Happy Monday, Missians!
Welcome to our first annual Monsters of March blog series! We'll be coming at you every Monday during the month of March with a new "monster". Today's March Monster is probably the most well known of all, at least here in North America. It is the Sasquatch, more commonly known as Bigfoot. So, for anyone out there who doesn't know just what we're referring to when we talk about Bigfoot, here is a general description from Wikipedia:
"In American folklore, Bigfoot or Sasquatch is a hairy, upright-walking, ape-like being who leaves behind large footprints and reportedly dwells in the wilderness. Strongly associated with the Pacific Northwest (and in particularly Washington state and British Columbia), individuals claim to see the creature across North America".
Before we get off into specific theories on just what this creature might be, (if it exists at all), let me quickly give you my view on the subject. Personally, I feel that there is something to these Bigfoot sightings. Now that is not to say, that I believe there's something to all of them. Of course you're going to have people out there who just want attention, or are trying to make a quick buck by selling some bogus Sasquatch pic to highest media bidder; and then there are always those people who may just be a little wack-a-doodle too, who might think they saw something that was never there to begin with--not to mention those with bad eyesight who just see a bear or something from far off and mistake it for a Sasquatch.
But just because there's some fraudulent Bigfoot sighting claims, doesn't mean that all sightings are fake. The biggest thing for me that allows me to believe that Bigfoot really does exist, is the fact that many Native American cultures reported sightings of the creature, long before any other races were here in North America. What would these tribes have profited from lying about such sightings? There were no tabloids or social media during those times, so there was no popularity or fame to be gained from making up outrageous claims; and there's also the fact that there wasn't just one or two tribes who had stories of Sasquatch sightings, (though they each had their own word for what it was).
Then there's the fact there are other tall, ape-like, humanoid sightings in other parts of the world--not just here in the U.S. To me, that definitely says that something has to be going on, beyond what can logically be explained. I know there are a lot of liars and charlatans in the world, but that many people can't all be lying or mentally ill. As you guys know from some our past Missy Show episodes, and from our blog posts, I am a firm believer that there are some things that go on, on this planet that are absolutely real, but just can't be explained. So, yes. I do think that Sasquatch are likely real; but just what exactly they are, is a whole other issue.
I do understand the argument people make, when they say, if they're so real, why doesn't anyone ever get a clear picture of one, or why do the people always just so happen to not have a camera on them at the time they run across the beast? Perhaps that question might best be answered through one of the five Bigfoot theories presented in "Top Five Bigfoot Theories: What is Bigfoot Really?"
A Bigfoot Sighting:
So after reading on your own, what are your thoughts on Bigfoot? Does it exist? And if so, what is it, exactly? Do any of you have a Bigfoot story of your own to share? I'd love to hear about it in the comments. Or maybe you'd consider sharing it with The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization?
Welcome to our first annual Monsters of March blog series! We'll be coming at you every Monday during the month of March with a new "monster". Today's March Monster is probably the most well known of all, at least here in North America. It is the Sasquatch, more commonly known as Bigfoot. So, for anyone out there who doesn't know just what we're referring to when we talk about Bigfoot, here is a general description from Wikipedia:
"In American folklore, Bigfoot or Sasquatch is a hairy, upright-walking, ape-like being who leaves behind large footprints and reportedly dwells in the wilderness. Strongly associated with the Pacific Northwest (and in particularly Washington state and British Columbia), individuals claim to see the creature across North America".
Before we get off into specific theories on just what this creature might be, (if it exists at all), let me quickly give you my view on the subject. Personally, I feel that there is something to these Bigfoot sightings. Now that is not to say, that I believe there's something to all of them. Of course you're going to have people out there who just want attention, or are trying to make a quick buck by selling some bogus Sasquatch pic to highest media bidder; and then there are always those people who may just be a little wack-a-doodle too, who might think they saw something that was never there to begin with--not to mention those with bad eyesight who just see a bear or something from far off and mistake it for a Sasquatch.
But just because there's some fraudulent Bigfoot sighting claims, doesn't mean that all sightings are fake. The biggest thing for me that allows me to believe that Bigfoot really does exist, is the fact that many Native American cultures reported sightings of the creature, long before any other races were here in North America. What would these tribes have profited from lying about such sightings? There were no tabloids or social media during those times, so there was no popularity or fame to be gained from making up outrageous claims; and there's also the fact that there wasn't just one or two tribes who had stories of Sasquatch sightings, (though they each had their own word for what it was).
Then there's the fact there are other tall, ape-like, humanoid sightings in other parts of the world--not just here in the U.S. To me, that definitely says that something has to be going on, beyond what can logically be explained. I know there are a lot of liars and charlatans in the world, but that many people can't all be lying or mentally ill. As you guys know from some our past Missy Show episodes, and from our blog posts, I am a firm believer that there are some things that go on, on this planet that are absolutely real, but just can't be explained. So, yes. I do think that Sasquatch are likely real; but just what exactly they are, is a whole other issue.
I do understand the argument people make, when they say, if they're so real, why doesn't anyone ever get a clear picture of one, or why do the people always just so happen to not have a camera on them at the time they run across the beast? Perhaps that question might best be answered through one of the five Bigfoot theories presented in "Top Five Bigfoot Theories: What is Bigfoot Really?"
Is Sasquatch a Forest Spirit?
What if this creature doesn’t exist in the natural world at all?
Is it just luck and happenstance that the only people who ever see Bigfoot are totally unprepared to document the encounter? It’s an odd paradox that a creature so secretive that it has not even been properly documented by science seems to readily reveal itself to moving cars, hunters wearing orange camouflage and teenagers wandering along dirt roads. Of course, even in this age where everyone is carrying a smart phone with a camera attached nobody who claims to spot Bigfoot ever snaps a picture.
Sure they’re startled and shaken up by the encounter, but during tsunamis, earthquakes, street riots and every other terrifying event people will record video and take pictures. However, some witnesses will claim to observe a Sasquatch for thirty seconds and it never occurs to them to take a photo. Why?
Is it possible that Bigfoot is a forest spirit, a supernatural guardian of the Earth and the woodlands? Might this be why witnesses report being mesmerized by encounters, and might this be why so few have the wherewithal to go for their cell-phone camera?
Indeed, in some parts of North America, Native Americans regard Bigfoot as a supernatural being, and often a messenger of the natural world. This is similar to the way the indigenous peoples of Nepal and Tibet view the Yeti: as a spiritual entity.
Perhaps Europeans, and modern researchers, have missed the mark, so to speak, when it comes to understanding the true nature of Sasquatch. Maybe there is so little evidence because there is simply none to find.
Check out the other four theories here:
https://exemplore.com/cryptids/Bigfoot-Theories-What-is-Bigfoot-Really
Dealing with the numbers:
Bigfoot sightings have occurred all over the United States, with sightings occurring more frequently in states such as California, (437 reported), Ohio, (281), Florida, (314), Washington, (646), Texas (230), and Oregon, (245). Records of these sightings are stored in the Geographic Database of Bigfoot/Sasquatch Sightings & Reports, through The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. For a list of sighting numbers for the other states not listed, please check out the link below:
http://bfro.net/gdb/
This is also a great site to learn about "all things Bigfoot" and to report your own sightings.
A Bigfoot Sighting:
At about 1:30 on the morning of Jan. 8, 2008, a big-rig driver was hauling a load of Idaho potatoes on U.S. I-15 near the town of Scripio, just outside of St. George, Utah. As he downshifted and headed down an incline, the fog grew increasingly heavy. The driver noticed something by the side of the road with glowing eyes, and thought it might be a deer. When he switched on his high beams, he was startled to see a gigantic creature running across the road from left to right in long strides, just 20 feet (6 meters) or so away, according an interview with a BFRO investigator.
He later estimated, based on a comparison to his truck and factoring in the distance, that the creature was at least 8 to 10 feet (2.4 to 3 meters) tall, and between 600 to 800 pounds (272 to 362 kilograms) in weight. It had black hair and big eyebrows, and long, lanky arms that were proportionately longer than a human's. For a moment, it turned its head and stared at the rapidly approaching truck.
The driver swerved hard to the middle of the freeway to avoid hitting the creature, which nearly caused the truck to crash. Fortunately, he regained control of the vehicle, but when he managed to roll to a stop 200 to 300 yards (183 to 247 meters) away and look back, the mysterious figure was gone.
The driver, an avid outdoorsman and hunter, told the BFRO investigator that he'd always been skeptical about the existence of Bigfoot, but after actually seeing one in the flesh, he'd changed his opinion. "It scared the hell out of me," he admitted.
The above sighting came from, "Top Ten Bigfoot Sightings of the Last Five Years." Check out the link below to read about the other nine:
http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/finding-bigfoot/lists/10-bigfoot-sightings-last-5-years/
So after reading on your own, what are your thoughts on Bigfoot? Does it exist? And if so, what is it, exactly? Do any of you have a Bigfoot story of your own to share? I'd love to hear about it in the comments. Or maybe you'd consider sharing it with The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization?
That's it for now. Be sure to check out next Monday's, Monsters of March post, "Who Else Walks Among Us", on March 12th.
Comments
Post a Comment