Dana Holyfield was kind enough to share her grandfather's film he shot back the mid 1960's of what was clearly an ape-like creature reminiscent of the famous Patterson-Grimlin film from roughly the same time period. Viewing that film outdoors at night, in the swamp was more that a little creepy, but it provided valuable insight. I also had the opportunity to personally interview several first-hand witnesses, all of whom were credible and believe 100% what they saw was a giant age-like creature. In the end, I think we were successful in answering at one question related to the numerous sightings using scientific method. However, we did not answer all the questions surrounding the creature that is still lurking out there in the swamp somewhere. How do you think we did?
First-hand eyewitness M.K. Davis and I pose with a poster of the Bigfoot creature in the famous Patterson-Gimlin film.
Dana Holyfield holds her grandfather's 8 mm film of the honey Island Swamp Monster from the 1960's as cameraman Brendan Harris is set to shoot the scene of us watching the film.
Cryptozologist, ken Gerhard and I make our way to base-camp upstream on the severely flooded Pearl River.
Eoin McGuigan, Brendan Harris, Brandon Boulay and Ken Gerhard prepare shoot a scene in flooded "ground" deep in the Louisiana swamp.
On a night like this, it was easy to see how people fall in love with the bayous and swamp on the Southern Mississippi River area.
Field producer Janey Klebe, and I pause for photo before leaving me in the hunting blind for the evening.
Dana Holyfield and I take a break from our delicious Swamp Gas Chili during filming of the final scene in the episode.
I spend a fair amount of time in the wilderness and forest of northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and parts of Canada... BWCA, Quetico, many solo canoe trips to just get away, and at my off grid cabin in NW Wisconsin. I am an experienced outdoorsman. There are bears all over the place in those locations. I read someplace that Minnesota has roughly 16000 black bears and Wisconsin has a black bear population of over 28000. I can only count on one hand the times I have actually seen a black bear in the wild on my outings... and there are thousands of them out there. I have NEVER had a black bear encounter on any of my many canoe wilderness trips.
ReplyDeleteNow, I like to think that if there is a 'bigfoot' creature out there, not saying there is... but if there is, and there are only a few hundred running around or less, they are going to be seen few and far between, far less than black bear sightings. Maybe that is a poor comparison in regards to sightings, I dunno. But it makes sense to me.
Personally I am a skeptic on bigfoot. I want to believe because I think it would fantastic overall. But, I have to see it to believe it. I really do. Show it to me. And not at the MN State Fair!! (haha... Scott will know what I'm talking about).
Now with that said I want to tell a story I have only told a few people over the years:
Once, when I was 15 years old (I'm now 45) I was on an outpost fishing vacation north of Souix Lookout, Ontario... far north in the middle of nowhere. Very remote. I went for a walk behind the outpost cabin my group stayed at and was walking along a dried up creek bed. About twenty minutes into my hike I smelled the most nasty, musty, filthy body odor smell I can ever recall. I stopped in my tracks when it hit my nostrils - it was that bad. I was looking around because I was pretty sure something was dead nearby but I didn't see anything obvious. Then I heard a throaty growl from somewhere ahead of me and it terrified me. I was thinking bear or wolverine, so I turned to start walking carefully back the way I came as to not appear as prey or a threat. As I did so I heard 'clattering' of the creek rocks behind me. Turning to look over my shoulder I didn't see anything approaching, but did notice what looked like a rock bouncing across the other smooth creek bed stones. I then saw similar movement of a rock flying low and scattering across the creek bed along the bank off to my side in my peripheral vision. That's when I started to RUN back to the cabin. I ran so damn fast...
I told my dad and an uncle what happened and they laughed, saying it was likely a bear. I brushed it off as such. Was it a bear? Maybe. I don't know. All I do know is that it was an odd experience. And now, watching some of the shows on occasion about bigfoot I hear how people with encounters have noticed strong musty odors, things being tossed at them...etc...etc... makes me wonder.
BUT, I am still 99% skeptical. Need to see one to believe. But that 1% makes me wonder.
TD
TD,
DeleteYes, I do know what you mean about the MN State Fair! I also understand your bear to Bigfoot numbers comparison and it does make sense, if those Bigfoot numbers are correct. I have also spent time in the woods and have seen black bears only twice.
Your story is very compelling and similar to the ones I heard in the in multiple states in the U.S., Nepal, and in the Honey Island Swamp. I have no reason to not believe you or the others I have spoken to who seemed very credible. However, I stand by my skepticism statement. Until I see body, a skeleton, or shake Bigfoot's hand I will remain open-minded, yet skeptical.
TD,
DeleteMy stepfather's brother-in-law described the same smell. He allegedly came face-to-face with a creature and shot it twice. While researching his claim, I came upon the following list of Bigfoot shootings.
https://sasquatchchronicles.com/forums/topic/list-of-bigfoot-shootings-in-chronological-order/
The list appears to be somewhat incomplete and contains some errors. I am not going to pay the membership fee to inform them there's no such place as Nowata, Kansas.
I have encountered a bear twice. The first one was in my home state while learning to track animals in the snow. A state where bears are not supposed to exist. Came upon the second bear while canoeing from Minnesota into Canada. I had no idea bears could swim that fast. At the same time, I had no idea I could paddle that fast.
Until I see one for myself, I'm going with bears and men in Grass suits.
Anthony Warren
Yep, I need to see one and shake his hand, buy him a cup of coffee, or share some Jack Links Jerky. Until that happens I shall remain Skeptical.
Delete"I have encountered a bear twice. The first one was in my home state while learning to track animals in the snow. A state where bears are not supposed to exist."
DeleteThe only U.S. state where there are no bears is Hawaii and there is very little snow in Hawaii, so your story collapses.
Tony Bardsley
@whomever you're pretending to be today,
DeleteStarted with seeing tracks from squirrels, skunks, and other small creatures. Suddenly came across tracks from a deer. After following them for a while, we came across an enormous track mixed with the deer tracks, along with spots of blood in the snow. Followed for another 50 yards or so. This is when we came upon the carcass of the deer. It looked like a crime scene. Blood was everywhere, contrasting with the white snow. The front leg of the deer was flipped up over its head. This is where we found smaller bear tracks as well. A mother bear with one baby cub within half a mile of a Boy scout camp. A bear hadn't been sited for over 75 years. State wildlife officials thought my scoutmaster was mistaken. "There are no bears in this state." and "Likely a big cat." It wasn't a cat. They tranquilized the bears and moved them to another state. They knew right where to go because we had located the bear's den about 30 yards away from the kill site. One of those things you can't unsee.
The only thing that collapses is your gotcha attempt.
Enjoyed your 2nd adventure into the Bigfoot phenomenon. I'm a believer and really liked your take on the musty odor as swamp gas - never heard that before. Waiting for your next Unearthing!
ReplyDeleteNick
Nick,
DeleteWhile still a skeptic, I have to admit the stories I hear from eye-witnesses are very compelling. They saw something. Glad you're enjoying the shows!
I found this episode to be fascinating. I wonder if Scott has an opinion of the crested skulls from the American Southwest and abroad. A recent theory proposed they're not alien or altered humans; they maybe actually Sasquatch skulls because they lack one of the skull fissures that humans have.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this episode in that it was a bit different than some of your usual explorations.
ReplyDeleteI also remain a bit skeptical of Bigfoot/Swamp Monster/Yeti, etc., without any hard proof of their existence. But...but..I am not arrogant enough to say they absolutely don't exist. There are so many unexplored and virtually uninhabited areas on this planet, I don't feel you can rule it out. We are finding new species all the time. And some species thought to be extinct are being found once again.
But I still need more evidence than I've seen so far as proof those creatures do exist. I know people are seeing *something* out there. I just hope in my lifetime we will come across that proof at some point.
Am enjoying seeing you and America Unearthed back again!
Slate tablet in Michigan believed fake but is it really I know some of the stuff was fake but I dont know about the main tablet
DeleteWhich slate tablet in Michigan? There are thousands of them that have been found and no one has proven anything is fake or authentic if you are talking about the Michigan tablets. I'd be happy to comment if you could be a little more specific about which artifacts you're talking about.
DeleteIn this episode you postulated that this creature could have come over the land bridge. If it is indeed real, what would be it's life span? If it has been there all this time is it possible there are others there as well hiding and procreating?
ReplyDeleteJMoore,
DeleteMy guess is their lifespan would be comparable to humans, but that's only a guess. Clearly they are procreating as people are still seeing them.
Scott, The base of Stature of Liberty is also in the shape of a keystone, like the keystone in the Newport tower
ReplyDelete