May 23, 2002

Team 2: Tracking Bigfoot

MT. ST. HELENS - These footprints (left) could be proof that the creature known as "Bigfoot" existed.

A California man says this giant, fossilized footprint suggests the legend is true. He discovered it among rocky terrain while he was looking for gold.

And more evidence suggests the creature known as Sasquatch could still be alive today.

In the past month there have been two Bigfoot sightings near Mt. St. Helens.

KATU's Ed Teachout set out to investigate what one man says he not only saw, but attempted to catch.

"I get down here and he's peeking through the trees," Jerry Kelso told KATU.

Kelso couldn't believe what he saw with his family last Saturday near Mt. St. Helens.

While his wife and 2-year-old waited in the car, Kelso chased after what he originally thought was a man in a suit pulling a stunt.

"And he's standing about 40 yards over there, and when I broke through I went, 'Wow' and my wife starts screaming," said Kelso.

But as Kelso got closer he says began to believe he was face to face with the real thing--Bigfoot.

"He was about six foot, six foot one, very dark brown almost a black and hairy all over," said Kelso.

That didn't stop Kelso. He says he continued to chase the thing until he says he saw he was carrying a club.

"That," said Kelso, is when he knew, "it was a Sasquatch, what else?"

Not believing his story, we followed the trail the beast allegedly took. We found signs of elk and maybe bear.

"It's been eating grass whatever it is," said Kelso.

Then Kelso and KATU's Ed Teachout found a track that looked like nothing we've seen in the woods before.

"That looks like a track there. That's not a human foot," said Teachout.

Kelso, who's an aerospace consultant, says he wouldn't have told a soul, but after hearing another man had sighted a Bigfoot 10 days before, a mile from where he sighted his, he decided to speak up.

Though his creature looked similar to what others say they've seen before, this creature reportedly was smaller and didn't smell at all.

After getting back into the car, Kelso wanted to chase the thing, he said, but his wife forbade him.

"She was very scared," said Kelso. "I guess I think I'm tough or something you know. I've been hurt too many times to worry about some little guy with a club," Kelso said.

So the elusive Bigfoot gets away again leaving only his footprint and legend behind.

The Bigfoot Field Researchers' Organization is making castings of the footprints and interviewing people who live in the area.

More Information: The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization