creature with conical head and reddish brown hair.” The article indicates that for some people and priests the creatures are important in religious ceremonies.
Note: The mention of an apparent sagittal crest is very interesting since these crests are usually only associated with Gorillas.

Monster muses with pal. Oklahoman (1954 Jan 4 pg 31).
From Calcutta comes a report of the lama Tsultung Zambo reported meditating on a mountain top with an “eight foot speechless “abominable snowman”. The priest stated a “Mrigu (Tibetan name for the strange creatures) joined him. Reported to the authorities by Lam Chhmed Rigdziu Derji Lopen and that Lopen claimed to have seen himself “mummified snowmen preserved in two Tibetan monasteries. He reported their described agreed with Zambo’s : “apelike with dark skins and that their face and body was covered…half inch long hair.”

Mystery tracks reported again in Himalayas. Oklahoman (1956 Jul 15 pg 131).
This Reuters story from New Delhi reported that Australian writer Peter C. Byrne had seen the tracks. While climbing in the Kang La areas of NW Sikkim when they spotted the fresh tracks of “large bare feet made by a two-legged creature in snow and sand, on the sides of a glacier.” Shaped like a human foot with five toes the prints measured 10 1.2 inches and 4 1.2 inches width and had a stride of about 2.5 feet.

Snowman Kin killed in Nepal .Oklahoman (1958 June 14 pg 70).
A UPI story out of Katmandu, Nepal reported a strange creature with a bear like face and human feet and believed to be a close relative of the “abominable snowman” was hunted and killed at an attitude of 14,000 ft. in NW Nepal. The Rajah of Mustang was sending the skull & hide to Katmandu for scientific examination. It was described as “four and one-half feet tall and incredibly strong. It was said to have run nearly a mile carrying a yak the size of a full-grown steer.” The unidentified creature’s face was “ like a bear’s. But its feet were human. The creature also was covered with long, fine hair, less coarse than a bear’s.”

Rajah allows closer look at ‘Creature.” Oklahoman (1958 Nov 17 pg 21)
UPI story from Katmandu indicates that American experts had examined the photos of a creature killed earlier in Nepal and described it as a brown bear. They stated that the hair samples sent were “unlike that of any known Himalayan animal.” The skin promised to scientists was not delivered. The Rajah explained because the people having never seen such an animal considered it sacred and that it must remain in the Buddhist monastery in Mustang.

Soviets seek own glacier “wild man.” Oklahoman (1959 Aug 30 pg 15)
A UPI story of Soviet scientists on the trail of the “Daghestan Wild Man” in the Caucasu mountain regions. The “Wild Man” is reported to be a “giant, human-like creature covered with brown hair” and “nude and barefoot with broad shoulders and hair like a bear, walking upright”, who prowls the glacier rims and occasionally descends to steal from villagers gardens and fields.

Zoo director to join hunt for snowman. Oklahoman (1960 July 10 pg 123).
Noted climber Sir Edmond Hillary was making a Sept. climb leading a group of scientists who would be joined by noted animal collector, adventurer, and Chicago zoologist, R. Marlin Perkins. He was going because was that “something in the Himalayas leaves strange foot tracks.”

Reds hear tales of wild creatures. Oklahoman (1964 Sept 7 pg 33).
An AP story filed regarding research party sent into the North Cascasus mountains searching for proof behind the tales of a “strange wild people lurking in the forests.” Over 300 reports of peaceful “big hairy creatures” had been reported in just the past 5 years. Described as “more than six feet, dark hair covers their bodies and they walk with a stoop, arms hanging loosely to their knees. Their language…is an unintelligible grunt.”

Farmers tell of creature: monster unidentified. Oklahoman (1971 June 19 pg 59).
Writer Jeff Holliday reported from Fouke, ARK about a “monster” leaving tracks in cornfields and soybean patches. Described by local witnesses as “black, hairy and ape-like”. No recent event as the story noted that it had been seen around for years and current reports dated into the early 1960’s. About that time a circus train had wrecked and although officials denied any animals had escaped some locals question that.

Hunt pushed for ‘Bigfoot.” Oklahoman (1977 Sept 2, pg 73).
An AP story out of Ogden, Utah that Wildlife Resources officers, armed with cameras, were combing the High Uintas on horseback for a Bigfoot recently sighted near the Cuberant Basin and near Mt. Elizabeth.

Big ape-like creatures sighted by Australians. Oklahoman (1979 June 8 pg 10).
An AP story that reported that naturalist Rex Gilrey said huge hairy ape-like creatures termed “Yowies” had been reported along the thick forests of eastern Australia.


--M.A.Hudson of "Research That!"

Sasquatch...Searching for Professionalism

Hello all!

This blog will hopefully be the launching pad for serious discussions and postings related to the North American sensation - Sasquatch! My brother and I have a mounting frustration over the current hominid-related blogs. This blog is an attempt to at least make ourselves feel better with a more common sense approach to this new science.