“Who are those guys?” – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

I’ve got this image of Bigfoot exasperatedly uttering this phrase repeatedly (similar to the movie) as he peers through the thickets and undergrowth at the ever encroaching human presence. Of course, I also suspect that he knows all too well who we are in a general sense and it’s no wonder he avoids us. After all, a handful of us decimate his forests, burn up his stomping grounds, leave our trash laying all over the place and make a heck of a racket in and around his woods.

And we mustn’t forget the “hunters” who have been chasing his legend since 1958 when the Bigfoot phenomenon is generally acknowledged to have gone mainstream. The discovery of large tracks in northern California led to the coining of the creature’s name and when the Associated Press later picked up the story, “Bigfoot” captured the imagination of the nation.  .

And the hunt was on.

That hunt is still going strong some fifty years later. Just turn on the tube or search the web and you can follow some new band of legend hunters who are out there looking to solve the mystery with all of the latest high tech gear at their disposal. However, my heart lies with a band of old school Sasquatch seekers that have been collectively referred to as “The Four Horsemen of Sasquatchery.” Unfortunately, three are no longer in the hunt and the lone survivor is in his nineties. But these guys ruled the 1970’s when they helped hook a wide eyed eight year old boy for life.

Peter Byrne (born 1925) – Byrne, an Irishman, personifies my version of the big game hunter of yesteryear. Which he was for a time in the 1950’s and 60’s, and I suppose still is considering Bigfoot is a larger than life quarry. A slight Irish accent and polished delivery is as much a trademark as his typical safari guide garb which often consists of khaki pants, a button up shirt beneath a hunting vest, a fedora perched on his head and a scarf wrapped about his neck. Byrne is part Indiana Jones and part Marlin Perkins (the Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom guy who, by the way, also searched for the Yeti), He has utilized a charismatic persona to raise plenty of funds to support his habit throughout the years. After spending a number of years trekking the Himalayas in search of the Yeti, he later joined a Pacific Northwest expedition with a couple of the hunters below. His being an “outsider” contributed to a rift which lasted a lifetime. For a time he also operated the now defunct “Bigfoot Research Project” based in Mount Hood, Oregon. Notable quote (regarding his ability to raise funds for research/expeditions): “I’ve done it three times to the extent of possibly $3,000,000 I have spent of other people’s money.”

Rene Dahinden (1930-2001) – Born in Switzerland, Dahinden relocated to Canada in the early 1950’s and claimed to have caught the Bigfoot bug after hearing a news story on the radio. He would briefly join Peter Byrne and John Green (see below) as part of a 1960’s Pacific Northwest Bigfoot expedition before personality conflicts and creative differences sent him packing. He would then continue his solo pursuit and was known for doggedly guarding his research. However, he was much less secretive with his opinions on the topic as well as his thoughts on the other hunters. Such tidbits were entertainingly delivered with the combination of a noticeable accent, slight speech impediment and often colorful language. He pulled no punches and at times came off as more than a little bit rude, for instance referring to Dr. Grover Krantz (see below) as “meathead” in one interesting exchange. Yet, he was not without a sense of humor as shown in his role as a spokesman for Canada’s Kokanee Beer (video here). In addition, he was rumored to have been the inspiration for the Bigfoot hunter in the 1987 film, Harry and the Hendersons. Notable quote (concerning others not viewing footprint casts as physical evidence): “How would you feel if I hit you over the head with one of them footprint’s plaster casts? Don’t you think that would be physical?”

John Green (1927-2016) – Green kept the lowest profile and remained the most low key of this foursome. However, he was not averse to sharing his feelings on the quest; he just always did so with less flair or publicity. A retired journalist from British Columbia, he amassed one of the largest Bigfoot sighting databases in the world. After taking part in the previously mentioned Pacific Northwest expedition, he would relate that the group consisted of too many high strung and stubborn individuals. Even that brief joint effort of Green, Dahinden and Byrne was long enough to foster some lasting animosity despite fifty years of water under the bridge. It is also worth noting that with Green’s passing, there are no longer any surviving witnesses of the 1958 Sasquatch tracks in Bluff Creek, California that put Bigfoot on the map. Notable quote (concerning some of the fringe hunters equating Bigfoot with UFOs or interdimensional travel): “I don’t find anything attractive in explaining a mystery by bringing in another mystery.”

Dr. Grover Krantz (1931-2002) – The late Dr. Krantz was a professor of physical anthropology at Washington State University and represented one of the first (and few) academics to take an interest and later offer up a belief in a creature that might not even exist. As a result, he caught a fair amount of grief from his peers and wound up seeming rather weary from this burden in his later years. Krantz investigated the subject with a scientific approach carefully analyzing and measuring the evidence presented to him, primarily footprints and the Patterson-Gimlin film. He also theorized that Bigfoot was a surviving population of an extinct genus of ape that formerly inhabited eastern Asia some 300,000 years ago. Notable quote (concerning a life of academia paired with a drive to find Bigfoot): “This hasn’t been fun at all. It’s something that’s got to be done. I will be very happy when it’s all over.”

The degree of conflict and unwillingness to share notes at times among this bunch was legendary itself. Yet despite a significant amount of agreeing to disagree, criticism and bad blood over the years, this group actually had much in common due to their passionate pursuit. Among the similarities was the fact that none of the four ever provided indisputable proof of anything. But their tales still tell of a most excellent adventure.

I’m unsure if there are any such fireworks among the latest breed of Bigfoot hunters but it would certainly be tough to top the relationships between these four legendary figures who have left the quest to a new band of hunters.  Some of the current major players in the ongoing mystery include Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum, an Idaho State University professor of anatomy and anthropology, Daniel Perez, longtime publisher of Bigfoot Times newsletter, Matt Moneymaker, head of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization and apparently some fellow called “Bobo” (almost sounds like a regional name for the creature, perhaps from New Boston, IL or somewhere).

Okay, so I’m admittedly out of touch with the current Bigfoot crowd but as far as I can tell, they haven’t found anything more compelling than the old guys. Today’s world is considerably heavier on showtime, glamor and saturation than back in the day, and while the pursuit still excites, I truly don’t know how many “hunting” shows I could take. Good, old Sasquatch still appears to be an elusive sort though, so perhaps he can evade yet another generation. I kind of hope so, as I know a couple young boys who has somehow developed quite an interest.

Talk to you tomorrow. Troy

Fifty years ago today, Bigfoot was reportedly shot.

On film, that is.

“Baby what a big surprise, right before my very eyes.” – Baby, What A Big Surprise, Chicago (1977)

Or was it?

That all depends on which side of the fence you are on in regards to something called the Patterson-Gimlin film.

Former rodeo rider turned Bigfoot hunter, Roger Patterson (1926-1972), and his friend, Robert Gimlin (b.1931) were exploring the Bluff Creek area of Northern California on the afternoon of October 20, 1967. When the pair later emerged from the wilderness, they carried with them perhaps the most intriguing and likely the most controversial piece of Bigfoot evidence yet produced. This startling video, while only fifty three seconds (953 frames) in duration, has given rise to decades of debate.

All of these years later, the Patterson-Gimlin film continues to raise eyebrows and questions. Is it hominid or hoax? Is it an unknown primate or a guy in a monkey suit? Why didn’t they shoot it? Was one of the pair hoodwinked? Why does the creature simply saunter off rather than bolting from the intruders? The list goes on and on.

The pro- and anti-Bigfoot camps agree to disagree on the legitimacy of the clip with a fervor often reserved for debates over politics, religion, Cubs vs. Cards, Ginger or Mary Ann and so on. The pros view their opponents as close-minded and unwilling to listen while the skeptics label the believers as crackpots or dreamers. Regardless of allegiance, only one crowd’s belief is ultimately correct.

The story of the film goes like this.

Patterson and Gimlin were allegedly out on an expedition to film some background footage for a proposed Bigfoot documentary and wound up in the right place at the right time. Both men were on horseback when the creature was spotted in the creek bed and Patterson’s mount spooked causing him to fall to the ground. He was then able to grab his camera from a saddlebag and proceeded to shoot the film as he ran towards the creature. The initially jumpy footage shows Bigfoot walking from left to right seemingly in no hurry at all to ditch his pursuers, both of whom were armed with rifles (although they had previously agreed not to shoot in the event of an encounter). Towards the middle of the footage, the film stabilizes as the creature continues on his way and eventually disappears into the trees as the film runs out.

This was the clip that sold me on Bigfoot back when I first encountered it in a documentary, The Mysterious Monsters, at the old West Cinemas in Galesburg, IL. Even now, it’s somewhat creepy to watch the hulking, hairy creature lumbering across the screen. And of course, Frame 352, which has become “the” Bigfoot icon, can still make the hairs on the back of the neck stand up even though I’m well beyond that nine year old kid. There’s just something eerie about the subject nonchalantly turning to look directly at the camera (and me) before continuing on his way.

Frame 352 and close approximations provide a lasting image.

The debate over the authenticity of the film’s star continues to this day. Some special effects experts state it is clearly a man in a monkey suit and point out flaws. One man later came forward with the allegation that he made the suit while yet another individual has stated that he was the man in the suit. Others in this field dismiss such statements citing the shortcomings of the techniques and technology in 1967.

Bigfoot researchers, skeptics, academics and amateurs utilizing modern technology have analyzed various aspects of the footage only to wind up with differing opinions. Gimlin sticks to the claim that he wasn’t duped by his partner and the late Patterson steadfastly maintained that the subject in the film was the real thing. Noted Bigfoot researcher Peter Byrne relates that a dying Patterson did express one change of heart in stating, “You know we should have shot that thing: then people would have believed us.” Whatever the case, it’s still a pretty cool piece of video that leaves a lasting impression.

In putting together today’s posting, the lead in lyric was the first bit of song that came to mind and despite considerable reworking of this piece I never once considered changing it. I did find it interesting though, upon later realizing that the first two lines of the song are as follows;

“Right before my very eyes, I thought that you we’re only fakin’ it.”

What do you think?

I also can’t resist adding one last tidbit of information although it is potentially useless in the future to anyone beyond me and my wife, Julie. Today marks the sixteenth anniversary of my asking Julie to marry me and she said “Yes” on the first try. You see, I’m no dummy as I wisely chose an important date so as not to wind up forgetting as the years go by. Not that there’s anything wrong with choosing mythical holidays like Valentine’s Day or Sweetheart’s Day. It’s just that, for better or worse, I’m admittedly more Bigfoot than Cupid.

Talk to you tomorrow. Troy