Photos of Peter Byrne and his van taken by Larry Lund

Upcoming exhibit in Olympia, Washington

For Immediate Release, September 24, 2007
Press Release

Contact: Susan Rohrer, State Capital Museum, srohrer@wshs. wa.gov,
360/586-0166

Giants in the Mountains; The Search for Sasquatch
A new exhibit at the State Capital Museum
Opening October 6, 2007

State Capital Museum and Outreach Center
211 21st Avenue SW
Olympia, Washington 98501
(360) 753- 2580
WashingtonHistory. org

Opening is free and open to the public

(Olympia, WA--) Who or What is Sasquatch? Why are sightings in
Washington the highest in the nation?

This exploration of the Sasquatch story focuses on the Pacific
Northwest environment which has created a rich setting for the
traditional beliefs that have grown up around this being. The
relationship of Northwesteners to the land, particularly its deep
forests and imposing mountains, has led explorers and travelers
further into the depths of our region.

A year-long exhibit, opening on Saturday October 6, 2008 with a day
and evening program of special events and activities. See the
schedule below.

How have scientists attempted to explain and investigate the Sasquatch
phenomena? Physical evidence collected in the field by anthropologist
Dr. Grover Krantz will be on display. Discovery Channel expert and
Bigfoot author, Dr. Jeffery Meldrum of Idaho State University has
contributed to the exhibit recently gathered field evidence including
special foot and hand casts.

Supposed hoaxes and popular cultural interpretations of Bigfoot are
featured in the exhibit including memorabilia from the Sasquatch Music
Festival, Bigfoot Ale, Sasquatch Press, and the Seattle SuperSonics
Squatch Collection. Squatch himself will be on-hand to greet
children and tour the exhibit.

World-wide and across time, tales of larger-than- life creatures have
been believed. Tribal artifacts and artworks will convey Native
cultural beliefs. On loan from the Maryhill Museum of Art is a
prehistoric, ape-like Stone Head found in the Columbia Basin. Created
especially for the exhibit is a full size mural of the legendary
Dzoonokwa or Basket Women of the forests. Carved mask by renowned
Native Artist Pete Peterson, Sr. and artwork by Sean Peterson are
featured in the gallery. From werewolves to wild men, stories of
beings both animal and man have been told across time. Some of these
legends are explored in the exhibit.

Discover the unique Northwest connection to Sasquatch and Bigfoot. A
display of rare, early images of Washington’s old growth forests
compliment student learning. Designed to introduce children to the
connection between our environment and regional culture, students can
explore the mysteries of the Pacific Northwest through hands-on
activities.

Of special interest is the appearance in western Washington of three
giants of the story of Sasquatch. Dr. Robert Michael Pyle, Dr.
Jeffrey Meldrum, and Mr. Peter Byrne.

Dr. Meldrum of Idaho State University and author of Sasquatch: Legend
Meets Science. Dr. Meldrum is frequently seen on the Discovery
Channel, the History Channel, and the National Geographic Channel
among others. His book is the companion volume to the highly
successful Discovery Channel documentary of the same name. A
professor of anatomy and anthropology, his work encompasses the
evaluation of hominid footprints, including those attributed to
Sasquatch, both in the lab and the field. The exhibit features casts
made recently by Dr. Meldrum in eastern Washington.

http://www.bigfootf orums.com/ media/Sasquatch. pdf

Dr. Robert Michael Pyle, a world-renowned naturalist, wrote the
definitive study of Sasquatch in the northwest in his book Where
Bigfoot Walks, Crossing the Dark Divide. In this work Dr. Pyle
chronicles his own personal story of searching for Sasquatch in the
Cascade Mountain range near Mt. St. Helens and his essays have
provided the inspiration for this exhibit. He writes on page 17:

“If we manage to hang on to a sizeable hunk of Bigfoot habitat, we
will at least have a fragment of the greatest green treasure the
temperate world has ever known. If we do not, Bigfoot, real or
imagined, will vanish; and with its shadow will flee the others who
dwell in that world. Looking at that tangled land, one can just about
accept that Sasquatch could coexist with towns and loggers and hunters
and hikers, all in proportion. But when the topography is finally
tamed outright, no one will anymore imagine that giants are abroad in
the land.”

http://books. google.com/ books?id= HJDC79NbiQsC& dq=robert+ michael+pyle+ bigfoot&printsec =frontcover& source=web& ots=6etpI2MC2Q& sig=fi4UOcCutjM0 fNPmd84CMRrT7F4# PPP1,M1

Special guest is Mr. Peter Byrne who has led two expeditions to hunt
for Bigfoot in the Northwest, one in 1960s. The second in 1990 was a
full-scale monster search, complete with helicopters, infra-red
sensors and 1-800-BIGFOOT phone number. Today, Byrne is semi-retired
in the Bigfoot field and continues his tourist/adventure work around
the world. Famous for his on-going search for Yeti in Nepal Mr. Byrne
will speak about his adventures searching for Sasquatch and Yeti. He
is featured in the film Sasquatch Odyssey, The Hunt for Bigfoot which
is an important part of the museum’s exhibit.
http://www.sasquatc hodyssey. com/hpeter. html

Exhibit Opening Schedule, Saturday, October 6, 2007. 11 AM to 8 PM

Events are free and open to the public, donations appreciated.

11 AM: Hands on Explorative Activities for Children
1 - 2 PM: Meet Squatch of the Seattle SuperSonics
2 to 3 PM: Native Storytelling with Harvest Moon of the Quinault tribe
2 to 3:30 PM: Book signing and informal author conversation with Mr.
Peter Byrne, Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum, and Dr. Robert Michael Pyle
3:30 to 4 PM: Presentation by Mr. Peter Byrne

4 to 5 PM: Sasquatch, Legend Meets Science- Presented by Dr. Jeffrey
Meldrum
7 to 8 PM: Where Bigfoot Walks; Crossing the Dark Divide- Presented by
Dr. Robert Michael Pyle

The State Capital Museum is located in Olympia six blocks south of the
Capitol Building at 211 21st Avenue South West. The State Capital
Museum is a division of the Washington State Historical Society. The
museum presents exhibits, programs, and events that bring to life the
stories of Washington's history. For more information, please call the
State Capital Museum at 360-753-2580, or visit us on the web at
Washington State History Museum - Discover the stories of Washington's ...

Exhibit photos and author photos available upon request.

Photos from The "Meet The Sasquatch" Exhibit

Pictures

Photos from the Willow Creek-China Flats Museum Exhibit

Pictures from Larry Lund's Recent Visit to The Bigfoot Discovery Museum

Witness chart

Grover S. Krantz

			Grover S. Krantz 1931 - 2002 by John W. Green
BFRO Home
In the fall of 2000, when the Skookum cast was shown to a group of sasquatch researchers who had not been present when it was found, four out of the five newcomers were scientists with doctors' degrees. It is hard for old-timers to remember, and probably even harder for others to appreciate, how different things were 30 years before. That is how long ago that Grover Krantz, then an associate professor of anthropology at Washington State University, risked his career, and the PhD he did not yet have, by advocating that evidence for the existence of a huge bipedal primate in North America deserved scientific study. Then, and for years afterward, he was the only member of the academic community prepared to face the ridicule of his peers and jeopardize future prospects for tenure and promotion by insisting publicly that 'Bigfoot' tracks are made by real animals, and that the people who tell of seeing enormous, bipedal apes should be taken seriously. His courageous example did much to stimulate participation in the study by both scientists and laymen, and for that he deserves the respect and gratitude of everyone involved, and he did a great deal more than that. While a lot of his extensive research and published work paralleled what others were also doing, he brought to it a set of skills and qualifications that no on else had. In addition some of his contributions were entirely unique. Grover stands before his impressive collection at his home. Photo by Richard Noll. Grover was the first person to establish, from the study of casts and tracks, that the makers of the big footprints have a foot structure differing significantly from that of humans. He was also the first to note and study the patterns of skin ridges that show up on a few of the casts, establishing that footprints laid down far apart in both space and time show patterns that are the same, and that differ from those of humans or any other animals. While not the first to suggest that sasquatch might be Gigantopithecus, not extinct after all, he was the first to point out that the shape of their fossil jaws indicates that those giant apes probably walked upright. And he had the skill and knowledge to do an authoritative reconstruction, based on the largest jawbone, of a matching skull that demonstrates strikingly that Gigantopithecus was as huge as sasquatch are reported to be. Grover enjoys time with another of his favorite animals... his Irish Wolfhound, Ralph. Photo by Richard Noll. He showed his courage also in enduring the abuse to which he was subjected for maintaining the increasingly unpopular opinion that it is justifiable to kill one of the animals, because nothing short of physical remains will convince science of the existence of the species. While far from being alone in that position, he was almost alone in being prepared to defend it in public. Lost in the uproar was the fact that he spent a lot of money and effort trying to locate remains from a natural death, and also twice tried to prove himself wrong, with major attempts to obtain scientific acceptance based on the tracks, and then on the skin ridges. It is a matter for great regret not only that he did not live to see a successful conclusion to his work but also, for the rest of us, that his work was interrupted when he still had so much more to contribute. Grover with long-time friend and colleague John Green. Photo by Jeffrey Lemley. . BFRO Home

A Chronological History of Important Bigfoot Events

1882 - A strange creature is found above Yale in British Columbia. He is nicknamed "Jacko". He appears to resemble a young bigfoot. Soon after, he dissappears.

1924 - Albert Ostman, while camping in British Columbia, is taken in the night by a large bigfoot and brought to its lair where there are three others. He spends six days with the creatures, and finally makes his escape. He doesn't tell the story for thirty years for fear of ridicule. A lie detector test indicates he is telling the truth.

1924 - Fred Beck and four others are attacked by bigfoot like creatures . The creatures throw rocks onto the cabin, the onslaught lasts for hours. The area is known now as Ape Canyon.

1958 - Jerry Crew finds 16 inch footprints around roadbuilding equipment near Bluff Creek, CA.. The story makes the headlines and the term "Bigfoot" is born.

1967 - Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin, while searching for tracks near Bluff Creek California, stumble upon a female Bigfoot creature. Patterson manages to capture the fleeing bigfoot on film. The result is the Patterson film. The authenticity of the film has never been disproven. It remains one of the most solid pieces of evidence of Bigfoot's existence.

Bigfoot:

Video or Shoot?

by Bobby Hamilton (Bigfoot Hunter)

I am constantly asked about my move to the Pro-Kill stance and what changed my mind or views about these creatures. Well, for me to get to that point, I need to go back a couple of years and bring you up to speed on how this dramatic change took place.

As most already know I began the Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization (GCBRO) in late 1996. And, I brought the GCBRO to the World Wide Web in 1998. From the beginning, I always told everybody that I wanted to video or photograph one of these creatures in order to show my friends and some family members that I was not totally off my rocker. But on that same note, I never ceased in telling these same people that the plaster castings, hair samples, audio recordings, or even a photo or video no matter how clear they were, would not be enough to prove the existence of these creatures to main stream science or the general public.

There has been so much fabrication and hoaxing over the years, that the only way these creatures would be accepted as being real, would be through the presentation of a specimen, be it alive or dead.

Back in those days, I would also point out that even though a specimen was the only way to prove Bigfoot existed, I did not want to be the one to pull the trigger on one of these creatures. Not because I am a bleeding heart type of person or anything like that, but I just didn't want to be the person involved in such an act upon something that I thought was a fairly peaceful creature. Although in the back of my mind, I always had a little voice that kept telling me to never actually buy into the whole peaceful bit when it comes to wild creatures and especially this creature. This comes from a childhood encounter that's listed on the GCBRO database in the state of Texas, Nacogdoches County, in 1969. That event as a young child traumatized me for years, until I was able to face my fears and move forward with my life.

If you have not read of this incident, I ask that you please do so, as it will explain a lot about how the seed was planted to make me seek answers in the first place.

Now lets jump back into the whole issue of kill or no-kill when it comes to Bigfoot. First off, before you get your dander all up over the issue, it is a personal choice that a person must make for himself or herself. Nobody should be able to convince you to do anything other than what you feel you need or want to do. This country was founded by some very intelligent men, and one of the greatest rights we have been given is the freedom of choice.

With all that said, little did I know that my journey to pro-kill began back in 1969 with the encounter that happened to me in the window of my families home.

Now we move forward to 1997 and the early years of the GCBRO. From 1997 through 1998, I managed to see an additional three creatures while conducting field research. Yes, I attempted to video at least one of them. That incident is found on the database in Marshall County, Oklahoma. The other two I saw were in Texas in Hunt County crossing a highline right of way. Yet, on all of the field research that I was involved with, I always carried a firearm or two.

Deep down, I knew this was a wild animal and it could easily do me harm if it so wished. And, the seed that was planted back in 1969 kept confirming that even though the creature did not harm me back then, it did mean me some kind of harm, because it was trying to lure me away from the safety of my family.

During these outings, I was asked what I planned to do if one ran into camp on us. My statement was: "I didn't get into this to run, I got into it for answers, and I may walk out, but I won't run. If this thing pushes the issue, I will drop it in it's tracks, because I am not going to be run out of the woods"!

I was involved on some great field research outings during the period of 1997 through 1998. I got to see the three mentioned earlier in this write up, as well as a lot of vocalizations that some people just dream about. One of these vocalizations began low and worked itself up to frenzy and being so aggressive that you would think it was going to shake the leaves off the trees. Yet during all of this, not once did I reach for one of my firearms to protect myself, or harm these creatures.

In December of 1998, the major wheels of change began with an e-mail and phone conversation with Jim Lansdale (Monster Hunter). Jim told me about his area, which is now dubbed "Monster Central." He invited me to come visit it for myself.

On my first visit to "Monster Central," I believe it was December 15, 1998. I found and cast a couple of tracks, as well as took some photos of limb formations and tree breaks. I was excited to say the least as this was already showing promise as a very active area.

I asked Jim what his intentions was as far as these creatures were concerned and he said he planned to harvest one. I quickly let him know that I had no intentions of pulling the trigger on one, but was not against it, as I knew it had to be done to prove the existence of these creatures.

After spending about 12 hours with Jim at Monster Central and a couple of phone calls later, I decided it was time to make a camping trip to the area.

Jim kept asking me: "Are you sure you want to camp out down here?" I stated back: "Hell yeah, I want to camp out down here!" I remember his response to this day, which was: "Bubba, I know you have had some encounters with these creatures, but you haven't dealt with the creatures down here, and I think you are getting into more than you realize with these things."

I laughed and assured him that "I could handle it." Besides, I sure as heck wasn't going to run from them, and I needed some answers.

The plans were made, and we set it up for a weekend venture to camp out on a Friday and Saturday night in a field surrounded by woods on all sides. The field is approximately 225 yards long and 100 yards wide. And, it is more than a nice walk out of the area if something were to go wrong. Luckily, we was able to drive our vehicles down the fire lanes and such to get there, which eliminated the need to do any serious back packing of gear and what not.

I was accompanied by two friends, Luke and Todd, as well as a friend of Jims whom I had just met. We arrived a couple of hours before dark and got camp set up at the edge of the field, and about 60 foot or so from the edge of the tree line on one side. One this one side, I had parked my pick-up between the tents and the thicket that was on that side of the field. The biggest part of that thicket consisted of what is known as Hawthorne trees. For those who do not know, these trees are completely covered with some serious thorns. If you ever make the mistake of stumbling and grabbing on to catch your balance, you won't make that mistake twice.

Anyway, as dusk started to settle in between 5:45-6:15 pm, we heard the usual locating calls these creatures would do to locate each other. Then, for the next 4 hours or so, we heard all kinds of weird sounds that none of us had ever heard before. To say the sounds were really cool to hear would not be doing them justice. It was just awesome and proved to be a very exciting evening. Little did I know at that point that a few short hours later, my life would do a complete turn around.

One of my friends (Luke) and myself had setup different types of recording devices in the hopes of recording some of these sounds. We did get some of them, but not having the proper equipment at the time severely hindered the quality of the recordings. We had the recording equipment setup near the tent and we were sitting approximately 15 feet away by the fire, and on the side that was close to the woods nearby. It was a pretty chilly night, and the dew was making matter worse for all involved as well as our recording gear.

We kept getting up and going over near the tent to change tapes out and make sure that the batteries was still running the recorders.

It was on one of these trips to the tent area when we heard from across the field, the slight breaking of what sounded like limbs and brush moving. The more we listened the louder it seemed to get and it got to the point that you could clearly hear feet stomping down and limbs breaking and brush moving. We decided to just sit back down by the fire and see what transpired.

Todd was extremely sick and shouldn't have been out in the cold damp air. So, he was spending most of his time huddled near the fire in his camp chair, nodding off and on. I felt sorry for him, because the man was miserable and was doing his best to enjoy our adventure, but he was just too danged sick to enjoy much of anything, period. So Luke, Jim's friend, and myself were the ones up most of the time around the fire.

The sounds kept coming from across the field, and since we didn't show any attention to them, they kept getting louder to the point that it was downright ridiculous. I guess we had been listening to the limb breaking, feet stomping and brush moving sounds for over thirty minutes when I finally had enough. I jumped up and grabbed my cordless spotlight, and my rifle and took off in a dead run across the field and up into the woods where the sounds were coming from. Luke tailed me but at a much safer distance, as I am sure he was wondering what was this crazy joker was thinking, running off into the woods like that after something so big and something that we knew so little about.

After getting up into the woods a piece, I stopped and turned my spotlight on and listened. You could clearly hear something breaking limbs and crashing through the woods, going in the opposite direction. As silly as it sounds, I hollered out: "I don't know if you can understand me or not, but if you can, you're a chicken $#&$.” Luke got a laugh out of that one, and I guess for the initial tenseness of the moment, that was something that we needed.

We joked about it as we made our way back to camp and the warmth of the fire. After getting back to camp, we noticed that there were no more sounds. The woods had gotten quiet and, the distant howls and other sounds were all silent as well.

That should have been a sign that something was not right, but by this time it was after midnight and we were pretty much wore out. Besides, I just ran off a monster, and we were still talking about that event.

Approximately 30 minutes later, Todd was asleep in his camp chair, Jim's friend was asleep in a bedroll by the fire, and Luke was nodding off in his camp chair. I was sitting there listening for any sounds while staring into the fire, and that's when it happened.

Out of nowhere, the hair stood up on the back of my neck, and it felt as if my spine was tingling from top to bottom. Basically I could feel something burning a hole through me with it's eyes. I quickly picked up on what was going on, and became very uneasy, very quick. I spoke up and told Luke: "wake up, he's here"! He groggily said: "Huh?" I repeated myself and said: "wake up, he's here!" He said: "how do you know?" I responded with: "I can feel him watching me, that's how I know! Now get up and lets see if we can find the area he's watching me from!" The last thing I heard from Luke was: "Okay, just a second." Then, since sleep was pretty much in demand at that time, he was basically back asleep before I could say anything else.

"Fine” I said to myself, “I will find out on my own!" I got up from the fire and walked away from it going back up the direction from which we came in. On the left side of me was the Hawthorne Thicket area. I got no more than 25 feet from the fire when I got a slight whiff of this thing. I quickly did a back step and went back and bumped Luke and told him to get up. As he was coming too and wondering what was going on, Todd barely woke up and I told them both that I smelled him and I needed help finding out where he was. I managed to get Luke up this time, and Todd was so sick with the crud that he just dozed right back off.

I told Luke to follow me, and we started the walk back into the area I had just vacated, we hit the faint smell again and Luke stopped. He said: "I smell it!" I told him to come on and walked approximately 5 more feet, and that is when I hit the wall of smell that people often describe. This wasn't the faint whiff I got earlier, or the one Luke just got, this was like hitting a brick wall and getting a lung full of this stuff all at once. I experienced instant nausea, and I am not sure if I would say confusion, but more like a feeling of terror ran down my spine. This thing was pure evil and I could feel it in my bones. I have been in some intense situations with these creatures, but this one made me stand up and take notice really quick! When I hit the smell, I quickly backed up a couple of steps and told Luke to "come up here and smell this!" He refused to walk up there, and said that he "smelled it and that was enough." No amount of coaxing could get him to walk ahead and get a lung full of this thing.

We quickly determined where the smell was coming from, and it was in the Hawthorne thicket, and the breeze was pulling the smell out of there and right to where we were. From the fire, it was approximately 35 yards away or less. We quickly back stepped to the fire, and I took my video camera out of the spare camp chair I had and put it in my pick-up. I then proceeded to grab my shotgun and pulled my camp chair away from the fire and placed it facing that part of the Hawthorne thicket where this thing was, and with my back to the fire. I then put the spare camp chair next to me with my spotlight and rifle laying across it while I held my shotgun in my lap. After getting into my chair, I began to just stare into the thicket.

Luke asked me: "what's wrong?" I said: "what do you mean, what's wrong?" He replied: "Bobby, we have had some intense encounters together, but I have never seen you like this!" I quickly responded: "You didn't have this thing staring a hole through you, and you didn't walk into the wall of smell that I did. I'm telling you that this thing is not a peaceful creature. This thing is a predator, and if it comes out of that thicket, it isn't coming out to pose for pictures, it's coming out to dance, and I don't intend to be caught with my pants down!"

For the next thirty minutes or so, Luke mentioned a couple of more times that he had never seen me like this before. I guess it was a sudden change for him to see me on all our other outings with the video camera and all happy go lucky to where I was now, facing the woods holding a shotgun and as serious as a heart attack about waiting this thing out, one way or the other. After about thirty minutes or so, he dozed back off. I continued my vigil and sat guard on my post.

This creature instilled a fear in me that can only be compared to my childhood encounter. It scared me, yet it also made me very angry. Being head strong and not one to back down from anything, it made me angry enough to want to hurt this thing for doing this to me. I am not sure if this stemmed from my childhood encounter and the fear I suffered back then. Perhaps that now I was a grown man, I could do something about it. It was a definite eye-opener for sure.

I stayed on guard for about four hours and heard it move around a little bit back in the thicket. Then, everything seemed to just calm down. And during this time, I was rethinking the previous events of the evening. Just before all this happened, there was one trying to get our attention across the field. It did a dandy of a job in doing that, and I took to it and ran it off. Then, this thing came in from behind and was staring a hole through me. It then clicked. The one across the field was a decoy to give this other one the distraction it needed to move in closer to us without us detecting it. The thought made a chill run down my spine, because I was wondering what would have happened had I not taken a head on charge at the other one across the field, and this thing had more time to make it's move. Just how close would it have gotten to us?

There was about a million other scenarios that played in my mind during that time. But, everything had calmed down, and I wasn't feeling so edgy anymore. I began to think the creature had left.

After I was sure the coast was clear, I got up and went to the tent to grab some sleep. It was around 5:15am by this time, and Todd was sharing my tent with me, so he got up and came inside the tent and Luke went to his tent. Jim’s friend stayed out by the fire keeping warm in his bedroll.

We weren't in the tent but a second when I was fast asleep. Less than fifteen minutes later, Jim's friend was calling out to me to get out there. Todd and I came out of the tent, and he informed up that something extremely big had been pacing back and forth just inside the thicket. And that’s when he looked down his side at his .357 magnum which then seemed like a Mattel toy. So, he felt he needed some backup.

This thing was making enough noise to wake him up, and make him take notice. And, with what had just previously happened to me, I knew how he felt, and that is scared!

Nothing else happened and we waited it out until after daylight broke before returning to the tent to get that much needed sleep.

Some people have said and some are going to read this and say: "But you were in his home, on his turf, in his domain, etc!" And, you are right. I was in his domain. But, I had been in many other domains previous to this one, and none of these other creatures had pulled this kind of stunt on me, nor had they placed this kind of fear or anger into me.

To the naysayer's, I am telling you there's a difference when you have only one encounter in your life and it is a peaceful one where the creature is walking away, or they are trying to get you to leave their area by making noise, or screaming out, or crashing around in the brush. When you have had several encounters and your first one began as a child and it haunted you most of your life, this is different. Then, you turn around and have many other peaceful types of encounters, and then one bad one like this one will change your thoughts on things.

This quest went from wanting to video or photograph one, to wanting to be the one to pull the trigger on one in just a matter of minutes.

My change of views created quite a stir within the Bigfoot community, because I went from no-kill to pro-kill on these things from just one night at Monster Central.

Jim had a lot to hear about when he came to our camp that Saturday morning. One thing he heard for sure was that I now intended to put some serious hurt on this thing. He laughed at me and told me: "I told you, you hadn't dealt with these creatures down here before. They are just downright spooky!" He then went on to tell us of all the other men who had been down in there with him in the past, and how they would hit that smell, and how these men would have to leave and go home.

Most would not return, and the few that did would not be in there after dark. In fact, when it would get close to dusk, they would tell him: "Jim it's time to go!" I can see why, these things can easily put that fear into a man.

We spent the remainder of that day scouting as much as we could in the thicket (which wasn't very much, because after a couple of thorns, that area of investigation pretty much ceased to exist in our minds) and the other surrounding area.

Then, we got settled in for another night of camping at Monster Central. Except this time, I had a whole new attitude and didn't set out my video equipment. Instead, I set out my arsenal of weapons, in preparation for the finale to the previous nights events.

That night wasn't as eventful as the night before. But, nonetheless, I was locked and loaded just in case the visitor came back to finish what was started the night before.

Yeah, some people ask me, why I am pro-kill, and this is my story. It may not make much sense to some folks. It might not make any sense to you as you read this. But, as this story began, I let it be known that whatever a person decides to do with this is a choice, and my choice has been made. Some have applauded me for my ways, and others have cast stones at me. But, before you pass judgment on me or anybody else who has a different view than you do, just remember this much: Something made them the way they are. Something made them reach that decision in their life. And, if you could have walked a mile in their shoes, would you be the same way as they are? If you were able to switch places with me and re-live my life from 1969 through the night this significant event took place and then return to your life now, could you honestly say that you would ridicule me for my views on this? I bet you couldn't honestly answer that, because it goes back to that old saying of: "Don't judge a person until you have walked a mile in their shoes!" I have walked quite a few miles in my shoes, and have now been on both sides of the fence on the pro-kill issue. I remember when I used to carry my video camera with me on every field excursion, but I also have a bigger reminder of how my views changed in a matter of a few minutes. – The End

Evidence for Bigfoot?

by M.K.Davis

What constitutes good evidence that Bigfoot has been around? The casting of tracks, perhaps? Tracks are interesting, and serve to bolster the confidence of the researcher, if he or she is lucky enough to have found some. However, this in and of itself does not constitute a conclusive anything. Tracks have been cast now for many years. And, no doubt, there are probably thousands of them. Some even have dermal ridges. These are the finger print-like ridges in the skin, whose patterns are unique to the individual. This is interesting, however, it doesn't look like you're going to get ole hairy into the textbooks, even with the dermal ridge castings.

What about sound recordings? That's another interesting kind of evidence. With the bionic ear hand held dishes available now, people get some pretty interesting sounds on tape these days. But, what does that mean in terms of conclusive evidence? Very little actually, except to the researcher who was fortunate enough to tape them. How many times, in a court of law, have you heard of "ear" witness testimony? No, they almost exclusively call upon eyewitnesses in order to get a conviction.

Then there are hair and scat samples. Most hairs collected in the wild have turned out to be the hair of a known animal, and sometimes even human. But, then there are some samples that cannot be matched to anything known. However, that is where it ends. . UNKNOWN. Don't you hate that word? I mean, isn't that what most researchers are trying to do? To get this creature into the "known" category? Well, if there isn't anything to compare it to, then all unmatched hair, and scat for that matter, will fall simply into that category. . unknown. Even blood, when catalogued as an unknown animal, is a dead end street. So sad.

Maybe photography is the answer. There were over 900 frames of some pretty good footage, taken in northern California, in 1967. Footage of a creature actually making tracks in a sand bar. This film is still being debated 36 years later. The film is still yielding a lot of good information. However, don't you think it would have been more conclusive if the two men, who were there, could have submitted the Bigfoot instead of the film as evidence? This probably would have required a heroic effort on the part of the two men, or perhaps a well place round from a rifle.

Maybe if the men had shot it, others would have attacked them. Or, maybe they would have an enraged Bigfoot that their rifle would not put down immediately. Or, maybe the mystery would be solved right now. Who knows?

Which way do you think is best? Pro kill, or no kill? It's easy to see both sides of the issue. Yet, it's an issue that still pulls on people's heartstrings. If you had been one of those two men, what would you have done? – The End

Honey Island Swamp Monster busted! A long-time legend laid to rest -

A short interview with GCBRO* field investigators MK Davis and Jay Michaels.

MonsterHunter Newsletter columnist Eastex Steve asks MK and Jay a few questions about what they thought regarding their recent discovery of monumental evidence regarding the Honey Island Monster. The following is that interview:

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Question: Prior to the GCBRO, what were your experiences with the bigfoot phenomenon?

MK: Interested since I was a kid, after having seen the Patterson film in the theatre.

Jay: I had spent 10 years researching UFO's. I spent a good bit of time in the Gulf Breeze area and got to know many of the MUFON people as well as locals who had seen the famous "Bubba" ufo. During my investigation I was able to learn some of the "truths" about the Gulf Breeze incident. I was producing a CD-ROM on the subject when I decided to include a segment on Bigfoot.

That research lead me to the GCBRO and later, as I became more interested, and met the good, genuine folks who run the "bro," I joined.

Question: What led you to begin your investigation and research of the Honey Island Monster?

MK: Saw it on the television show " In Search Of".

Jay: I had grown up with an interest in the Foulke Monster. The first movie I saw in a theater was "Legend of Boggy Creek." I think I was 12 or so back then, I wouldn't go into the woods for a year! Later in the 70's the In Search Of program did a segment on the Honey Island Swamp Monster. I was glad to know, yet sorta afraid to know that a monster was near me. Kinda in my "neck of the woods." I had never heard of the Honey Island Monster, but it was intriguing to think one was not to far away. In the early eighties while hiking in the woods near my house, I saw some three toed tracks on a sand bar. I remember thinking "Man, that is one BIG BIRD!" But, somehow I never related that to the Foulke or Honey Island Monster. I guess at that time I was more interested in UFO's and being a bit older than 12, I was more interested in girls. In fact I didn't remember the incident until I had become a member of the GCBRO. Knowing what I know now about the fake prints of the Honey Island Swamp Monster, I still wonder what made those tracks on that sandbar. I doubt Harlan Ford came all the way up here to tromp around in his now famous shoes, so I guess I'll never know. After meeting MK Davis at a GCBRO event, we hit it off and began talking about researching the Honey Island Swamp Monster, mainly because it was near enough to both of us living in Mississippi, that we could afford to ride down and spend some time. On our first trip to South Louisiana, we met the regular players in the saga, bought books, casts and basically followed the same trail everyone else does. But, that was not enough for us. We wanted to actually go to the locations, stand where the monster stood, and show everyone what it's like to be there. Little did we know we would slay the dragon in its own lair!

Question: You admittedly started out to prove the existence of the Honey Island monster. Instead, you found evidence to the contrary. What was it like to suddenly become faced with this opposing evidence? How did it change your objective?

MK: Unexpected. The people provided damning evidence of a hoax. So much so, that there was no choice but to pursue it. I wouldn't want to go through the expense and effort to chase something that obviously is not there. Honey Island is a dangerous place and a person can get themselves in trouble there. So, I think it is just the right thing to do. To make this hoax known, to prevent an accident from happening there, with someone who might not have the experience with staying in the swamp.

Jay: I remember exchanging glances with MK there some 2 miles in the swamp that day when Michelle told us she "...knew the man who found the shoe." We had no idea where that statement would take us, but we knew before we left Louisiana we would see and photograph the shoe. I recall both of us, hot and tired after our long walk and battle with the mosquitoes in that swamp, exchanged a glance that acknowledged we both knew we hit pay dirt. After filming Michelle and her husband, we walked back, stopped for a bit to rest, and talked about this new discovery. We hadn't even seen the shoe yet. We just pondered the outcome of this new direction and agreed that no matter what happened, we would tell the true story even if some folks didn't want to hear it, or didn't like the idea that we debunked a legend. I remember feeling like I had lost something, something I had been clinging to. I wanted to believe in the monster! Now, suddenly, as we explored the story, it unraveled right before us in the form of a plastic bag opening to reveal a worn old shoe. I even said to MK, "...it's time to question everything."

I must admit I question the legend of Boggy Creek now, and many of the southern stories. I know there are critters down here. But, now I have to question some of the stories that over time have developed into legends - legends that may have little or no basis in fact.

Question: What do you think was the contributing factor that caused the Honey Island monster story to live on for so long?

MK: It's a legend. Legends tend to take on a life of their own. I think that once that happens, it's accepted without question, and becomes part of the makeup of the area. The area becomes associated with the monster and vice versa. When that happens, I think a lot of people are willing to overlook the obvious.

Jay: Greed. And, probably fame. Lets face it. The monster is good for business in that little community. There are boat tours, museums, and little shops that sell stuffed monkeys. Why sell stuffed monkeys in a swamp where no monkeys live? Unless, you want people to think a monkey type thing is in there.

And, I think most folks want their town to be known for something. It makes for great conversation. Why not a monster? It’s a great way to scare the kids around a campfire, and keep them from wandering off into the swamp. What's funny is the shoe was not a complete unknown in that community. Michelle had taken it to school, and the local paper did a story on it years ago. But, the legend continued. It continued because people wanted it to. And, probably because no one wanted to call anyone else a liar. And, maybe they liked the idea that they could scare the bejesus out of the city slickers that came to town looking for the scary monster. With a wink and a nod, the legend lives on.

Question: Even though you seem to have shown the Honey Island monster as a hoax, do you think it is still possible for a bigfoot to exist in that area?

MK: The area is certainly large and remote in places. But, as far as hard evidence, there doesn't seem to be much. I've talked to a lot of local people, and they all pretty much agree that they have never seen anything out of the ordinary there. This doesn't mean that there is nothing there, but nothing unexplainable has been noted. But, you know that perhaps a barefooted track in a remote place, might not get that much attention. If a hot sighting comes from that area, you can bet it would be worth checking out.

Jay: A bigfoot, yes. A Monster with "claw like hands, amber colored eyes and feline attributes"? No. Here is another funny thing most folks don't know about the "Honey Island Swamp Monster." No one ever saw anything in the "Honey Island Swamp!" That's right! All of the sightings that anyone has ever reported came from the Pearl River area near Lock One and Lock Two. That is where MK and I shot the footage. That is where we met Michelle and that is where Rick lives with the shoe. If you go to the Honey Island Swamp and take one of those $20 boat tours, you're on the way wrong side of the river!

Even the skeptics, when they came to debunk the creature took a boat tour and talked to a tour guide!! Even they were looking in the wrong place!

And, that's the deal. Everyone who spent any time down there "researching" the Honey Island Swamp Monster were all going to the wrong places and talking to the wrong people. It's sad. That’s how a legend lives on. People just get the same stories and tell them over and over. If you watch that In Search Of program, you'll see them mention Covington, LA. Heck, that’s miles away from where anyone has ever reported a critter!

Now, if your looking for one of the southern type bigfoots, where would it be? Think a minute. It would be on the high ground near a fresh flowing water source...like a river. Duh.

Sorry, I digress. Take another look at the GCBRO reports and do a little comparison work. Look around the west side of Mississippi and follow the pearl. Let me know what you find. ;-)

Question: There are mixed reactions to your discoveries so far regarding the hoaxed footprints. What are your thoughts on this difference of opinion?

MK: The reaction has ranged from indifference, to outright disappointment. Only a few people have failed to be convinced by the shoe. I mean, the shoe fits the casts. It's kind of a hard thing to dismiss out of hand. I think it will eventually be accepted widely as a hoax, and the folks down there can have their woods back.

Jay: I think people feel the same way I felt. Like they miss something. Lets face it. As researchers, we have to want there to be a monster if we are to go and spend time roaming around the woods looking for one. If we didn't believe, at least a little, we would never devote the time, energy, money and such into looking. Take that away, and it's a bit disturbing. No one wants to be told they are on a fools errand.

I also think most folks had accepted the monster based on what they thought was solid evidence. After all, there were real physical casts, honest looking and sincere witnesses, and plenty of stories and documentation. Federal folks had come down and signed their "official" signature to it's existence. The Wildlife commission even thought it existed. I also think that is why no one had ever done a real thorough investigation of it. They accepted the status quo that it was real, because they had been told so. The shoe was there all along for anyone to find. But, no one was looking because they thought they had plenty of evidence to know the monster was real. Unfortunately, the evidence was fake, and now that house of cards has crumbled leaving more than a shoe-full of egg on a few faces - including ours. We wanted it to be real too.

I think if we have learned anything, it's to question everything. Even the rock solid "evidence" we think we have. And again, it reaffirms my belief that until we have a body, nothing is sacred. Trust, but verify. The only people who truly know where the monsters are, are the ones who have seen them up close and personal. The rest of us are just following leads.

You asked me how I feel. You know the phrase: "You don't know Jack..." Well, that's how I feel.

Question: Is the case closed on the Honey Island monster?

MK: As Far as the MONSTER goes, yes. Unless, you're willing to overlook the obvious. As far as a cryptid animal goes, I couldn't think of a better place for one to hide. Mild climate, plenty of water and food, and good cover. It's remoteness is a plus, too. As far as that area down there, I’ll have my eyes and ears open. If Somebody sees old hairy down there , I'll probably go down to check it out. Anyone can get fooled by a crafty person, but if you keep your eyes and ears open, and hang around long enough, the truth will most likely become known. I'll keep my skepticals on.

Jay: I doubt it. As long as there is a campfire and a buddy to tell the tale to, the legend will live on. There will always be folks who haven't seen our evidence, or the documentary. They will still turn on reruns of In Search Of or pick up some cryptozoology book and marvel at the idea that a creature lives in the swamp just outside of New Orleans. The legend will live as long as folks tell the stories.

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The MonsterHunter Newsletter gives a “thumb’s up” and a “job well done” to two REAL bigfoot research investigators: Jay Michaels, and MK Davis. You can see the results of their investigation, including a short film documentary, by going to:

http://jmichaelms.tripod.com/HIS/

You can view the video documentary by clicking on VIDEO from the Side Menu