They go by many different names, Sasquatch, Yeti, Timber Giants, Wild Man of the woods, Yowies, and as many as 100 others, yet their very existence (or not) has split scientific opinion on exactly what they are.
These mystery beings of the wild have been sighted worldwide in climates from the frozen plains to nearly tropical zones, but one element remains constant, they are rarely captured on camera, and the few existant images we do have, are inconclusive.
While photographic evidence for Sasquatch is difficult to find, evidence of their journeys are not.
Since the settling of the western United States and Canada, reports have been made of Sasquatch sightings, but more importantly, reports of footprints up to 12 inches long are common, indicating a height of eight feet or more, which has been confirmed by numerous descriptions by eyewitnesses. According to John Green, of British Columbia, even the David Thompson expedition reported a sighting in 1783 and in 1811, and aboriginal histories include stories of encounters.
Other witnesses have described the hair as ranging as grey, read, or brown and report smelling a “pungent” odour. Like wolves, Bigfoot encounters have been accompanied by a ‘howling' or ‘yelping'. They have been described as bipedal, and can move very quickly in wooded or wild areas.
According to Sasquatch authorities, there is scant ‘good' video evidence, but three stand out that can be seen at bigfootblogger.com. In February of 2011, a Bigfoot was captured by a family target shooting in the background running across a snowy area very clearly. Good video evidence was captured in Alberta of a bog foot standing up from a crouch, then, disappearing into the forest. The ‘best', as rated by bigfootblogger, was released in 2013 and taken in Blue Ridge, Georgia that shows a man chasing a Sasquatch entering a forest, being chased. Both audio and video are captured on video convincingly.
An early Bigfoot video taken in 1967 by Patterson/Gimlin drew attention to the phenomena and has become a ‘classic' in investigative sources. The image of Bigfoot was used in the 1970's Six Million Dollar Man Bigfoot episode. This early film shows a tall, muscular, bipedal creature crossing a piece of land and going into the forest. It has been examined frame-by-frame, bunked and debunked, but still remains a cornerstone for Squatchers.
Bigfoot/Sasquatch groups exist worldwide, with the British Columbia group being very active and academic in their approach. An Alberta group (www.albertasasquatch.com) lists sightings and offers the option to report them. Most experiences go un-reported, and even among serious researchers, there are great differences of opinion.
Prevailing theories revolve around a missing species of man such as Neanderthals, which have not evolved as Homo sapiens have, while others suggest an ape species. Whatever they are, they are being seen and heard often around the world and taken seriously.
Information on Bigfoot research can be found at Bigfootblogger.com or www.sasquatchcanada.com
For any of you who have seen a Yeti, heard a yeti, smelt a yeti in your vicinity while camping or hiking, the big question might be: What did I really see? Will anyone believe me? Why didn't I take a picture?
You are not alone, but you can share your experiences with us by sending your encounters or photos to [email protected] . The world is full of unexplained mysteries.
