Beyond the Beast: Unraveling the Paranormal, Interdimensional Nature of Bigfoot
Intro
For decades, Bigfoot has been regarded as an elusive, undiscovered primate. Yet a growing body of evidence suggests that this creature may not be merely a physical animal—but rather a paranormal, interdimensional entity. In our previous article, Bigfoot: Alien Entity or Paranormal (http://undebunkingbigfoot.blogspot.com/2024/09/bigfoot-alien-entity-or-paranormal.html), we touched briefly on these ideas. Key points from that piece include:
Bigfoot exhibits phenomena that defy conventional biology.
Encounters often include unexplained disappearances and other high-strangeness.
A growing link between Bigfoot sightings, UFO encounters, and paranormal activity challenges our traditional understanding of nature.
This expanded article weaves together multiple threads of evidence—from glowing orbs and disappearing footprints to telepathic communications and unexplained cloaking—to propose that Bigfoot may exist on a spectrum that defies simple categorization. Whether as a creature that manipulates energy fields, communicates on a psychic level, or even traverses dimensions, Bigfoot challenges our very understanding of life and reality.
1. Witness Accounts and Expert Interviews
Multiple experts and eyewitnesses have provided compelling testimony suggesting that Bigfoot transcends a simple biological explanation. For example, in a podcast with the UnDebunking Bigfoot blog with Stan Gordon, the conversation explored recent Bigfoot and UFO sightings in Pennsylvania that hint at a connection with interdimensional phenomena. Link: http://undebunkingbigfoot.blogspot.com/2018/11/truth-tellers-radio-episode-20-jm.html
Case Highlight: A lesser-known account from a northern California hiker described a brief encounter in which the creature was observed for only a few seconds before vanishing into dense fog. The witness later reported feeling an unexplained calm and even a mental “imprint”—a detail that hints at more than just physical presence.
Additionally, the Mysterious Universe podcast recounts a case where a witness observed Bigfoot suddenly disappearing mid-sighting, which then led to reports of telepathic impressions. Link: https://youtu.be/vscWNG6fl_Y?si=V8za1zspl_UAhmi1
2. Orb Phenomena Surrounding Bigfoot
One striking aspect of Bigfoot encounters is the recurring appearance of glowing orbs. Witnesses often describe these orbs—typically orange or ethereal in appearance—as hovering around or even seemingly emanating from the creature. In one compelling thermal video by Expedition Bigfoot, a figure thought to be Bigfoot was captured with glowing orbs around its head, suggesting energy manipulation or a different frequency of existence. Link: https://dealpricetravel.com/2023/06/13/possible-bigfoot-heat-signature-surrounded-by-glowing-orbs-expedition-bigfoot-travel-channel/
This evidence is especially impressive considering that one of the investigators on the team is Mireya Mayor. She couldn't be more qualified to study a purely physical creature, as she is an anthropologist and primatologist. Her being brace enough to report such unexpected evidence adds a substantial amount of credibility to that evidence.
Case Highlight: In one documented case, multiple witnesses in the Pacific Northwest reported that as they observed what they believed was Bigfoot, bright, pulsating orbs appeared around the creature’s silhouette before fading into the forest—a phenomenon that has now been cited in several independent reports.
There are numerous reports suggesting that Bigfoot can “cloak”—vanish from view—and even survive physical confrontations. For instance, one source references an account where Bigfoot was reportedly shot at and then inexplicably disappeared without a trace. Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2301379/
Case Highlight: One case from a remote Appalachian region detailed that after local hunters fired in the direction of a Bigfoot sighting, eyewitnesses saw the creature dissolve into a ripple of light—a vivid demonstration of what some describe as “cloaking” in action.
4. UFO Connections with Bigfoot
A growing body of evidence hints at a mysterious link between UFO sightings and Bigfoot encounters. Several sources report that regions with frequent UFO activity also tend to be hotspots for Bigfoot sightings, suggesting both may share an interdimensional origin. For instance, an interview on SOTT.net discusses Bigfoot’s connection to UFO phenomena. Link: https://www.sott.net/article/244944-Bigfoot-and-UFOs-The-connection-Interview-with-Stan-Gordon
Case Highlight: A documented case from rural Nevada involved a series of simultaneous UFO sightings and Bigfoot footprints. Witnesses reported that moments after observing bright, hovering lights in the sky, they discovered large tracks nearby—an occurrence that many believe underscores a shared, interdimensional mechanism.
5. Telepathy and Non-Physical Communication
Beyond physical sightings, numerous eyewitnesses detail a more elusive form of communication—telepathy. Many claim that during encounters with Bigfoot, they received mental impressions or emotions that seemed to bypass ordinary sensory channels. One source introduces the concept of “telepathic Bigfoot” by recounting how a witness felt as though the creature was communicating directly with his mind. Link: http://bigfootevidence.blogspot.com/2012/05/getting-started-with-telepathic-bigfoot.html
Case Highlight: One intriguing account from the Pacific Northwest described a woman who, after a brief encounter with Bigfoot, reported receiving a sudden flood of images and emotions—almost as if the creature had “downloaded” its memories into her mind. This experience has been referenced in several telepathy discussions, adding weight to the hypothesis of psychic communication.
6. Disappearing Trackways and Mysterious Footprints
An enduring mystery in Bigfoot research is the phenomenon of disappearing trackways. Investigators have reported cases where footprints found in snow or mud appear suddenly and then vanish without a trace of lateral movement. One report from Squatchable detailed a trail of footprints in a snowy Maine forest that abruptly ended, prompting speculation that the creature may have “phased” out of our dimension. Link: https://squatchable.com/article.asp?id=15524
Case Highlight: In one instance from the Rocky Mountains, a researcher found a near-continuous trackway that ended abruptly on a flat patch of snow. Despite thorough investigations, there was no sign of an escape route or any disturbance—only a sudden, unexplainable disappearance, fueling theories of dimensional travel.
7. Chewbacca as a Conceptual Bridge
For many, the idea of an interdimensional, intelligent creature can be difficult to conceptualize. To bridge this gap, consider the iconic character Chewbacca from Star Wars. Chewbacca is not only physically imposing but also demonstrates loyalty, intelligence, and personality—qualities that defy simple animal behavior. This playful comparison offers a relatable way to envision Bigfoot as more than just a wild animal, suggesting that intelligence may manifest in forms that are both physical and paranormal. Link: https://cryptomundo.com/cryptozoo-news/wookiees-bf/
8. Documentary Reference
For a visual and narrative exploration of these themes, we invite you to watch the documentary Bigfoot: A Glimpse of Beauty which delves into many of the paranormal subjects discussed here—from orb phenomena and telepathy to cloaking behavior and UFO connections. The documentary presents compelling footage and interviews, offering further insight into Bigfoot’s mysterious, multi-dimensional nature. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/tIcse6kazn8?si=a8xyVqrg5EFi4dTv
Watch "A Flash of Beauty 2: Paranormal Bigfoot" on YouTube
9. Final Thoughts: Beyond Biology – The Conspiracy of the Unseen
The collective evidence—from eerie orbs and unexplained trackways to telepathic impressions and the creature’s uncanny ability to vanish or resist injury—challenges the notion that Bigfoot is merely an undiscovered primate. That's not to say Bigfoot has no physical form, but its abilities—such as disappearing mid-encounter or seemingly avoiding injury—indicate an interdimensional or paranormal aspect.
Finally, if reports such as the ones below are true, one should ask themselves why a simply biological creature would involve a cover-up...
'Bigfoot shot dead but body disappears': Conspiracy theorists claim cops covered up proof of yeti in Pennsylvania - World News - Mirror Online
"Bigfoot? I don't know how much truth there is to this. I heard that when Mt. St. Helens blew they found several Bigfoots which were removed by the military."
Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot, is one of North America's most enduring legends. For decades, countless individuals have reported encounters with this elusive creature, often describing it as a large, ape-like being covered in hair, roaming the dense forests and remote wilderness. While most sightings describe the creature’s physical appearance and tracks, one peculiar behavior stands out in many reports: the alleged throwing of rocks at people. This article explores this curious phenomenon and highlights ten notable accounts, including reports from soldiers during the Vietnam War involving similar creatures known as "rock apes."
The Phenomenon of Rock-Throwing
Reports of Sasquatch hurling rocks at humans have been documented across North America, from the Pacific Northwest to the remote woods of the Appalachian Mountains. Rock-throwing is considered by some to be a form of communication or warning from the creature, perhaps a way to intimidate or drive away perceived intruders. In many cases, the rocks are thrown with remarkable accuracy, often landing near, but not directly striking, the individuals involved.
This behavior is not exclusive to Sasquatch. Similar accounts have been reported in other parts of the world involving creatures like the Yowie in Australia and the Yeti in the Himalayas. However, the phenomenon in North America has garnered significant attention due to the sheer number of reports and the credibility of some witnesses.
Famous Accounts of Rock-Throwing
1. The Ape Canyon Incident (1924)
- One of the most famous early accounts of rock-throwing occurred near Mount St. Helens in Washington state. A group of miners claimed they were attacked by multiple Sasquatch-like creatures that bombarded their cabin with rocks throughout the night. The miners described the creatures as large and hairy, and the incident became widely known as the "Ape Canyon" encounter.
2. The Ruby Creek Incident (1941)
- Near Ruby Creek, British Columbia, a family reported seeing a large Sasquatch approach their home. As they fled, they claimed the creature threw rocks at them, though no one was injured. The incident left a lasting impression on the local community, and the site has been the subject of much speculation ever since.
3. The Mount Rainier Expedition (1967)
- During an expedition on Mount Rainier, a group of climbers reported having rocks thrown at them from an unseen source. Despite searching the area, they could not identify the source of the projectiles, leading them to believe a Sasquatch was responsible.
4. The Marble Mountain Encounter (2000)
- While on a camping trip in Northern California, a youth group leader filmed what he believed to be a Sasquatch on a nearby ridge. Shortly after, the group reported that rocks were being thrown towards their campsite. The footage remains one of the more controversial pieces of evidence in the Sasquatch mystery.
5. The Battle of Ape Canyon (1970)
- Although less well-known than the 1924 incident, this later event involved a group of campers in the same area. They reported being harassed by rock-throwing throughout the night. Unlike the earlier event, no visual sightings of the creatures were reported, but the similarities in behavior were striking.
6. Vietnam War: The Rock Apes (1966)
- During the Vietnam War, American soldiers reported encounters with mysterious, bipedal creatures known as "rock apes" or "batutut" in the jungles of Vietnam. These creatures were described as small, hairy hominids and were known for throwing rocks at soldiers. Multiple accounts from different platoons corroborated these stories, though the creatures were never officially documented.
7. The Washington State Encounter (1988)
- A hiker near the Olympic Peninsula reported a close encounter with a Sasquatch. After seeing the creature, he attempted to take a photograph, at which point the Sasquatch allegedly began throwing rocks in his direction. The hiker escaped unharmed but was shaken by the experience.
8. The Ohio Grassman Incident (2002)
- In Ohio, a group of Bigfoot enthusiasts claimed to have been pelted with rocks during an overnight expedition in Salt Fork State Park. They described hearing loud grunts and movements in the nearby woods before the rock-throwing began. The incident added to the lore of the "Grassman," a local Sasquatch-like creature.
9. The Mogollon Monster Encounter (2009)
- In Arizona, campers near the Mogollon Rim reported being harassed by a creature throwing rocks at their campsite. The witnesses described hearing strange vocalizations before the rocks started to rain down, leading them to believe they had encountered the Mogollon Monster, a regional variant of Sasquatch.
10. The Blue Mountains Incident (2014)
- In the Blue Mountains of Oregon, a group of researchers from the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) experienced a barrage of rocks being thrown toward their camp. Despite extensive searching, they could not locate the source, though they found large footprints nearby. The incident was documented in one of the BFRO's reports, adding credibility to the claim.
Theories and Explanations
The phenomenon of rock-throwing by Sasquatch remains one of the more puzzling aspects of the legend. Some researchers speculate that the behavior may be a form of territorial defense, while others suggest it could be a way for the creature to communicate or assert dominance. Skeptics argue that such incidents could be the result of misidentifications, pranks, or natural causes like falling rocks or animal activity.
However, the consistency of reports across different regions and time periods adds a layer of intrigue to the mystery. Whether these accounts represent a real behavior of an undiscovered species or are simply part of folklore, they continue to captivate the imagination of those who study the Sasquatch phenomenon.
Conclusion
The stories of Sasquatch and its peculiar habit of throwing rocks at humans are a fascinating aspect of cryptid lore. While skeptics may dismiss these accounts as mere fiction or exaggeration, the persistence of such reports over decades and across various regions suggests that something unusual is at play. Whether Sasquatch is real or not, the phenomenon of rock-throwing remains one of the most compelling mysteries in the study of this elusive creature.
Cryptozoology Periodicals The following is a list of periodicals that contain cryptozoological matter. Cryptozoology. Published by the International Society of Cryptozoology(ISC), P.O. Box 43070, Tucson AZ, USA 85733. An annual journal of about 150 pages. Membership to the ISC (including Cryptozoology and the ISC Newsletter [see below]): $US 32. Excellent. ISC Newsletter. Included in membership with Cryptozoology. Quarterly. Filled with news items, conference reports, book reviews and more. Strange Magazine. P.O. Box 2246, Rockville, Maryland, USA 20847. Twice every year. Suscription: $US 17.95 for two years(4 issues). Has a regular cryptozoology column by Karl Shuker and occassional feature articles. Also, book reviews, and news. Web site Fortean Times. Dept. WWW PO Box 754 Manhasset, NY USA 11030-0754 Bi-Monthly(6 issues). Web site. British Columbia Cryptozoology Club. Edited by: John Kirk and Paul LeBlond. Membership includes four issues (one year) of the club's newsletter, a membership certificate and card, and a bookmark for $CAN 25 (for Canadian residents) or $US 25 (for countries outside Canada). Send your cheque or money order (payable to John Kirk) to: Suite 89-6141 Willingdon Ave., Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, V5H 2T9. Each newsletter is stapled with nice layout and design, and is about 12 pages. Web site! Animals and Men. Edited by Jonathan Downes. Subscription is 8 pounds in the UK, 14 pounds in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand (by air mail), and 15 pounds anywhere else (air mail). Quarterly. Send dues to: Animals and Men, 15 Holne Court, Exwick, Exeter, Devon, EX4 2NA, UK. Cryptozoology Books On the Track of Unknown Animals by Bernard Heuvelmans. Kegan Paul International Ltd., 1995. This is the bible of cryptozoology as it stands, and luckily it was reissued in 1995, after a out of print drought of about 25 years! Written by the "Father of Cryptozoology", Bernard Heuvelmans, it includes a lot of very good, interesting accounts and possible solutions for many mysterious animals. A must read for any self-respecting cryptozoologist. Because it is a reissue, and is published in the UK, it is rather expensive. You can order it, as well as a ton of other great cryptozoology books, from the Strange Book Shop for 44.50 US. In the Wake of the Sea-Serpents by Bernard Heuvelmans. Hill and Wang, 1968. This is a encyclopediacal volume, consisting of over 600 pages. It covers pretty much every sea serpent sighting from antiquity to the 1960's. It is excellent. Unforteanatly, it is out of print, but it can be gotten through mail-order out-of-print book searches. However, it is scheduled to be reissued like the On the Track of Unknown Animals book soon. A Living Dinosaur? by Roy P. Mackal. E J Brill, 1987. An excellent account of this biochemist's journey to the Congo in search of Mokele-Mbembe, a supposed living dinosaur. It's very good, with a lot of information, interesting travelogue and many photographs. Searching for Hidden Animals by Roy P. Mackal. Doubleday, 1980. A very interesting book, though not as exhaustive as B. Heuvelman's, On the Track of Unknown Animals. Contains chapters on living pterosaurs and dinosaurs, sea serpents, mystery animals of South America, lake monsters and more. Out of print. Unexplained! by Jerome Clark. Visible Ink Press, 1993. An encyclopedia of unexplained natural phenomena, including several entries relating to cryptozoology. Monsters of the Sea by Richard Ellis. Alfred Knopf, 1994. An excellent book surveying sea monsters around the world. Chapters include: Sea Serpents, Giant Squid, Giant Octopi, Sharks, Whales, Mermaids and sea-folk and more. Many illustrations and photos.Well worth the price, and one of the best cryptoz books to date. There are Giants in the Sea by Michael Bright. Robson Books, 1989. An interesting book of more recent sea serpent sightings. Chapters include: Giant Squid/Kraken, Giant Octopi and sea serpent carcasses, what sea serpents are and more. Could be out-of-print. Drums Along the Congo by Rory Nugent. Houghton Mifflin, 1993. A very well written travelogue of this man's search for Mokele-Mbembe, using traditional African ways to find the beast rather than technology. Some interesting photos, including two of two mysterious things. Sasquatch: The Apes Among Us by John Green. Hancock House. 1978. A very exhaustive but interesting look at Sasquatch and other ape-men in North America. One chapter on other ape-men around the world. Big Footprints by Grover Krantz. Johnson Printing Co. 1992. A more scientific look at Sasquatch. Chapters include analyses of the footprints, the Patterson Film, other ape-men, ecology, what it is etc. Good for the educated lay-person. The Lost Ark by Karl Shuker. Harper Collins, 1993. An excellent survey of every new or redicovered animal in the 20th Century. Lots of very rare and nice photos and it is well written. Chapters seperated into Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians, Birds, Invertebrates, Fishes and The Future. Mystery Cats of the World by Karl Shuker. The first comprehensive book devoted to mystery cats of the world. Includes: Kellas Cat, Surrey pumas and Exmoor beasts, Scitimar Cats, Onzas, multicolored tigers and many more. Extraordinary Animals Worldwide by Karl Shuker. A book filled with illustrations old and new. This book covers the world's most starnge and unusual animals. Included; Mono Grande, Blue Rhinos, Gulper Eels and more. Mysterious America by Loren Coleman. This good book includes chapters on North American lions, apes and other cryptozoological animals, among other mysterious topics. Ogopogo by Arlene Gaal. This book contains many sightings and other evidence sugesting that a lake monster does inhabit Lake Okanagan. Includes a chronology of Ogopogo sightings. Curious Encounters by Loren Coleman. Contains chapters on sea serpents, giant squid and living pterosaurs, among other mysterious topics. Tom Slick and the Search for the Yeti by Loren Coleman. This book looks at the now decesed Texas oil-man, Tom Slick, and his cryptozoology expeditions. Biological Anomalies: Humans Part 3 by William Corliss. A collection of research, articles and news clippings relevant to the ape-men of the world: Bigfoot/Sasquatch, Yeti, Almas and many others. Very Good. Bigfoot Digest by Mark Opsasnick. A chronological listing of over 400 Maryland Bigfoot and monster sightings and references. Sasquatch-Bigfoot by Don Hunter with Rene Dahinden. The chronicles of Dahindens 40 year search for the Sasquatch/Bigfoot. From Dahinden's prespective he talks of the Patterson film, history of the Sasquatch, scientist's opinions and more. Good Photos. More than Myth by Michael Bradley. This Toronto man's search for the monster of Muskrat Lake, Northwest of Ottawa. The book contains sightings, expedition details, and clues to what "Mussie" could be. Interesting photos. Champ: Beyond the Legend by Joseph Zarzynski. This book looks at the monster of Lake Champlain. Very good. Includes a chronological table of all sightings of the beast. Good photos and illustrations. The Kingdom of the Octopus by Frank Lane. A fascinating look at the life of the octopus and squid that inhabit are oceans. Cryptozoological chapters include one on giant squid. Very interesting, but out of date. Out of the Shadows - Mystery Animals of Australia. By Tony Healy and paul Cropper. An interesting book on the mystery animals of Oz. Includes chapters on the Thylacine, the Bunyip, the Bigfoot-like Yowie, the Queensland marsupial Tiger, and alien big cats. Full of unique and previously unpublished accounts and sightings etc. In Search of Prehistoric Survivors. By Karl Shuker. Another excellent book fro Karl Shuker, the premier cryptozoologist in the worldat the moment. This book covers many cryptids which could be living representatives of prehistoric animals. Some topics include: giant birds in Pennsylvania, Mokele-Mbembe, the lake monster Migo, and many others. A must read for any serious cryptozoologist, and one of the best books ever written on the subject. Rumors of Existence. By Matt Bille. An excellent book which retells the stories of many new and rediscovered animals since the 1930's, with much new information that was not in Shuker's The Lost Ark (above). The book also contains a section on mystery animals, which is especially interesting, and everything is written in a very good, interesting, manner.
It's unbelievable, I've earned a degree in Teacher Education from Pseudo-Skeptic University! I used their curriculum against them to better my debunking of the debunkers skills. Thanks guys! :)
Anna
Nekaris is a world-renowned Professor in Primate Conservation at Oxford
Brookes University, specialising in lorises, nocturnal mammals, Asian
primates and even cryptohominoids."
Prof Anna Nekaris is a Professor in Anthropology and Primate
Conservation studying the unique group of evolutionary distinct primates
known as the Asian lorises. Her studies cover all ten species,
including five she named or elevated from subspecies. Anna is the
Course Tutor for the highly acclaimed MSc in Primate Conservation at Oxford Brookes University, Director of the Little Fireface Project and Convenor of the Nocturnal Primate Research Group. She completed her BA in Anthropology at the University of Missouri Columbia,USA in 1993, followed by a Certificat d’Universite de Primatologie from the Universite de Louis Pasteur Strasbourg France in 1994 and her PhD in Anthropology at Washington University St Louis, USA in 2000.
The universe is full of mysteries that challenge our current knowledge. In "Beyond Science" Epoch Times collects stories about these strange phenomena to stimulate the imagination and open up previously undreamed of possibilities. Are they true? You decide.
Bigfoot research is often the domain of amateur enthusiasts. But some highly educated scientists in relevant fields, such as primatology and anthropology, have expressed beliefs that Bigfoot exists or at least that he may exist and that this possibility should be taken seriously.
One such scientist, the late Dr. Grover S. Krantz, has been quoted by Bigfoot bloggers as saying: “Many major scientific breakthroughs are made by amateurs or by those who are only marginally involved in the fields in question.”
We will, however, take a brief look at some of the experts who have investigated Bigfoot. This is not a comprehensive review of their work or the evidence they feel supports Bigfoot claims, but simply an overview of some fascinating scientists who have often endured scorn from their colleagues but held fast to a belief that Bigfoot should be seriously studied.
Dr. Grover S. Krantz
Dr. Grover S. Krantz was born in 1931 in Salt Lake City. He obtained an M.A. in anthropology from the University of California–Berkely and his doctorate from the University of Minnesota. He was a beloved professor at Washington State University (WSU) for some 30 years until his retirement in 1998.
An obituary for Dr. Krantz in the WSU magazine praises his more conventional contributions to anthropology, but also mentions: “Despite widespread criticism and damage to his professional reputation, Grover stood by the scientific evidence he gathered and the methods he used to support the existence of Sasquatch (Bigfoot). He even traveled to Russia and China to investigate similar stories of a very large bipedal ape.”
Dr. Jane Goodall
Arguably the world’s most famous primatologist, Jane Goodall has expressed her belief in Bigfoot. She is widely recognized for her groundbreaking discoveries related to the behavior of chimpanzees. She initially faced hostilities from established scientists even regarding her chimpanzee research, which has now been embraced by the scientific community at large.
British anthropologist and primatologist Jane Goodall takes the hand of a Spider Monkey during her visit to the Rehabilitation Center and Primate Rescue, in Peñaflor, Chile, on Nov. 23, 2013. (Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images)
Regarding Bigfoot, “I’ve talked to so many native Americans who all describe the same sounds, two who have seen them,” she said during an interview with National Public Radio’s Ira Flatow on Friday, Sept. 27, 2002. With a keen interest in the topic, she has read much about it. Goodall said the accounts from all over the world of similar such creatures lead her to believe that Bigfoot’s possible existence should be taken seriously.
She admitted in 2012 to the Huffington Post that no “smoking gun” has been found—no indisputable Bigfoot body—but, “I’m not going to flat-out deny its existence.”
“I’m fascinated and would actually love them to exist.”
Dr. Samuel Sentell
Dr. Samuel Sentell has a private practice in neuropsychology in Louisiana. He holds Ph.D. degrees in medical science and psychology from Vanderbilt University. He is interested in studying Bigfoot from both a biological and a psychological perspective.
He wrote in a post on the Society for Scientific Exploration website in 2012: “Bigfoot/Sasquatch continues to be an area of great interest in our culture while science steadfastly resists examination of the anecdotal data in any comprehensive way. … Bigfoot phenomena are sometimes hoaxed but hoaxing can be studied within social psychology. Nevertheless, Bigfoot phenomena are not all hoaxes. Bigfoot is also an archetype of the human collective unconscious and can be studied within psychoanalytic, neuroethological and phenomenological disciplines.”
“Bigfoot is also an archetype of the human collective unconscious.”
— Dr. Samuel Sentell
Dr. Sentell said he has personally “found anomalous scat and hair as well as other anecdotal evidence supporting the possibility of Sasquatch.”
Dr. John Bindernagel
John Bindernagel, B.S.A., M.S., Ph.D., is a Canadian wildlife biologist. He has posted a photo of himself with Jane Goodall alongside his autobiographical snippet on his website. Goodall is holding up the cast of an alleged Bigfoot print Dr. Bindernagel said he found in British Columbia, Canada, where he began conducting field research in 1975.
“[I] am much more concerned with addressing ecological questions such as how it overwinters in the colder regions of North America, than with dwelling on the controversy of whether it does or does not exist.”
— Dr. John Bindernagel
He wrote on his website: “Wildlife biologists such as myself regularly depend on tracks and other wildlife sign as evidence for the presence of bears, deer, wolves, and other mammals, recognizing that tracks constitute a more reliable and persistent record of the presence of a mammal species in an area than a fleeting glimpse of the animal itself. I am satisfied that the Sasquatch is an extant (or ‘real’) animal, subject to study and examination like any other large mammal, and am much more concerned with addressing ecological questions such as how it overwinters in the colder regions of North America, than with dwelling on the controversy of whether it does or does not exist.”
Dr. Esteban Sarmiento
Esteban Sarmiento, Ph.D., is a biologist and primatologist who has worked as a functional anatomist at the American Museum of Natural History. While he does not claim that Bigfoot exists, he admits the possibility that it does and encourages careful scrutiny of evidence.
He attended the annual Texas Bigfoot Conference in 2009 and commented on a purported video clip of a Bigfoot in northern California—the so-called “Patterson-Gimlin film” shot in 1967. He said, according to BigfootEncounters.com: “If it’s real, this animal is exceedingly human-like.” He said the “Bigfoot” movements shown in the film do not resemble those of great apes.
Dr. LeRoy Fish
Dr. LeRoy Fish (1943–2002) received his doctorate in zoology and ecology from Washington State University. As a retired wildlife ecologist, he dedicated much effort as a consultant to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization.
An earlier version of this article stated that Dr. Jane Goodall had no formal training. She had no formal training when she began her chimpanzee studies. She later received a Ph.D. from Cambridge University. Epoch Times regrets the error.
Bob Heironimus claims to have been the Bigfoot depicted in the Patterson-Gimlin film
The Patterson-Gimlin films authenticityis supported by a full Professor of anatomy and anthropology and expert on foot morphology
along with locomotion in primates, Dr. Jeff Meldrum. In this videohe takes on debunking
arguments and explains why the 10 footprint casts collected at the
site solidifies the case that the figure in the video is a real
Bigfoot.
How to tell a Bigfoot from a man in a monkey-suit, finally! (No, I'm not kidding)
***I
misspoke when I said "look how long Patty's arm is compared to Bob's."
It's not longer, it's just that her shoulder placement is SO MUCH lower
than ours, it makes her arms look longer. That and her catcher's
mitt-sized hands. So the fact that her arms (scaled down to our size)
are the same length as ours makes arm extensions even more ridiculous.
Also;
some believe that the suit is worn lower to make the legs look shorter.
Which is also ridiculous! That would throw her "thigh-to-shin" ratio
off, making her thigh look way too short compared to her shin. Give up -
ratios win :)
Bottom line: suits can ADD bulk or length, but
they can't subtract. And looking at Patty, scaled down to Bob's size,
her shoulders appear to be much, much lower on her frame than his. Suits
can't do that.
Here we explore the difference between our walk and whomever or whatever it was walking in the Patterson Bigfoot Film.
Further analysis from ThinkerThunker showing that Heironimus's shoulders, elbows, and knees do not match the Patterson footage: You think Bigfoot is a hoax? Explain this
Meldrum talks about the embedded video above and addresses Bob Heironimus.
Was the Patterson-Gimlin film ever proven to be a hoax?
2010 National Geographic documentary
"American Paranormal: Bigfoot." You must see the program on large
screen television to appreciate certain details of the analysis and
anatomy, but for those of you outside the U.S. and Canada, there is a
low-res YouTube version available. Click the icon above.
Check the homepage for this series for the next scheduled broadcast ... on the newly redeemed National Geographic Channel. Do tell your friends to tune in.
As one BF blogger already said, this documentary really "hits it out of the park!"
The short answer: No.
But what about the rumors? What about the rumor that one of the people
who helped obtain the footage "confessed" to wearing the costume?
There are, in fact, several different stories involving different
people who claimed (or were suspected) to be the man in the costume ...
Logically, if the stories involve different culprits ... then most of those stories must be completely bogus ... because not everybody who made the claim of being the guy in the costume ... was the guy in the costume ...
Some of those bogus stories have been commercially exploited in books
and TV documentaries. That his how most people have "heard" that the
Patterson footage was "proven to be a hoax".
On this page you will find links to youtubery of the most influential
documentaries, and some relevant background informaton most influential
rumor of all -- the Hieronimous "confession".
Thankfully, in January 2010 new information was presented on television which graphicly demonstrates that all of those costume stories were falsified.
A new documentary on the National
Geographic Channel titled "American
Paranormal: Bigfoot" presented some compelling math and anatomy to show it's not a costume at all.
That's not a bad thing. The three different examinations all mutually
corroborate each other in various ways. The mathematical data of the
latest examination gives a more precise measurement of the Patterson
creature's height:
Seven (7) foot, six and a half (6 1/2) inches tall
The math is there to be re-examined, anytime.
There wasn't sufficient time in the documentary to examine any of the
pervasive hoax rumors still floating around, but that can be done here.
All the Costume Confessions, Now Obsolete
Between the beginning of 1996 and the end of 1999, a new crop of PGF debunking rumors
blossomed, as large segments of the North American population were
connecting to the Internet for the first time. Some of those claims were
promoted by clever opportunists. A handful of these rumors received
regional press attention. A few received national press attention.
The stories did not corroborate each other. They were all contradictory in their
details, but they all claimed to debunk the Patterson footage. After a while it became increasingly
ludicrous to hear more stories claiming to be the "final resolution of the
mystery."
Ironically, the most influential rumor floating around today is the
one inadvertently promoted by the National Geographic Channel a few
years back, in 2005 ... The series title was "Is it Real?". The episode
title was "Bigfoot." Youtubery of this old episode can be accessed
below.
The episode featured a new liar "confessing" to be "the man in the
costume." His name is Bob Hieronimous. Millions of people apparently saw
that episode, or heard about it from others, because people often bring
it up with us. His "confession" has even found its way into foreign
publications describing nature mysteries around the world.
At least this confessor lived in Yakima (where Patterson
was from). Hieronimous claims he was friends with Roger Patterson, and
accompanied Patterson and Gimlin to Nor Cal with his costume.
Patterson's widow says he's lying. Bob Gimlin says he's lying. No one
can corroborate Hieronimous' claim that he accompanied Patterson and
Gimlin. Various living witnesses near Bluff Creek say Patterson and
Gimlin were not accompanied by anyone. No one ever saw Hieronimous with
those two. Hieronimous doesn't know where they went exactly, or which
route they too ... Indeed, there is every reason to believe Hieronimous
is trying to attach himself to the Patterson story with his own fiction.
Roger Patterson apparently knew Bob
Hieronimous before he obtained the footage in 1967. Patterson had
been wanting to film a low budget documentary about the subject. He
organzied some people in Yakima for some stock scenes on horseback for
his film. Bob Hieronimous was apparently one of those people, but that
appears to be the extend of his assocation with Roger.
***
In the nine years between the widely publicized Jerry Crew tracks
in October, 1958, and the Patterson-Gimlin footage in October, 1967,
several people in the Northwest had the idea of making a documentary
about the bigfoot mystery, but only a few actually made progress in that
direction. Patterson was, apparently, the only one among them who was
willing and capable of leading extended horsepacking trips in the
mountains where tracks were being found most often -- down around Bluff
Creek, California.
Hieronimous may have looked for a different way to obtain footage -- a much easier way, closer to home.
Hieronimous was aware of the widespread interest in the topic. Based
on his own statements, it is obvious that he only looked upon the
mystery as a opportunity for cashing in somehow. He may have acquired
his own cheap gorilla costume before 1967 in preparation for hoaxing his
own footage.
There are statements from people around Yakima who recall Hieronimous
having some kind of furry costume in his trunk during that period, and
remember his claims that he would try to fool some people with it. So
there may have been a costume in his possession in the mid-1960's, but
he didn't hang on to it, nor did anyone take a photo of him wearing it.
***
Hieronimous is, in fact, one of Bob Gimlin's neighbors, but Gimlin had little social contact with him over the years.
Gimlin has boarded and trained horses for decades. It was not uncommon
to for him to board horses of neighbors. During the late 1960's one of
the horses he boarded was owned by Hieronimous. It was, in fact,
Hieronimous' horse that Bob brought down to Bluff Creek in 1967.
If Hieronimous had felt left out of Patterson's project by 1967, it
would have added insult to injury to learn that his own horse was
used by Gimlin on the horse trip that made them both famous.
***
Born in Missouri in 1931 and relocated to Yakima at a young age, Bob Gimlin is a tough but intriguing character. Part Chirokowa Apache,
and a former Navy boxing champion, and a former rodeo contender, he is
adored by the nearby Yakama Indian tribe, having trained many of their
mountain horses.
After remaining silent about the PGF for nearly 30 years
(to protect his wife's job as a bank officer), Bob Gimlin
finally attended his first bigfoot conference in Willow Creek, California
2003.
Now he periodically speaks at bigfoot conferences across the country. His name sells out auditoriums. People come from far and wide to meet him and ask him personally about the incident at Bluff Creek that day in 1967.
Old-timers around Yakima delicately hint at the contrasts between these two
Bobs.
One of the people who helped shape the Hieronimous story for the press
is a
notorious publicity scam-artist named Kal Korff -- a man described
by national radio talk show host Art Bell as "the most brazen media
deceiver in the country". He is more well known among UFO research
circles, and JFK Assassination Conspiracy circles.
Korff is a curious species of self-promoter. Watch
the video above to ascertain Korff's credibility. He has a delusional pathology similar
to the late Erik Beckjord, combined with the publicity seeking compulsions
of Biscardi.
Bob Gimlin (right) is an authentic horse-whisperer, straight out of an old
Disney film. He was a champion in his day (champion boxer, rodeo contender,
etc.). He worked in a variety of jobs and eventually became a full-time horse
trainer, his true passion in life.
The reason Gimlin was involved with the Patterson footage to begin
with was because of his reputation as a talented horseman. Patterson
needed the toughest, most dependable horseman he could find for that
1967 trip in the mountains of Nor Cal. Everyone knew Gimlin was the
best of the best in the region when it came to the sort of venture
Patterson was proposing.
Yakima folks say Bob Hieronimous, by contrast, was always an under-achiever,
since he was young. His bare-minimum work ethic won him no admirers in the community.
He didn't have many friends, compared to Gimlin. Gimlin had a rather large circle
of friends in the Yakima Valley.
Hieronimous lives right down the street from Bob and Judy Gimlin.
Compared to
the Hieronimous property, the Gimlins seem to have done nicely for themselves.
The Gimlins' home has always been well maintained, and nicely painted, and the
landscaping nicely manicured. The Gimlins always had nicer, newer vehicles in
their driveway too. The Hieronimous family could never keep up with those
Joneses.
It was a formula for envy in a small western town.
Hieronimous had been telling people in Yakima bars for years that he
would someday find a way to make money off the Patterson footage, like
his famous neighbor did.
But Gimlin never made any money off the PGF, though many people around Yakima assumed he did.
When Hieronimous was asked, during an in-depth, on-camera interview why
he was coming forward 40 years after the fact ... his reply confused the
interviewer a bit. Hieronimous said, "All these people have been making
money off that footage for years. It's my turn now." See that interview
below.
He was referring to all the other people who had claimed to be involved with
the footage, who Hieronimous assumed made money from their claims. It was time
for him to get a piece of that action.
***
Gimlin's life story is an inspiring one. It was a progression of
achievements, then harsh setbacks, and then even bigger achievements.
He began working in Washington's apple orchards at age 10, and worked continuously
throughout World War II. When he was old enough, he joined the Navy and eventually
became a champion Navy boxer. His Navy boxing career was cut short by an auto
accident. The accident left him severely injured and hospitalized for more than
a year.
As soon as he could walk again, Gimlin went back to work, doing everything
from construction to demolition, to horse training, to rodeo riding, usually
holding two jobs and working late hours. He did this until he could train horses
full-time.
Today, in his 70's, Gimlin still works part-time as a horse trainer.
He breaks and trains a particular breed of horse: the sure-footed,
quiet-stepping Rocky Mountain horse. Its the ideal form of transportation for sneaking up on skittish wild animals.
Gimlin's wife, Judy, also worked diligently for decades. She began as a
bank teller at the oldest savings and loan in Yakima. She eventually
advanced to the rank of corporate officer for that savings
and loan chain. She retired a few years ago, after 40 years with the same employer.
At one point during their younger years, Gimlin and Hieronimous were both hired
by the same large industrial employer in Yakima, along with many other men in
Yakima. In time, Bob Gimlin became a valuable employee for the company. Whereas,
Bob Hieronimous showed little motivation and opted to perform light janitorial
work around the facility. He swept up a bit, and changed a sprinkler head every
so often, and spent a lot of time in the coffee room ... His supervisors eventually
transferred him to a different facility. There he was kept busy stacking empty
palettes and making deliveries of sodas.
From Hieronimous' own statements, one can sense his envy of Gimlin's
prosperity, and his feeling of being cheated out of that same level of
prosperity.
Hieronimous wanted to believe (and wanted his wife to believe) that
Gimlin's success was the product of a dishonest scheme ... rather than
the product of a better work ethic ...
Roger Patterson holding casts at Bluff Creek
following the incident. Patterson and Gimlin were both quintessentially
western characters, in a quintessentially western moment -- two tough, brave
entrepreneurs on horseback, each with his own special talents and skills,
including rodeo riding. They had all the right stuff at that moment in 1967,
to film a fleeting encounter with an ancient legend.
Believing and preaching that Gimlin's prosperity derived from a hoax,
kinda sorta justified Hieronimous' own hoax, and also rationalized his
own lack of success in life.
For many years Hieronimus grumbled to folks in Yakima bars that his neighbor's good fortune did not come from
honest work, but rather from the proceeds of the Patterson footage.
The primary writer of the book promoting the new "confession", is a man named Greg Long.
Greg Long came to this book project with a definite agenda for
casting doubt and aspersions on the Patterson creature. His path to
undermining the creature was to characterize the filmographer as a petty
crook.
Now people around Yakima are talking about their dealings with him, and the stories they say he distorted
and stretched in his book.
The book was designed to attach itself to any future debate about
the subject-- a debate that has become a fixture in many writing &
journalism classes, at the high school level, and undergrad level.
In the video above, Kal Korff talks about his
involvement with Greg Long, Bob Hieronimous, and the making of "The
Making of Bigfoot."
Gimlin's association with the famous footage, and the common
assumption that it was a hoax,
became such an annoyance to him and his wife by the end of the 1970's
that he eventually refused to speak about the matter publicly, for
nearly three decades ... until he learned of his envious neighbor's
phony story about wearing the costume. That's when Gimlin finally broke
his long silence.
When Greg Long was assembling the book featuring Hieronimous'
confession, Gimlin was not yet talking. The parasitic trio (Long, Korff,
Hieronimous) assumed he never would talk to the press, because he had
avoided the press during the previous Patterson debunking scams.
It was bad gamble. Nowadays Gimlin attends bigfoot conferences ever so
often. He is not shy to discuss things, especially the lies of
Hieronimous, Korff and Long -- their lies about himself and about Roger
Patterson.
Hieronimous' late-blooming "confession" is debunkable in various ways
(listed further down in this article). Certain aspects are debunkable by author John Green.
Other aspects are debunkable by Bob Gimlin and/or Patricia Patterson
(Roger Patterson's widow). Both still live in different parts of Yakima,
and both are available to speak to qualified journalists about this
particular subject.
As it turns out, some of the Yakima residents who were quoted by Greg
Long in his book now say their stories and comments about Roger were
distorted in his book. They say Long seemed to be on a mission to make
Roger Patterson out to be a petty criminal.
Roger was an unsophisticated cowboy, but a highly motivated,
multi-skilled cowboy with big aspirations. Only a few years after
obtaining the footage he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He died in
1972, at the age of 46. Apparently (and not surprisingly) Roger
had not repaid all his personal debts, or completed all his planned
projects, or returned
all his borrowed items, before his cancer put him into the bed where
he eventually died.
People who die of cancer in their prime of life often leave behind a
lot of loose ends and debts. Does that make them petty criminals? Greg
Long would have you think so.
Greg Long told folks around Yakima that Roger Patterson made a heap of money
from the famous footage, and he (Greg Long) wanted to find anyone who was owed money by
Patterson ... or who would otherwise bear witness against him, as Long claimed
everybody in town was doing .... For example, Bob Hieronimous claims Roger owed
him $1,000 for wearing the costume in the footage ...
The Real Story Behind the Patterson Footage
The real story behind the Patterson-Gimlin footage is a remarkable
intersection of uniquely western talents, bravery and entrepreneurial motivation.
Had Gimlin not been a gifted handler of quiet-stepping Rocky Mountain
horses, and had Patterson not been a seasoned rodeo rider, with a strong
drive to make documentary about sasquatches ... the footage would
probably not exist.
When the two men came into view of the creature, Roger's normally
unspookable mountain horse reared up in panic and fell over on him.
Roger's leg was pinned to the ground. With a thrashing horse pinning him
to the ground, he pulled himself out from underneath it, and whipped
out a 16mm camera from a saddle bag, and then dashed toward the fleeing
figure, finally steadying his aim as it walked away.
It all happened faster than it takes to describe. You get a sense of how fast
it actually happened when you watch the unstabilized full version of the footage.
It was a violent burst of energy and motion, then a quickly steadied control
of his body and hands -- the characteristic maneuvers of a seasoned rodeo rider.
Patterson was not a hoaxer. Patterson was an authentic cowboy, on an
authentic cowboy mission. He accomplished that mission on the afternoon
of October 20, 1967... and then died from cancer a few years later
(probably due to his cowboy lifestyle ...).
Hieronimous Links Himself to the Footage
In 2005 a Seattle TV station produced an episode
for "Evening Magazine" which focused on the Hieronimous claims. This
program took a much more critical approach than the "Is it Real?"
segment with Hieronimous. They also included clips of Canadian author
John Green refuting the claims of Hieronimous.
See also: The article written by Canadian Bill Miller, mentioning other factors relevant to the credibility of Hieronimous' story, or lack thereof.
Even though the Hieronimous story is bogus, many people will claim
they "heard the Patterson footage was proven to be a hoax" for years to
come because of him and that 2005 Nat Geo documentary.
The 2005 documentary on the National Geographic Channel was titled "Bigfoot:
Is it Real?"
You can watch the entire documentary by clicking the vertical icon on the left.
The parasite trio (Long, Korff and Hieronimous) managed to use this
documentary to promote their deceptive book, "The Making of Bigfoot."
Before the book's release, Long and Korff warned and promised
(Biscardi-esque style) that the book would "blow the lid off the
subject".
Among other things, the trio hoped their book would enrage everyone in
the bigfoot research community, thereby baiting those folks to debate it
extensively online. All three of these guys delighted in that idea. It
gave them a feeling of power over bigfoot researchers.
Many people also heard a different man-in-the-costume "revelation" on
a 1998 TV documentary on the Fox Entertainment Channel. It was titled
"World's Greatest Hoaxes".
You can watch the entire "World's Greatest Hoaxes" documentary by clicking the vertical icon on the right.
The third widely broadcast program claiming to debunk the PGF was the
1999 BBC series "X Creatures". It was written by the young British
host/director, Chris Packham -- a clever chap who walked right into
America and solved the whole bigfoot mystery with a few phone calls from
his motel room, and a few handy, unsupported conclusions at the end
that he presented as reliable facts ...
See that documentary below, split into three parts. Packham's parting
statements/summation, toward the end of part three, is the most
ludicrous portion of the whole documentary.
The BBC's Shameful and Deceiving Television Documentary
By the BBC's standards, Packham's
narration and investigative style is amazingly self-serving, and
strangely self-contradictory.
Among Packham's tricks was his clever editing of the phone call with Bob Gimlin.
What you don't see or hear in the documentary: Packham
manipulatively goaded Gimlin on the
phone into making some type of equivocating statement about the
footage. Packham needed that type of statement from Gimlin. He needed
something he could deceptively twist as "confession"
by Gimlin that he's "not entirely sure" of what he saw that day.
Packham goaded that type of statement by asking Gimlin, in such a tone as to
gauge his reasonability ... if there could have been "any possibility
at all" that it was a hoax. To which Gimlin gave an answer demonstrating
that he wasn't too narrow-minded to consider the hoax possibility.
Gimlin says Packham edited the phone conversation so it sounded
like Packham merely asked Gimlin whether he "thinks it was a man rather
than an animal."
In that context Gimlin's response sounds much more equivocating
than it was intended to be. But Packham had what he needed -- a
statement that could be stretched to sound like doubts on the part of
Gimlin.
Not unlike Greg Long, Packham was on a predetermined mission to
cast doubt on Roger and the footage. He had promises to keep back home.
The Second Big Deception
The second deception was the costume. In this regard the
American version of this X-Creatures episode was quite different from
the version broadcast on British TV.
The American version (shown on the Discovery Channel) focused
attention on the Hollywood costume designer's attempt to build a
"matching" costume. The British version left this part out completely.
During the costume building sequence the designer hints at the
difficulty they had matching their costume to the figure in the footage.
Among other things, they could not match the fur with artificial fur,
and they could not recreate the large moving muscles in the Patterson
figure.
Nevertheless, Packham touted their creation as an "exact match"
of the Patterson creature, and even showed the "matching" costumes side
by side ..
The Third Big Deception
Packham's script in "X Creatures" goes immediately to work
deceiving the audience from the beginning. He explains that the subject
really began with the Patterson footage. "It all goes back to the
Patterson footage," he says.
One of the big markets for the program was relatively uninformed British
and European audiences -- audiences that wouldn't question the premise
that the Bigfoot legend arose from the Patterson footage.
The bigfoot legend pre-dates the Patterson footage by several decades, at least.
Who Has this Version?
If you, or someone you know, has a copy of Discovery Channel's version
of X-Creatures: Bigfoot. Please upload the whole thing to YouTube and
let us know. We'd like to link to it. Of particular importance, is the
portion where the costume designers are running into problems recreating
the Patterson "costume".
The Significance of the Patterson-Gimlin Footage for Bigfoot Research
Dr. Jeff Meldrum, Professor of Anthropology at Idaho State
University in Pocatella. The image above shows him giving an
authoritative lecture about the Patterson-Gimlin footage at a bigfoot
conference.
The PGF has tremendous significance for bigfoot research. To the
public it represents both the purported creature, and the controversy
over its reality. To most bigfoot researchers ("bigfooters"), the PGF is
what it appears to be -- a unique peek at a surviving giant ape
species, in North America.
For a few years now, they have wanted to put this latest false confession to
rest, because of how it affects attitudes toward the subject and public perceptions
about all other bigfoot-related evidence.
If the Patterson footage is fake ... then how can anyone have confidence in any other bigfoot footage?
But that's exactly what PGF parasites take advantage of. They know that
many people are so emotionally invested in the PGF images, they'll
actually spend money on a book promising to reveal the truth about the
footage, even if the book is a hoax itself.
Let there be no confusion about it: The PGF shows a real giant
ape-woman in the wild. You can emotionally invest in those images,
safely, without worrying about feeling betrayed later on. There will
surely be more bogus allegations about the PGF down the line, but
nothing more than allegations. New confessors coming forward in the
future will need to have increasingly bizarre stories to explain why so
many years passed before they revealed their secret ...
It may be impossible to scientifically prove that a given clip of bigfoot footage is authentic (without physical remains to authenticate it), but it is not impossible to disprove a fraudulent debunking like the Hieronimous "confession".
Background on the events of 1967
In the summer of 1967 Gimlin was asked to accompany his friend and
fellow rodeo rider Roger Patterson on a horsepacking trip to Northern
California.
Patterson wanted to obtain footage of a sasquatch for his own
documentary about the subject. Gimlin was regarded as the best horseman
in the Yakima region -- the obvious
choice for a partner on a long horsepacking trip.
As we all know, Patterson obtained some footage on that trip, but Gimlin never
earned anything from it. After Roger died, Gimlin assumed he had no legal claim
to any proceeds from the footage. He eventually signed a document transferring
any *potential rights* in the footage to Canadian sasquatch researcher Rene
Dahinden. Dahinden had harassed the Gimlins so much that Bob finally signed
the agreement just to make Dahinden go away. Dahinden paid Gimlin $1.00 to relinquish
those potential rights to him.
Dahinden ran with that for years, sending letters from lawyers to TV
production companies that used the footage. He demanded a $500 fee from
those production companies that used the footage on TV, and he usually
got it.
Those TV rights actually belonged to Patricia Patterson but she did not
have the network of groupies that Dahinden had. Dahinden had a decent
following of people who would always tip him off to various TV programs
in America that used the footage. Only after Dahinden died in 2001 did
Patricia come to learn what Dahinden had been doing all those years,
after Bob Gimlin signed that agreement in exchange for $1.00.
Gimlin and Patricia Patterson are quite adamant that Hieronimus did not have anything to do with the
footage, or the trip to Northern
California.
Author John Green says Hieronimus' description of the 1967 Nor Cal trip and his timeline
don't match up with the facts, not by a long shot. Gimlin is equally adamant
that the encounter filmed in Bluff Creek that day involved a real animal, not a man in a costume.
Hieronimus' initial ploy was to quickly sell his "confession"
to the tabloids for a heap of money. It seemed like a slam dunk.
There were
a few papers around Yakima that fell for the "confession" and
printed short articles about it ... but the tabloids didn't bite. With
no visual evidence to back up his claim, they
didn't need to pay a heap of money to him. Tabloid staff writers
could fabricate more sensational bigfoot stories on their
own.
Eventually Hieronimus' "confession" caught the attention of other
opportunists, like Greg Long and Kal Korff, who came to Hieronimus with book and film plans for the confession.
In one part of the program Hieronimous
boasts that "the scientists all say no human can walk like this figure."
On several occasions he has given a demonstration of the "bigfoot walk"
while wearing cowboy boots with significant heels, which tend to keep
the knees more bent when walking.
His "bigfoot walk" seems close enough, at first glance, to casual observers.
Hieronimous draws your attention to his walking style,
distracting attention from what is most strikingly different between the
two figures -- the limb ratios (arm length vs. leg length).
Quite clearly the figure in the Patterson footage has a
different skeleton than Hieronimous. The comparative overlay above, by
itself, visually proves that Hieronimous was not the Patterson creature,
beyond any shadow of a doubt.
There are various ways to demonstrate that Hieronimus' confession is fake:
1) Hieronimus has given three (3) contradictory versions of his confession
to various journalists -- contradictory regarding the "costume" description.
Specifically, he has changed his description of the costume, dramatically, three
times. The contradictions are so blatant that the only reasonable explanation
is that the whole story is fake.
2) Hieronimous is still not able to demonstrate a matching costume,
even with expert assistance. As the Hieronimus crew continues to introduce
new costumes, to more closely approximate the Patterson creature, the
more obvious it is that Hieronimus didn't have anything do with
it the first time either.
3) Hieronimous does not know anything about the route to get to the film site, as if he was never there.
4) His explanation for why he never asked for the $1,000 from Gimlin
or Patterson ... doesn't make any sense. Many things in his confession
make no sense.
5) When Hieronimous is asked why he's telling this story to the public
40 years later, he says "It's my turn now" ... refering to the other
parasite scammers who have made claims about the footage in previous
years.
6) The comparative visuals clearly show that the Patterson creature has a different skeleton
than Bob Hieronimous (or any human, for that matter). See the comparative footage on the left.
Three Contradictory Versions of the Hieronimous Confession
Version #1, Costume Description Hieronimus said Roger Patterson killed a red horse
and made a costume from its heavy, stinking hide.
Quotes from Bob Hieronimus, in 2001:
"Roger skinned out a dead red horse ... [The costume] stunk
... It weighed maybe twenty, twenty five pounds. It was a little
bit heavy ... Horsehide would be heavy."
"It was made of three parts. It had legs. It had a corset or
middle piece between the neck and waist. And it had a head."
Hieronimus' first story described his costume as a heavy costume made
from the hide of a red horse. He says it stunk like a dead animal.
PGF Frame 352
Version #2, Costume Description
Hieronimus subsequently agrees that the costume was a simple, gorilla
costume, manufactured by Morris Costumes in North Carolina in the
1960's. In this second version of his confession, the fur of the creature
was dynel nylon threads stitched to a woven cloth backing -- nothing
like the hide of a "dead red horse" that he previously
described.
This dramatic modification of his original "confession"
was prompted by a publicity-hungry costume maker in North Carolina
named Phillip Morris.
Morris also wanted to take some credit for the Patterson footage,
somehow, and possibly market a new costume.
Although Morris has no records showing the sale of a costume
to Roger Patterson, he is nevertheless certain that he provided
the costume used in the famous footage.
Morris claims that a man named Roger Patterson bought a discount gorilla
costume. Somehow he remembers that sale, though there is no record of
it.
He also claims he "recognized" the gorilla costume when
he saw the Patterson footage on TV one day. How coincidental!
The photo on the upper right shows the costume Morris "recognized"
from the Patterson footage.
A photo of the gorilla costume Hieronimus said was used.
The man in the photo is costume maker Phillip Morris. In this same
photo Morris appears as his "Dr. Evil" TV host character.
The TV show was a horror film showcase which aired in the 1950's in
the southern United States.
Prior to his recent claims about the Patterson footage, Morris got
media attention for his demands for compensation from the producers
of the Austin Powers film series. Morris claimed the Mike Meyer's
"Dr. Evil" character infringed on Morris' previously unregistered
trademark for an obscure line of "Dr. Evil" costume products.
Lawyers for the Austin Powers producers easily demonstrated that
the two different "Dr. Evil" characters were developed
independently, and would not be confused by the public.
Mike Myers as "Dr. Evil"
Version #3, Costume Description
Sometime after Costume Description #2, Hieronimus and Morris came up with a new costume replica
of the Patterson creature, which Morris said he could make more duplicates of for 7-8 thousand dollars.
The latest costume is a custom-made, latex-enhanced non-stretching quirky
creation. It's a very far cry from what Hollywood special effects
folks say would have been required, and nothing like the simple
gorilla costume that Morris originally claimed was sold to Patterson in
the 1960s, which Morris claimed he "recognized" on TV when he
saw the Patterson footage.
The Version #3 Costume is pictured on the right. It is held up by Morris and Hieronimus.
The images on the right are from the last television story done about
Bob Hieronimus, on the local news channel in Yakima.
At the height of the scam, television and newspaper reporters in Yakima ran with the Hieronimus
"confession" story without paying much attention to the
blatant, graphic inconsistencies.
Analysis of a frame from the 1967 Roger Patterson "Bigfoot" film shows
evidence of fakery. Costumer Phil Morris reports he sold Patterson a
gorilla suit and material for modifying it, while a man named Bob
Heironimus says he wore it for the hoax.--Joe Nickell
Fans, you all know how well Phillip Morris and Bob Heironimus did
re-creating the Patterson/Gimlin film back in 2005. No? Here check it
out.
Phil Morris (left) with Bob Heironimus (right) on set of the 2005
National Geographic documentary Behind the Mysteries. Bob in Phil's suit
(inset) failing to come close to re-creating the Patterson/Gimlin film
One of the biggest fails in the re-creation is the "stovepiping" of the
hind leg (this is when the pant-like leg looks like a stovepipe). We
didn't even have to use our "pants detecting technology" to see Phill's Costume is a far cry from Patty in the Patterson/Gimlin film. So, who is this Joe Nickell?
"...perhaps the world’s only full-time professional paranormal
investigator – with a background to match. He has spent his life
collecting “personas”: carnival pitchman, stage magician (he was
Resident Magician at a Houdini museum), private investigator (for a
world-famous detective agency), folklorist and historian,
forensic-science author, historical document consultant, and many, many
others.
In a field where people too often divide into “believers” and
“debunkers” – those whose minds are made up in advance of inquiry –
Nickell has gained international acclaim and respect as a successful,
fair-minded investigator, choosing neither to foster mysteries nor
reject them.
Taking a hands-on approach, he has traveled around the world to
investigate the strangest mysteries – often innovative strategies such
as conducting an original experiment, applying a forensic science in a
unique way, doing painstaking historical research, or even going
undercover and in disguise. Nickell sees science as a progression of
solved mysteries.
Last Saturday (08/13/2011) Loren Coleman posted on Cryptomundo a response to an article on i09.com promoting Nickell's book, Tracking the Man-Beasts. In the post Coleman isolates Nickell's argument:
"...Then the Patterson film was made in 1967. It attracted widespread
publicity and was shown on popular national talk shows. From that point
forward, variations in Sasquatch sightings began to dwindle. Creatures
sighted after the release of the Patterson film exhibited a great
tendency to resemble the creature depicted in the film." --Joe Nickell
Besides i09.com, Nickell has also written an article for Huffington Post. You can read article in it's entirety below.
Paranormal Investigation: From Big Foot To Aliens Written by Joe Nickell, Ph.D.,
If legends and even many eyewitness accounts are to be believed, since
ancient times we have shared our planet with various "man-beasts" -
monsters that are more or less in our image. While monsters are often
consigned to ancient legend and literary fiction, many are held to be in
some sense real. Such paranormal beings (those beyond the normal range
of science and human experience) include supernatural ones, such as the
werewolf, as well as others (like the Yowie, Australia's version of
Bigfoot) that, if they indeed exist, could be perfectly natural
creatures. These are those embraced by cryptozoology, the study of
unknown or "hidden" creatures (i.e., cryptids).
I have been studying these and other reputed paranormalities for 40
years. By 1995 I had become, apparently, the world's only full-time
professional paranormal investigator. I have studied mythological,
folkloric, and literary monsters; traveled to remote regions in search
of legendary creatures; sought vampire graves in Vermont; visited
carnival midways to meet human "monsters," look behind the scenes at
exhibited spiderwomen and the like, and witness the transformation of a
lovely girl into a wild gorilla; took part in a nighttime expedition
with Bigfoot hunters; and explored the Pacific Bigfoot country.
In the slides that follow, as well as in my new book "Tracking the
Man-Beasts," we set out to track the man-beasts - to separate fact from
fancy.
