WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:01.600 Today, I want to tell you about a journey that 2 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:03.879 I've been on for most of my life. Ever since 3 00:00:03.919 --> 00:00:05.799 I was a kid, I've heard tales of bigfoot and 4 00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:08.320 wild men while spending time with my friends and family. 5 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:11.439 As I grew older and read more about the paranormal, 6 00:00:11.599 --> 00:00:14.679 my interest in encryptids and other things strange only deepened. 7 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:17.160 That's why I'm so excited to share with you what 8 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:21.640 I've personally become involved with the Untold Radio Network. The 9 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:25.280 Untold Radio Network is a live streaming podcast network that 10 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:29.359 airs a new show every day across all podcast platforms, YouTube, 11 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:32.119 and more. They have eight different shows on all sorts 12 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:36.119 of exciting topics such as bigfoot, cryptids, UFOs, aliens, and 13 00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:39.479 much more. I even have my own show called Weird Encounters, 14 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:42.439 where I talk about all things strange. This is more 15 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:45.280 than just a podcast network. It's a community that allows 16 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:47.759 me to meet so many amazing people who share their 17 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:51.520 stories and experiences with strange. If you're interested in hearing 18 00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:53.880 more of these stories and learning more about the paranormal 19 00:00:53.960 --> 00:00:56.679 and encryptids, make sure you check out the Untold Radio 20 00:00:56.759 --> 00:01:00.600 Network for all kinds of exciting shows. It's free to subscribe. 21 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:04.400 So what are you waiting for visit www dot untold 22 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:06.560 radionetwork dot com today. 23 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:09.680 Now, what are your reporting? I got a screen going 24 00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:12.120 on here. Something just kid with my dog, something to 25 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:15.280 kill your dog? My dog. We're flying through there, over 26 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:20.079 the tree. I don't know how it did it? Okay, damn, 27 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:22.640 I'm really confused. All I saw was my dog coming 28 00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:24.480 over the fence, and name was dead once you hit 29 00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:26.560 the grill. I didn't see any cars. All I saw 30 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:28.000 was my dog coming over the fence. 31 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:44.680 Happen? 32 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:48.000 What are you reporting? We got some wonder or something 33 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:58.640 crawling around out here? Did you see what it was? 34 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:01.040 It was enough out here. Look, I'm new to one 35 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:02.760 doow now and I don't need anything. I don't want 36 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:12.159 to go outside. Hello, hit the boddy out here? What quin? 37 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:15.159 I'm out there? I've thought of a mention about text nine. 38 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:18.280 I don't know easy annount there. Yeah, I'm walking right heady. 39 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:21.680 Before we get into today's episode, I just want to 40 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:23.759 take a moment to talk about what this show is 41 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:27.199 all about. If you've been listening for a while, you 42 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:30.159 know that I have a deep interest in the sasquatch phenomenon, 43 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:33.680 not just in the encounter stories. Themselves, but in the 44 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:37.520 bigger picture, I try to bring different perspectives to the table, 45 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:42.120 whether it's through first hand accounts, interviews, or exploring theories, 46 00:02:42.439 --> 00:02:47.280 research and historical cases. Every Friday is and will always 47 00:02:47.319 --> 00:02:50.520 be dedicated to an encounter based interview with someone who 48 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:55.280 has experienced something extraordinary. These personal stories are the heart 49 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:57.319 of the show, and I know they're what many of 50 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:00.520 you come here for. But in addition to those interviews, 51 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:05.159 I also do these Wednesday Wisdom episodes where I share articles, ideas, 52 00:03:05.159 --> 00:03:09.080 and information related to Sasquatch. It's a way to dive 53 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:12.479 deeper into the subject and explore aspects of the phenomenon 54 00:03:12.759 --> 00:03:16.479 that go beyond individual encounters. My hope is that you 55 00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:19.680 enjoy these episodes and that they add value to your 56 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:24.000 experience as a listener. Ultimately, this show is and will 57 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:28.479 always be about you, the listener. Your feedback is the 58 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:31.639 most important thing, so please let me know what you 59 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:35.159 think about the show as a whole, about these bonus 60 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:39.360 episodes like Wednesday Wisdom, and about the narrated stories I share. 61 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:43.039 Your thoughts help shape the direction of the podcast, and 62 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:47.960 I truly appreciate every comment, suggestion, and review, so please 63 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:52.199 send me an email at brianat Paranormalworldproductions dot com and 64 00:03:52.280 --> 00:03:54.400 let me know what you think about this episode and 65 00:03:54.439 --> 00:03:57.400 the show in general. You can also reach me via 66 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:00.800 voicemail using the Leavis of Voicemail button right here in 67 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:04.879 the show notes. Remember, if you're listening on Apple Podcasts, 68 00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:07.280 you can not only rate the show, but you can 69 00:04:07.319 --> 00:04:11.439 also write a review. And finally, if you're listening on Spotify, 70 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:14.240 you can rate the show and you can also comment 71 00:04:14.360 --> 00:04:17.839 on each individual episode. No matter how you choose to 72 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:20.680 do it, please reach out and let me know your thoughts. 73 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:25.000 Legends are not born overnight. They do not simply appear 74 00:04:25.319 --> 00:04:29.079 fully formed in the minds of the people who tell them. Rather, 75 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:33.160 they emerge from centuries of whispered stories, pass down from 76 00:04:33.240 --> 00:04:36.160 one generation to the next. They take root in the 77 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:39.680 deep forests and the shadowed corners of human history, where 78 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:44.160 mystery still lingers. Some legends stay confined within the cultures 79 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:47.480 that birth them, shared only in the quiet moments around 80 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:51.160 a fire, while others find their way into the larger world, 81 00:04:51.639 --> 00:04:53.920 growing and evolving until they take on a life of 82 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:57.399 their own. This is the story of one such legend, 83 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:01.759 the Tale of Sasquatch. That has become synonymous with North 84 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:05.560 America's most enduring cryptid. But the creature that we call 85 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:09.800 Sasquatch today was not always known by that name. Long 86 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:14.560 before newspaper headlines and television documentaries, long before blurry photographs 87 00:05:14.600 --> 00:05:19.199 and controversial footprints, there was Saskeats, the mysterious being of 88 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:23.800 the Shahalis people of British Columbia. The legend of Saskeats 89 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:27.120 was more than just folklore. For the indigenous peoples who 90 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:30.160 lived along the winding rivers and towering forests of the 91 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:34.399 Pacific Northwest. This being was part of their reality, a 92 00:05:34.439 --> 00:05:36.959 presence as real as the bears and the elk that 93 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:41.600 shared their land. The Shahalis described a large, powerful, hair 94 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:44.800 covered figure that walked upright like a man, but lived 95 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:48.360 in the remote wilderness, rarely seen except by those who 96 00:05:48.439 --> 00:05:52.439 ventured deep into its domain. Unlike the fearsome monsters of 97 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:57.439 European folklore, Saskets was not necessarily malevolent. It was a guardian, 98 00:05:57.959 --> 00:06:00.879 a keeper of the land, a creature that existed in 99 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:04.800 a world just beyond human reach. But how did this figure, 100 00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:07.720 once known only to the indigenous peoples of the Pacific 101 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:11.360 Northwest become one of the most famous cryptids in the world. 102 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:16.240 How did the word saskets transform into sasquatch, a name 103 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:20.319 recognized across continents, and how did the study of creatures 104 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:23.160 like sasquatch give birth to an entirely new field of 105 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:28.240 research known as cryptozoology. To answer these questions, we must 106 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:30.839 begin with the man who first brought sasquatch into the 107 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:35.480 public eye, a Canadian teacher and Indian agent named J. W. Burns. 108 00:06:36.399 --> 00:06:39.720 John William Burns was no ordinary teacher. In the early 109 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:42.360 twentieth century, he took a position as a school teacher 110 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:45.759 at the shah Halis First Nation Reserve in British Columbia, 111 00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:49.600 a community primarily made up of the Shahalis people. But 112 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:52.879 unlike many other white officials at the time, Burns did 113 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.959 not see the indigenous people as subjects to be civilized 114 00:06:56.360 --> 00:07:01.680 or assimilated. Instead, he listened. The Shalis people shared with 115 00:07:01.720 --> 00:07:06.439 Burns their history, their traditions, and their stories, among them 116 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:11.040 the tales of Saskets, the mysterious wild man that lived 117 00:07:11.079 --> 00:07:15.000 in the forests and mountains. Burns quickly realized that nearly 118 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:17.399 everyone in the community had a story to tell about 119 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:21.240 the creature. Some described hearing its eerie cries in the night, 120 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:24.199 while others told of footprints left in the mud along 121 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:28.040 riverbanks far too large to belong to any known animal. 122 00:07:28.600 --> 00:07:30.839 A few had even claimed to have seen the towering 123 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:34.480 figure itself, its dark eyes watching from the trees, before 124 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:38.920 vanishing into the wilderness. As Burns began documenting these stories, 125 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:42.160 he wanted to share them with a wider audience. However, 126 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:45.959 he encountered a challenge. The hal kame Limb language in 127 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:49.920 which saskets was spoken was largely unwritten at the time, 128 00:07:50.279 --> 00:07:54.600 and English speaker struggled with its pronunciation. As he transcribed 129 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:58.439 the word into English, a spelling error occurred, leading to 130 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:03.160 the creation of a new word, sasquatch. This small mistake, 131 00:08:03.560 --> 00:08:07.199 one slight change in pronunciation, would forever alter the way 132 00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:10.519 the world knew the creature, but at the time, neither 133 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:13.519 Burns nor the Shahalis people could have imagined the global 134 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:17.920 impact this misspelling would eventually have. In nineteen twenty nine, 135 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:22.240 Burns published an article in McLean's magazine titled Introducing British 136 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:26.360 Columbia's Hairy Giants, in which he described the many eyewitness 137 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:30.439 accounts he had gathered. Unlike earlier reports, of wild men 138 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.519 in North America, many of which were dismissed as hoaxes 139 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:37.600 or tall tales. Burne's article treated the subject with seriousness 140 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:42.480 and respect. This was a turning point in Sasquatch history. Suddenly, 141 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:45.240 the legend of the hairy giants was not just an 142 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:50.080 indigenous tradition. It was a scientific mystery, a puzzle waiting 143 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:55.399 to be solved. Inspired by Burne's work, more newspaper reporters, explorers, 144 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:59.240 and amateur investigators began seeking out evidence of sasquatch in 145 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:03.679 the wild. While Burns himself never considered sasquatch a mere myth, 146 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:06.879 his work would lay the foundation for something even bigger, 147 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:12.039 the birth of cryptozoology. Cryptozoology is the study of animals 148 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:15.159 that have not been confirmed to exist by mainstream science. 149 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:20.679 These creatures, called cryptids, include both legendary beings like Bigfoot 150 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:23.759 and the locknous monster, as well as animals thought to 151 00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:29.600 be extinct, like the thylacine Tasmanian tiger. But cryptozoology is 152 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:34.159 not just about chasing myths. Many species once dismissed as folklore, 153 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:37.960 such as the gorilla, the celacanth, and the giant squid, 154 00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:42.639 were eventually proven to be real. This has led cryptozoologists 155 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:45.600 to believe that creatures like sasquatch may also be based 156 00:09:45.639 --> 00:09:50.639 on real undiscovered animals. The word cryptozoology was first used 157 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:54.799 by Bernard Hoovelmans, a Belgian French zoologist, in his nineteen 158 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:59.279 fifty five book On the Track of Unknown Animals. Hooflmans 159 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:03.720 believe that science should not ignore legends, folklore, or eyewitness accounts, 160 00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:07.720 as they could provide clues to real hidden species. But 161 00:10:07.799 --> 00:10:11.240 Houfelman's was not the first to study cryptids. Before him, 162 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:15.279 researchers like Charles Fort and Ivan T. Sanderson had already 163 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:19.480 laid the groundwork for cryptozoology by collecting thousands of accounts 164 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:23.720 of mysterious creatures. Born in eighteen seventy four, Charles Hoy 165 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:26.759 Fort was a writer and researcher who dedicated his life 166 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:31.320 to collecting reports of unexplained phenomena. Fort's work was wide ranging, 167 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:35.200 covering topics such as UFO sightings before UFOs were a 168 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:41.960 known concept, strange disappearances, mysterious lights, and aerial phenomena, out 169 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:45.279 of place animals such as kangaroos appearing in North America, 170 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:51.399 reports of unknown humanoids, including early bigfoot sightings, Fort's belief 171 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:55.799 was simple scientific institutions were too quick to dismiss unusual data. 172 00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:59.440 He argued that there were too many strange, unexplained events 173 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:03.399 in history for all of them to be hoaxes or misidentifications. 174 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:08.399 Although Fort never used the term cryptozoology, his books, including 175 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:11.919 The Book of the Damned, published in nineteen nineteen, compiled 176 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:16.039 hundreds of strange reports that later cryptozoologists would use as 177 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:20.240 reference points. Many of the earliest bigfoot reports in American 178 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:24.159 newspapers were first compiled by Fort, decades before the term 179 00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:28.440 sasquatch became popular. His influence is still seen today in 180 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:33.480 modern paranormal and cryptid research. Born in nineteen eleven, Ivan 181 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:37.600 Terrence Sanderson was a British zoologist, explorer, and one of 182 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:42.120 the first cryptozoologists to take bigfoot seriously. He traveled to 183 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:46.200 Africa and South America in search of unknown animals, documenting 184 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:49.120 real species that had never before been studied in the West. 185 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:54.480 In the nineteen fifties, Sanderson investigated Yeti sidings in the Himalayas, 186 00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:58.960 collecting footprints and interviewing locals. He was among the first 187 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:02.279 to propose that sas squatch, the Yetti and other wild 188 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:07.200 men around the world were related species. In nineteen sixty one, 189 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:11.840 Sanderson published Abominable Snowmen Legend Come to Life, one of 190 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:16.600 the first serious books on sasquatch and similar cryptids worldwide. 191 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:20.919 His work influenced modern bigfoot researchers, including Grover Krantz and 192 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:26.279 John Green, and helped establish sasquatch as a legitimate cryptozoological mystery. 193 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:31.960 Cryptozoology has evolved significantly since its formalization in the nineteen fifties. 194 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:37.480 Each decade has brought new discoveries, theories, controversies, and technological 195 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:40.960 advancements that have shaped how the world perceived sasquatch and 196 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:45.120 other cryptids. This is a brief but detailed exploration of 197 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:49.240 how cryptozoology has developed over the years, from early field 198 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:53.519 investigations to the modern use of DNA analysis and artificial 199 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:58.080 intelligence in cryptid research. The nineteen fifties were a pivotal 200 00:12:58.120 --> 00:13:03.360 time for cryptozoology. Before this period, mysterious creatures were primarily 201 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:08.320 relegated to folklore, myth and occasional newspaper articles. But as 202 00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:12.600 Bernard Hoovelman's introduced cryptozoology as a legitimate field of study, 203 00:13:13.039 --> 00:13:16.519 researchers and the public alike began paying closer attention to 204 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:22.240 reports of undiscovered animals, especially sasquatch. In nineteen fifty five, 205 00:13:22.440 --> 00:13:26.360 The Birth of Cryptozoology, Bernard Hoovelman's published On the Track 206 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:30.600 of Unknown Animals, coining the term cryptozoology and arguing that 207 00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:35.480 folklore and eyewitness reports could be valuable tools for zoological discovery. 208 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:39.919 Hoovelman's book introduced the idea that many mythical creatures might 209 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:44.480 be real animals awaiting discovery. In nineteen fifty eight, the 210 00:13:44.519 --> 00:13:48.960 discovery of the Bigfoot name. In Humboldt County, California, a 211 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:52.840 construction worker named Jerry Crue discovered enormous footprints in the 212 00:13:52.919 --> 00:13:57.120 mud at a work site. The local newspaper, The Humboldt Times, 213 00:13:57.399 --> 00:14:02.000 published the story, referring to the creature as Bigfoot. This 214 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:05.080 was the first recorded use of the name Bigfoot, which 215 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:09.600 quickly gained popularity across North America. The footprints were later 216 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:14.360 revealed to have been faked by Ray Wallace, a local prankster. However, 217 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:18.320 the legend had already taken hold, and many researchers believed 218 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:22.039 the footprints were similar to others found long before Wallace's prank. 219 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:26.399 The nineteen fifties saw the first attempts at serious field 220 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:31.039 research into cryptids, with researchers and journalists conducting interviews with 221 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:35.600 indigenous peoples and logging bigfoot sightings in the Pacific Northwest. 222 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:40.720 With the term bigfoot now firmly established, the nineteen sixties 223 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:45.559 saw a surge in cryptozoological research, particularly focused on wild 224 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:50.559 hominids like Sasquatch and the Yetti, the supposed abominable snowman 225 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:55.679 of the Himalayas. In nineteen sixty one, Ivan T. Sanderson 226 00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:01.159 publishes Abominable Snowman Legend Come to Life. This book was 227 00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:04.200 one of the first comprehensive studies of wild men around 228 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:07.480 the world, from the Sasquatch of North America to the 229 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:11.600 Yetie of Tibet. Sanderson proposed that these creatures could be 230 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:16.840 relic hominids, surviving members of ancient species such as Gigantopithecus. 231 00:15:17.799 --> 00:15:20.559 The most famous piece of sasquatch evidence was captured on 232 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:25.200 October twentieth, nineteen sixty seven, in Bluff Creek, California. Roger 233 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:28.440 Patterson and Bob Gimlin filmed a large, hair covered bipedal 234 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:32.399 figure striding across a riverbed. The footage remains one of 235 00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:36.039 the most debated and analyzed pieces of cryptid evidence in history. 236 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:39.720 Some believe it to be a real Sasquatch, while skeptics 237 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:43.279 argue it was a man in a suit. Despite attempts 238 00:15:43.279 --> 00:15:46.039 to debunk it, no one has conclusively proven how the 239 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:49.759 film was made if it was a hoax. Throughout the decade, 240 00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:54.159 researchers began organizing expeditions into the Pacific Northwest in search 241 00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:59.399 of Bigfoot. Reports of footprints, strange vocalizations, and fleeting sightings 242 00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:04.720 fueled public interest in cryptids. By the nineteen seventies, cryptozoology 243 00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:10.360 had begun to capture the public's imagination. The rise of television, documentaries, books, 244 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:16.039 and media coverage made Sasquatch and other cryptids household names. 245 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:20.279 In nineteen seventy four, the first scientific Bigfoot research project, 246 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:25.399 The North American Science Institute, launched an official Bigfoot research project, 247 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:31.440 using scientific methodology to analyze footprints and sightings. Zoologist Grover 248 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:34.720 Krantz became one of the first academics to publicly support 249 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:38.200 the idea that Sasquatch could be real. He argued that 250 00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:42.639 Sasquatch might be a descendant of Gigantipithecus, a prehistoric ape 251 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:46.399 that once lived in Asia. In nineteen seventy six, the 252 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:51.120 FBI analyzed supposed bigfoot hair samples at the request of cryptozoologists. 253 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:54.960 The results the hair was found to belong to a deer, 254 00:16:55.480 --> 00:16:58.039 but the fact that the FBI was willing to investigate 255 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:03.159 it all gave credibility to Sasquat research. Stay tuned for 256 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:05.559 more Sasquatch ott to see. We'll be right back. After 257 00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:12.799 these messages, the nineteen seventies saw a flood of Bigfoot 258 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:17.359 related books, documentaries, and films, including the cult classic The 259 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:21.920 Legend of Boggy Creek nineteen seventy two, which dramatized Bigfoot 260 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:27.559 encounters in Arkansas. As technology improved, cryptozoologists began using better 261 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:33.160 tools to investigate cryptid sidings. Infrared cameras, audio recording equipment, 262 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:37.839 and motion sensors were deployed in the field. Nineteen eighty 263 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:43.759 the rise of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization BFRO. BFRO 264 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:47.759 became the leading group for documenting sasquatch sidings and conducting 265 00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:52.279 field investigations. In nineteen eighty two, we have the discovery 266 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:56.160 of the Skukum cast, a partial body impression believed to 267 00:17:56.160 --> 00:18:00.720 belong to a sasquatch was discovered in Washington State. The 268 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:04.680 cast showed what some researchers claimed were primate like dermal ridges. 269 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:08.799 As I wrote about extensively in my book, Sasquatch unleashed 270 00:18:09.160 --> 00:18:13.839 the truth behind the legend. Through the years, cryptozoology gains recognition, 271 00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:17.680 and pop culture shows like Unsolved Mysteries and in Search 272 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:22.720 of frequently covered Bigfoot and other cryptids, increasing public awareness. 273 00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:27.119 By the nineteen nineties and two thousands, advances in DNA 274 00:18:27.160 --> 00:18:32.920 analysis and Internet communication changed cryptozoology. Researchers could now share 275 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:37.000 reports instantly, and scientists could test cryptid evidence in ways 276 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:41.160 never before possible. As nineteen ninety five rolls in the 277 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:46.480 Internet fuels cryptid investigations. Websites and forums dedicated to Bigfoot 278 00:18:46.519 --> 00:18:51.160 research allowed researchers to share sightings, photos, and theories globally. 279 00:18:52.039 --> 00:18:55.079 As we entered the two thousands, first attempts at DNA 280 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:59.519 analysis arrives on the scene, hair and tissue samples purported 281 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.680 to belong to Bigfoot were tested. Most results were inconclusive 282 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:07.599 or identified as known animals, but the potential for forensic 283 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:12.160 cryptozoology had begun. Two thousand and eight gave US the 284 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:15.680 Georgia Bigfoot hoax. Two men claimed they had a frozen 285 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:18.680 bigfoot body, which turned out to be a rubber costume. 286 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:24.720 This hoax damaged the credibility of serious researchers. Today, cryptozoologists 287 00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:28.440 use cutting edge technology in their search for creatures like sasquatch. 288 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:31.599 Over the last few years, we have seen drones and 289 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:35.960 AI powered wildlife monitoring sweep through the world of cryptid research. 290 00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:40.799 Researchers now use thermal imaging drones to scan remote forests 291 00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:45.519 for evidence of large primates. In twenty twenty two, the 292 00:19:45.559 --> 00:19:50.279 Lockness EDNA project led to scientists tested environmental DNA or 293 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:54.960 EDNA in lock nest to search for unknown species. This 294 00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:59.880 technique could one day be used in sasquatch investigations. Cryptozoology 295 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:02.359 had come a long way since J. W. Burns first 296 00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:06.359 wrote about sasquatch. Whether science will one day confirm its 297 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:11.400 existence remains to be seen, but the search continues. Legends 298 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.839 often fade with time as civilizations advance. Old myths and 299 00:20:15.880 --> 00:20:20.599 folklore are cast aside, replaced by the certainty of scientific discovery. 300 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:25.119 But some stories refuse to disappear. Some mysteries, no matter 301 00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:30.240 how thoroughly examined continue to haunt the human imagination. Sasquatch 302 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:33.240 is one such mystery. From the mist covered mountains of 303 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:36.640 British Columbia to the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, 304 00:20:37.119 --> 00:20:40.160 from the rugged wilderness of Alaska to the rolling hills 305 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:45.039 of the Appalachian Mountains, the legend of Sasquatch endures. What 306 00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:48.160 began as an oral tradition among the Shayless people has 307 00:20:48.200 --> 00:20:51.920 become a global phenomenon, its name known in every corner 308 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:56.559 of the world, and yet, despite decades of research, expeditions, 309 00:20:56.680 --> 00:21:01.160 and technological advancements, the question remains un ABIs answered. Is 310 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:05.640 Sasquatch real? J. W. Burns, in his early writings, may 311 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:08.279 not have intended to ignite one of the greatest unsolved 312 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:12.000 mysteries of modern times. He was a storyteller, a man 313 00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:14.680 who valued the voices of the indigenous people he worked 314 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:17.440 with and sought to share their stories with a broader audience. 315 00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:21.240 In doing so, he gave the world a name, Sasquatch, 316 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:24.039 and set in motion a search that has lasted for 317 00:21:24.119 --> 00:21:28.960 nearly a century. Over the years, cryptozoology has expanded beyond 318 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:32.359 the study of Sasquatch to include creatures from every part 319 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:36.200 of the world. From lake monsters to undiscovered primates to 320 00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:42.599 prehistoric survivors. The field has evolved alongside scientific advancements, embracing 321 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:48.000 new technologies like DNA analysis, drone surveillance, and artificial intelligence. 322 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:51.960 But even with all these tools at their disposal, researchers 323 00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:57.200 still lack definitive proof of Sasquatch's existence. For every blurry photograph, 324 00:21:57.440 --> 00:22:01.359 for every plaster cast of a footprint, every eyewitness account, 325 00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:06.119 skeptics remain unconvinced. They argue that the lack of a body, 326 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:10.160 clear video evidence, or fossil record suggests that Sasquatch is 327 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:15.079 nothing more than a cultural myth, perpetuated by misidentifications, hoaxes, 328 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:19.000 and wishful thinking. But if Sasquatch is merely a legend, 329 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:23.079 why does the legend persist? Why after thousands of reported 330 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:27.640 sightings across North America does the story refuse to fade. 331 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:30.920 Perhaps the truth lies not just in scientific evidence, but 332 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:34.960 in the human need for mystery. Sasquatch represents something more 333 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:38.079 than just an elusive primate. It is a symbol of 334 00:22:38.119 --> 00:22:41.000 the wild, a reminder that, even in an age of 335 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:46.039 satellites and smartphones, the world still holds secrets. The idea 336 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:50.039 that a large, intelligent, undiscovered creature could still exist beyond 337 00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:54.319 the reach of human civilization is both terrifying and exhilarating. 338 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:58.200 It challenges our understanding of nature and forces us to 339 00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:01.240 consider the limits of what we truly need know, And 340 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:05.680 so the search continues. Even today. In the dark forests 341 00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:08.519 of North America, there are those who venture out in 342 00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:10.759 the hope of catching a glimpse of the creature that 343 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:15.400 has captivated humanity for centuries, Whether armed with trail cameras, 344 00:23:15.599 --> 00:23:19.759 thermal imaging drones, or just a deep curiosity. Modern Sasquatch 345 00:23:19.880 --> 00:23:23.359 researchers are carrying on a tradition that began long before J. W. 346 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:28.039 Burns first wrote about the Saskets. Perhaps one day science 347 00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:32.200 will uncover the truth about Sasquatch, Perhaps a definitive discovery 348 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:35.039 will be made and the world will finally have an answer. 349 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:39.400 Or perhaps, as with all great legends, the mystery will 350 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:42.799 remain just beyond our grasp, waiting in the shadows of 351 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:47.039 the wilderness, just as it always has. The story of 352 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:50.039 Sasquatch is as much about history and folklore as it 353 00:23:50.119 --> 00:23:54.960 is about ongoing investigation and analysis. From the earliest indigenous 354 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:58.359 oral traditions to the work of pioneers like J. W. Burns, 355 00:23:58.759 --> 00:24:02.160 Charles Fort, and I Ivan T. Sanderson. The legend of 356 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:05.880 a large, elusive, human like creature has endured through the ages, 357 00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:10.240 but today sasquatch is no longer confined to stories whispered 358 00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:15.640 around campfires or the speculative writings of early cryptozoologists. It 359 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:19.920 has evolved into a subject of serious inquiry, attracting researchers, 360 00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:23.480 data analysts, and even forensic scientists who are determined to 361 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:28.519 separate fact from fiction. For decades, those fascinated by sasquatch 362 00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:33.000 have relied on eyewitness accounts, footprint casts, and the occasional 363 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:37.720 blurry photograph or video as their primary sources of evidence. However, 364 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:41.519 as the field of cryptozoology has advanced, so too have 365 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:45.599 the methods used to study these elusive creatures. Gone are 366 00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:50.000 the days when a single sighting would define an entire theory. Today, 367 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.319 we have access to large scale databases, statistical analysis, and 368 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:58.359 even artificial intelligence tools that allow us to recognize patterns 369 00:24:58.359 --> 00:25:01.440 and trends in sasquatch in count in ways that early 370 00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:05.759 researchers could only dream of. This shift in methodology is 371 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:08.240 what led to a recent discussion I had with Neil, 372 00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:11.960 a dedicated researcher based in the United Kingdom who has 373 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:15.839 taken a data driven approach to investigating the sasquatch phenomenon. 374 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:19.359 Neil's work is not based on a handful of anecdotal 375 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:24.319 reports or gut feelings. Instead, he has meticulously analyzed over 376 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:29.279 five thousand sasquatch reports from various regions, looking for patterns 377 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:33.559 that might provide clues about the creature's habits, movement, and behavior. 378 00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:38.119 His goal to determine whether there is a statistical foundation 379 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:42.160 for the sightings, something tangible that could help separate credible 380 00:25:42.160 --> 00:25:47.480 reports from misidentifications and hoaxes. During our conversation, Neil shared 381 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:50.640 some of the most fascinating trends and anomalies that emerged 382 00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:54.640 from his analysis. Some of these patterns confirmed long standing 383 00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:59.559 beliefs about sasquatch, while others challenged conventional wisdom, raising new 384 00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:03.559 questions about how and where these creatures might exist. What 385 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:06.599 Neil discovered might change the way we think about sasquatch 386 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:10.400 encounters and possibly even provide new leads in the search 387 00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:14.559 for definitive proof. Our conversation touched on everything from the 388 00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:18.519 classifications of sidings to the behaviors and conditions most often 389 00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:22.920 associated with encounters. Today, I'll be sharing highlights from that 390 00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:27.759 discussion and exploring how human perception, environmental factors, and even 391 00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:32.279 cultural phenomena shape the way we interpret these reports. One 392 00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:35.839 of the most intriguing aspects of the BFRO database is 393 00:26:35.880 --> 00:26:40.400 its classification system, which ranks sidings by their perceived credibility 394 00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:45.039 and detail Class A, Class B, and Class C. While 395 00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:48.839 these categories are invaluable for organizing the data, they also 396 00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:53.119 reveal interesting insights into how human perception and external factors 397 00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:57.400 influence what witnesses report. Class A sidings are those where 398 00:26:57.480 --> 00:27:01.680 witnesses report seeing bigfoot up close in detail and with 399 00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:06.000 minimal ambiguity. These are truly the gold standard and the 400 00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:11.720 most compelling cases, often including descriptions of the creature's size, color, movement, 401 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:16.559