One of the Bigfoot skeptics
Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Skunk Ape, Wood Booger,
or Grassman.
Call it what you will, but these are all names for the All-Time World Hide and Seek Champion.
We have all seen the grainy photos, the cheesy looking plaster foot casts and heard the anecdotal tales of encounters in the woods with an unknown beast. We all probably know someone’s brother’s cousin’s best friend who had said encounter. Heck, more than a few of us probably have a tale or two of our own about unexplained noises or critters seen out hiking, fishing, or hunting in this area.
A survey in July of this year by CivicScience revealed that 13% of U.S. adults agreed with the statement “Bigfoot/Sasquatch is a real, living creature.” That is an 18% increase from 2 years ago, according to their data. It showed that the western United States had the highest number of believers with 15%, and the Northeast was the lowest at 11%.
Most will poo-poo the sightings as bears, cattle, mountain lions, or even escaped primates. Other thoughts are moments of fear and paranoia due to unfamiliar surroundings.
So what is it?
Our eyes playing tricks?
Fear induced hallucinations?
Animals run amok?
Is it possible there is a genus of primate yet to be discovered roaming the American forests and swamps?
So who are these people that are sighting the mythical creature? According to the survey, Gen Z and Millenials were 13% believers, Baby boomers clocked in at 11%, and Gen X 15%. Believers were most likely to be daily YouTube users, invest in crypto (interestingly bigfoot falls in the cryptozoology field), be X-Files watchers, own firearms, and (oddly enough) play musical instruments.
So who or what is Bigfoot?
According to The Journal of Chickasaw History and Culture, various tribes have different views, from malevolent and crude to helpful and shrouded in magic. The descriptions run a range of colors from grey to red, covered in hair and anywhere from 7 to 10 feet tall and weighing in the range of 300 to 600 pounds of pure muscle.
I don’t know about you, but I may need a fresh pair of drawers if I ran onto that in Custer State Park.
These descriptions beg the question, if there is a creature of this size and stature in our wild areas, how is it there has never been a good photograph? I can understand that in the prior decades getting a snap of a running creature with analog cameras was a dicey prospect, but in this age of digital cameras and cellphones how is there no video or clear photos? Is it the magic and power of the creature distorting its image?
To say I am among the skeptics is accurate. I have spent countless hours in the forests of the Black Hills. I have heard things I cannot explain, but I am not an expert on every sound that every animal can produce. I have had eerie feelings in areas, like something was watching me, but could see the mountain lion sign all around me. I believe the closest I have ever been to a sasquatch sighting was probably under the lights of the old ballfield in Spearfish watching the boys in teal and white play America’s pastime.
If you are interested in more information do a web search for the rising belief in Bigfoot, and you won’t be disappointed. I found it to be an entertaining rabbit hole of theories and stories. I hope you will too. I would also be interested in hearing any stories or tales you have of encounters. Send me a message on Facebook, or if you see me wheeling around town stop me for a chat.
See if you can make a believer out of me.
