Monday, July 30, 2012

No Takers on $80,000 Bigfoot, Price Goes Up to $85,000

Clifford LaBrecque's neighbor next to his $85,000 Replica
"Any business man could build a museum for it and make his money back. If I don't sell it, that's exactly what I'll do" --Clifford LaBrecque

** UPDATE and CORRECTION: According to Mr. LaBrecque, the image above initially identified as LaBrecque, is, in fact, his neighbor.


LaBrecque also claims to have not shot at Bigfoot and the replica was designed before his encounters. This is a contradiction to the Examiner article written by John Newman we referenced. You can read the full article here.

Fans, when we first briefed you on this Bigfoot ebay item we were certain Clifford LaBrecque was trying to cash in on a 30 year investment, and we doubted if Clifford knew how auctions worked. When we saw the item has recently been re-listed for $5000 more, upping the price to $85,000, we knew we had to call Mr. LaBrecque to get the details.

"You can't make a replica like that today for less than $85,000." LaBrecque said over the phone. Based on what we know about costumes he may be correct. The Hairy and Henderson costume cost several million in 1985, adjusted for inflation it is about $3.9M in today's dollars. Granted, Hairy Henderson had remote control animatronics, but even a Hollywood costume without fancy electronic moving parts would run a quarter to a million dollars today, if it were made by a special effects studio.

As we continued to speak to Clifford Labrecque we realized there really wasn't a price too big for this statue, he had put an enormous amount of effort into it. "I did so much research back then, just so I could get it right. When I pass [and they prove Bigfoot] they will see I was accurate to within two inches"

It began to make sense, this replica was the sum of his research, research he no longer does.

"I got out of the Bigfoot world, because none of the academics would listen to me, sure they are interested now. Now, if Joe Academic goes out in the woods and sees Bigfoot, it becomes gospel." he continued to express his feelings about the TV show Finding Bigfoot, "That show is doing so much damage to the research, when we are out in the woods we don't think every single sound we hear is a Bigfoot"

To be fair in regards to Finding Bigfoot, we know the sensitivity to sound has a lot to do with editing and less to do with the hosts of the show being able to discern strange sounds.

We truly hope Clifford LeBrecque's Bigfoot replica finds a home, whether it is through a buyer on ebay or a museum he builds himself. At least now we know its not about the money, it's about the value the replica has to him. A value that is priceless. 

You can read about Clifford LeBrecque's previous Bigfoot encounters that inspired the statue on our previous post, "Man Shoots Bigfoot, Makes Bigfoot Mad, and Then Builds a $9000 Statue."

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Toby Cancels 2012 Oregon Sasquatch Symposium


Today we received a letter in our in-box. Regretfully it announced the cancellation of Toby's 3rd annual Sasquatch Symposium. We were looking forward to the event, we were especially looking forward to Bill Munns 3D digital presentation of his Patterson/Gimlin. The following is the full email explaining the details from Toby Johnson.

This is a very difficult letter forme to write you all, but It needs to be written, but the OSS 2012 has been called off.

The cancellation is due to lack of interest in ticket sales for pre-registration.. In other words the numbers do not add up at all for me to continue forward. We have over 400members on the OSS website, and only about 4%  those members have showninterest in attending. Just to give an example, the 2010 OSS had over 140 preregistered tickets that we’re requested by now. The OSS 2011 conference at CWBhad very powerful pre reg. numbers as well, even with its smaller more intimatesize.For some reason, this conference just has not caught on.

Refunds for Pre Registered OSS tickets will be made in full to those who bought them online and who paid inperson. I will send an email to each one of you personally by the 15thof August  and if for some reason you donot get that email, please email me with your receipt for ticket entry and agood address I can send you a refund. Refunds in total will be mailed out bythe 13th of October.

If you have a hotel reservation, Isuggest you cancel the reservation now.
Any further questions you have onthe who, how and why of it all, can be emailed.

Thank You for your understanding
See you in the trees
Toby A. Johnson
www.oregonsasquatchsymposium@yahoo.com

Friday, July 27, 2012

Welcome to Bigfoot National Park


Bigfoot poster by Belgium artist Laurent Durieux (Click to enlarge)
From the AcidFreeGallery Website: 
BIGFOOT - We are excited to share with you Laurent Durieux's latest screen print release. Bigfoot will be for sale during our Myths and Monster's online print release on Friday, 7/27. We are showing you the regular version which will be a 16x24, 6 color, limited edition run of 150. There will also be a variant edition of 75. The variant edition features Glow-in-the-dark ink, slight color variations and changes to the art itself.  (See the variant on Wednesday when we preview the entire Myths and Monsters print release. ) The screen prints are professionally crafted by D&L Screen printing on 100lb Cougar Natural paper. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for a chance to win a free Bigfoot regular print! See the art work and more info about Laurent below:
Check out these variations of the above poster. Bigfoot seems to be missing until you turn out the lights. have to see these  posters for "Welcome to Bigfoot National Forest" by Belgium artist Laurent Durieux.


Alternative version, bigfoot is still in the poster can you see him? (click to enlarge)
Perhaps if we turn out the light?

With the lights off Bigfoot is revealed (click to enlarge)

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Born in Belgium, the holy land of beers and cartoons, Laurent Durieux has been a professional illustrator for 20 years. While teaching Graphic design at the College of Advertising and Design in Brussels, he participated to numerous exhibitions all over Europe and is recognized by renowned fellow artists like Ever Meulen, François Schuiten, Avril and Beb deum to name a few. Laurent’ vintage (yet modern) style is influenced by the 30’s, 40's and 50’s era and has developed a fascination for “the Future that never was”. In 2010 he was honoured to have been chosen by Canal+ France to create the CGI short film “Hellville”, produced by the famous Director Jean-Jacques Beineix (Betty Blue, Diva...). Critically acclaimed by Variety, “Hellville” was selected at the Annecy, Porto and Chicago International Film Festivals. Laurent is proud to be among, in the word of the prestigious magazine “ARCHIVES”, the 200 best illustrators worldwide.
In 2012, Laurent was approached by legendary alternative poster publisher Mondo (Austin, TX) as well as Los Angeles based poster publisher Dark Hall Mansion to create several licensed edition posters for classic titles like Gigantor (TetsuGin 28-go), Snoopy, King Kong (Martin Scorcese's The film Foundation), The Iron Giant and the Amazing Spider-man...
An image is worth a 1000 words,
So check other sample of his work at www.flickr.com/photos/laurentdurieux

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Official Website of Letters From The Big Man Launched Today

Screenshot of Letters from the Big Man website

We have been fans of this movie since it went into production. Click on the following link to read about our previous coverage of Letters from the Big Man.   You can go to the full website At LetterFromTheBigMan.com, where you can buy copies of the DVD.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Movie the synopsis is as follows:
Following a painful breakup, Sarah Smith (LILY RABE) embarks on a post-fire stream survey for the Forest Service in southern Oregon. A journey down a wild and scenic river leads her to a remote wilderness surrounded by scorched landscapes. Here she first senses being followed by a presence that will not reveal itself. Visitation from the “big man” (ISAAC C. SINGLETON JR.) continues, more overtly, at the remote cabin to which Sarah repairs to write up her fieldwork. A budding romance with a wilderness advocate (JASON BUTLER HARNER) she met on her trip leads to surprising revelations about the government and sasquatch, and conflicting agendas, that force Sarah to take bold steps to protect the privacy of her big friend, as well as her own.

For all you Portlanders, We are celebrating the launch of the a website and the DVD availability at Dig-A-Pony on Sunday the 29th. We will screen a few chapters of the movie, giving away free DVDs and Author Thom Powell will speak, he was a consultant on the movie and is interviewed in the bonus documentary that comes with the DVD.

If you would like to RSVP please go to the event page Screening of Letters from the Big Man. We will also show Legend of Boggy Creek as the night gets darker.

We hope to see you there!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

HBO's The Newsroom: Bigfoot is Real

Presentation on HBO's The Newsroom Opens with Bigfoot as Apex Predator primate
On July 2nd we reported the new hit HBO series The Newsroom was going dedicate an episode on whether or not Bigfoot has a place in the news. While we couldn't wait to have a hit TV show talk about Bigfoot, we were afraid the Bigfoot parts would only last for a fleeting moment, or marginalized to the punchline of a joke. But, we also hoped it would be more, after all, this TV series is brought to us by the Aaron Sorkin, an Academy and Emmy award winning American screenwriter, producer, and playwright, whose works include A Few Good Men, The West Wing, and the Facebook docudrama The Social Network. 

We were not disappointed.

Neal Sampat (Dev Patel) plays the resident internet geek/blogger on The Newsroom. He begins the episode talking about Bigfoot at a party, later in the episode he actually convinces the news team to watch his power point presentation on Bigfoot: The Apex Predator primate.

Just the fact that the character was not a punchline and sincere in his pursuit of Bigfoot is satisfying by itself, using terms like apex predator? Well, that's icing on the cake. Not only does apex predator sound cool, but it is great descriptor of Bigfoot. Apex predators (also known as top-level predators) are predators with no predators of their own, residing at the top of their food chain.

We were nice enough to piece together just the Bigfoot parts in the video below. While many of the Bigfoot arguments are familiar to us, the ones in this episode are not familiar (or even used) in mainstream media. Kudos to Aaron Sorkin for his portrayal of Bigfooters.  


Monday, July 23, 2012

Giants Pitcher Brian Wilson Continues to Embrace Sasquatch

Video spoof with Giants Pitcher Brian Wilson interviewed by Jack Link's Sasquatch
Fans as you remember from our earlier post Brian Wilson recently walked the red carpet at the ESPYs with Sasquatch. Looks like he is continuing the co-branding with the big fella on You Tube. 

Along with the video there is still the #AskSquatch hastag for all the twitter users out there. (see the #AskSasquatch tag feed below the video)

Watch below as Sasquatch tries to interview Brian Wilson on Public Cable Access, only to be frustrated by an interruption of phone calls.


#AskSquatch Hashtag Feed


No Takers on $80,000 Bigfoot, 2 Days Left

Clifford LaBrecque standing next to his Bigfoot Replica he commissioned for $9000 

"It took three months to get it from my head to his (the sculptor's) head," -- Clifford LaBrecque, 73, of the fiberglass-and-fur model of Bigfoot

Fans, you may remember Clifford LaBrecque from our earlier post, "Man Shoots Bigfoot, Makes Bigfoot Mad, and Then Builds a $9000 Statue". Yes, this is the same man who in 1977 was determined to shoot Bigfoot one fateful night in Des Moines, Iowa.

The event left such an impression he was determined to commission a replica of what he saw. Looks like he's trying to make $71,000 on his $9000 investment. The replica has been available on eBay for a starting bid of $80,000 since July 16th, with two only days left there have been no takers. 

A starting bid of $80,000? Perhaps Mr. Labrecque does not understand how auctions work. 

For $80,000 you would hope he would provide the shipping (at least) -- not so. As the description of the product clearly indicates you have to pick it up in Arkansas:
In 1976, after years of study and research, a young man named Clifford LaBrecque undertook a challenge that stunned the Bigfoot world. Mr. LaBrecque built one of the best detailed "museum quality" models of Bigfoot. How he did it is a mystery that will probably never be known. One look and it shouts this is the "real thing"--eyes that follow you, and hands, fingers, and toes, are all in great detail. This fantastic piece of work has been stored for over 30 years. This is the first opportunity you have to own Bigfoot. It can be a tremendous attraction for showing this part of American folklore.

All inquiries about this piece should be directed to Clifford LaBrecque at 1-870-291-1863.  THE ITEM LOCATION IS IN  ARKANSAS TO BE PICKED UP THERE.
Another interesting line is:
Mr. LaBrecque built one of the best detailed "museum quality" models of Bigfoot. How he did it is a mystery that will probably never be known. 
Fortunately for you, fans, this is not a mystery to Bigfoot Lunch Club. In 2011 The Baxter Bulletin printed an article describing exactly how he came upon the fiberglass and fur replica:

"It took three months to get it from my head to his (the sculptor's) head," said Clifford LaBrecque, 73, of the fiberglass-and-fur model of Bigfoot he commissioned in 1976 at a cost then of $9,000.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Jack Links Sasquatch Joins Book Club to Appeal to Women

Screen shot of Jack Links new Spot appealing to women
We are back from vacation and found this in our in-box! A new Jack Link's Jerky campaign that targets women. Instead of people "Messin with Sasquatch," Sasquatch finds his way into otherwise domesticated situations, where his tendency to do things on his own terms wreaks more havoc than ever.

According to Carmichael Lynch, the ad agency responsible for the new campaign:
Nearly half of all jerky eaters are female. So how do you target this growing consumer segment? The obvious answer, of course: bring Sasquatch to the ladies. For the first time Jack Link's brand mascot Sasquatch finds himself solely in the company of women. And what better scenario than your average weekday book club. In a new spot from Carmichael Lynch, we say goodbye to crudités and make way for a new finger food, Jack Link's Turkey Jerky. The move from cucumber sandwiches to jerky brings Sasquatch out of the forest and into the well-appointed sitting room. Though as we discover, it may be the perfect snack for an afternoon soiree, but Sasquatch might be better left in the woods.

"Book Club" is one of nine commercials from Jack Link's newest campaign "Snackin' with Sasquatch." The 15-second Rocky Morton-helmed spots maintain all the irreverence that fans of the Effie-winning “Messin’ with Sasquatch” campaign love.
Carmichael Lynch has elevated the brand of Sasquatch and Jerky simultaneously. Thank you Carmichael Lynch for creating a lasting bond between brands and people.Watch the commercials for the new "Snackin' with Sasquatch" campaign Below:

BOOK CLUB


GAMING




GARAGE




CONFERENCE CALL




CARPOOL




Credits: 
Agency: Carmichael Lynch
Chief Creative Officer: Dave Damman
Associate Creative Director/Art Director: Brad Harrison
Senior Copywriters: Tim Blevins and William Bloomfield

Director of Integrated Production: Joe Grundhoefer
Senior Content Producer: Freddie Richards
Account Executive(s): Sofya Guterman
Account Director: Holly Wheeler

Production Company: MJZ
Director: Rocky Morton
Senior Executive Producer: Scott Howard
Producer: Donald Taylor          
Director of Photography: Mattias Rudh
Editing House: HutchCo Technologies
Editor: Jim Hutchins
Asst. Editor: Joaquin Machado
Executive Producer: Jane Hutchins

Post Production/Special Effects: Rabbit Content
Creative Director: Nick Losq
Executive Producer: Joby Barnhart
Producer: Lloyd Dsouza

Music House: Black Iris
Sound Designer: Francois Blaignan and Joel Waters
Audio Mix: Lime Studios
Mixer: Joel Waters

Click the following link to see our entire coverage of the Jack Links Sasquatch

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Giants Pitcher Brian Wilson Brings Bigfoot To ESPY Awards

Brian Wilson is not with just any Sasquatch, the Jack Link's Beef Jerky Sasquatch
You can tweet questions to the Jack Link's Sasquatch with the hashtag #Asksquatch see results below the article. 
By CONNOR ADAMS SHEETS
July 11, 2012 9:46 PM EDT 
San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson brought Sasquatch along as his date to the ESPYs Wednesday evening, shocking onlookers along the red carpet at the 20th-annual ESPN award ceremony. 
The always entertaining player did it up once again by bringing along some guy (or gal) dressed up as Bigfoot as his plus-one to the awards ceremony. Wilson tweeted about it before gracing the Los Angeles red carpet with their presence: 
"Who is my plus one? He is! @ESPYS‪#brosquatch‬," adding the following message later: "I'm rollin with Squatch all night, tweet me a question you want me to ask him.‪ #AskSquatch‬." 
It is most likely the first time that a yeti has been seen on the red carpet at any awards show, let alone the ESPYs, which can be a tame affair some years.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

40th anniversary of Missouri's Bigfoot, the Momo

Christina Windmiller holds a Momo cast made by her father
On a summer afternoon 40 years ago (July 11, 1972) Terry, Wally, and Doris Harrison claimed to have seen the Momo. According to Wikipedia, Momo is the name of a local legend, similar to the Bigfoot, which is reported to live in Missouri. The name Momo is short for 'Missouri Monster' and it is reported to have a large, pumpkin-shaped head, with a furry body, and hair covering the eyes. First reported in July 1971, near Louisiana, Missouri by Joan Mills and Mary Ryan, Momo has been spotted up and down the Mississippi River. It is supposedly a large, 7 ft (~2.1 m) tall, hairy, black, manlike creature that eats dogs and emits a terrible odor.

While Doris Harrison still claims the Momo sighting was very real, there is retired school teacher, Priscilla Giltner, who thinks several of her pupils faked the whole thing. It is important to note she was out of town at the time of the 1972 sighting. You can watch her interview below and a in-depth story from the  Herald-Whig after that.



By RODNEY HART
Herald-Whig Staff Writer

LOUISIANA, Mo. -- Mention the word "Momo" around Louisiana these days, and you'll get everything from laughs to furrowed brows.
Some say it was a hoax perpetrated by several kids with active imaginations. Others swear it was a large ape-like creature (or creatures) that terrorized the small Mississippi River town 40 years ago this month.
One thing is for sure -- people remember the creature.
It was dubbed the "Missouri Monster," or Momo for short. It caused a huge uproar in the area and nationally as people searched for the creature. For years later, Louisiana businesses had celebrations like "Momo Days." Montgomery City native Bill Whyte, now based in Nashville and scheduled to perform July 28 at the Pike County Fair, even wrote a song about Momo.
The spot where it all started is near Ninth and Allen streets, right next to what is now called Star Hill. Back then it was called Marzum Hill, and the Harrison family lived right next to it.
The three young Harrison children, Terry, Walley and Doris, claimed to have seen a tall, dark and hairy creature. There was an awful smell coming from it, and it appeared to be holding a dead animal.
Doris Harrison Bliss was 15 during that summer of 1972, and she says Momo was real.
"I was in the bathroom cleaning the sink, and I looked up out the window and I saw it," Bliss said Tuesday afternoon from her Louisiana home. "I made my brothers come in, because they were scared to death."
When Edgar Harrison, their father, returned home that afternoon, he found brush beaten down where the children said the creature had been. In a 1985 interview with The Herald-Whig, Edgar Harrison claimed to have seen two creatures behind the house.
"It was almost like a human except it had black hair all over it," Harrison told Herald-Whig Staff Writer Edward Husar.
What followed were reports by many of seeing the monster, hearing strange noises and sniffing awful odors. Louisiana Police Chief Shelby Ward didn't believe in Momo, but with many gun-toting citizens crashing through undergrowth in the area, he became concerned and organized a 20-man search party eight days after the furor started.
Nothing was ever found.
More sightings were reported in areas around Louisiana, and media began arriving from around the country to report on the strange story. There was even a visit from a man who ran the Unidentified Flying Objects Bureau.
Clyde Penrod made a plaster cast of a strange footprint believed to be made by the monster. There is confusion about where the footprint was found -- his daughter, Christina Windmiller, says the three-toed footprint was located on the River Road that runs along the Mississippi River. Other reports said it was made on a nearby farm nearly a month after the creature, or creatures, were sighted.
"It's really nice to think that it (Momo) was real," Windmiller, who was a year old when the hysteria started, said. "But it probably wasn't."
Priscilla Giltner is a retired schoolteacher from Louisiana who thinks several of her pupils faked the whole thing. She won't mention their names, but she laughs when remembering.
"I had them in school, and one of them dressed up as Momo," Giltner says. "It was nothing in the world but a prank. They were up on Star Hill for whatever reason, and for whatever reason, God only knows, they decided to pull this trick.
"I really don't think they counted on anybody actually seeing them up there."
Giltner, whose husband, Donald, was the mayor of Louisiana from 2006 to 2010, says she was on a family vacation in Georgia when it all started. Her son went to get a newspaper, and they were astounded to see a big headline saying "Big Foot Has Found A Mate In Louisiana, Missouri."
Momo may not have been real, and it never was captured, but the resulting attention it brought to the sleepy river town in Pike County was nothing but good. Momo Days, the song about Momo and other events helped the town remember.
"There was even a Momoburger at the local Dairy Queen," Priscilla Giltner says. "It kind of sparked this town up. It's kind of our thing. We don't have much, but we do have Momo and nobody else can claim Momo but us."
The boys involved in the prank simply had active imaginations, the retired schoolteacher claims.
"I don't find anything wrong with what they did," she says.
The house where Doris Harrison Bliss lived with her now deceased parents and brothers was torn down last year, but the memories remain.
"I was harassed about it a lot at school, and I don't even like to talk about it," Bliss says. "But it's true. I wouldn't lie to you.
"I used to hate talking about it, because people made fun of me and stuff, but now, and you can pardon my French, they can kiss my (butt). I saw what I saw and I heard what I heard."

Monday, July 9, 2012

Lawyer Blog Thinks Fmr Oregon Gov Embrace of Bigfoot is Damaging

(The Telegraph - Jun 9, 1977)
When the measure passed 4-0 it went international. Below is the actual language of the legislation recently posted by the Lawyers Guns and Money Blog (LGMB).


Oregon Legislative Assembly—1977 Regular Session
House Joint Resolution 52 Sponsored by Representative Kulongoski (at the request of Anita Paulsen)
Protects Wildlife Species known as Sasquatch or Bigfoot and prohibits harassing, annoying or intimidating of Sasquatch.
Imposes penalty of two days labor picking up garbage along Oregon highways for violation of Act.
As a consequence of economic growth and development, untempered by adequate concern and conservation, many species of wildlife become extinct. The possible loss of one such species, Sasquatch or Bigfoot as it is sometimes known, causes especial concern to the Oregon Legislative Assembly.
Notwithstanding that Sasquatch are reputed to live in Devil’s Club swamps and feed on poison oak, there are those who insist on searching for them. Although no one has positively identified or captured one, this Legislative Assembly feels that it is a matter of time before this event will occur. In the past, friends of Sasquatch, out of respect for this shy creature, that has never so much as stolen a picnic blanket, have covered all sign of the creature’s existence. But with the encroachment of civilization and hoards of Sasquatch hunters upon its habitat, it has become more difficult for Sasquatch protectors to do so; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:
That we, the members of the Fifty-ninth Legislative Assembly, declare that harassing, annoying or intimidating Sasquatch is punishable by a maximum of two days labor picking up garbage along Oregon highways.
The commentary from post author Erik Loomis ends with, "I mean, if Kulongoski was still governor and I found this, I feel I could seriously do some damage to his career."

The truth is there is no damage possible to his career, Kulongoski went full bore. When he presented the legislation it is reported that Ted Kulongoski was dressed in a gorilla costume.

Below is an excerpt of an Oregonian article written in 2002 by Bigfoot research legend Joe Beelart.

Twenty-five years ago a young state representative from Eugene took to the floor of the Oregon House, wearing a gorilla suit, to introduce a resolution to prohibit “harassing, annoying or intimidating” Bigfoot, Sasquatch or any other like creature. The lawmaker in the suit was Ted Kulongoski.
Need further proof that Kulongoski is willing to double-down on his association with Bigfoot? Watch the 150th Clebration of Oregon video below.


Also, Cryptomundo has a great article on how Oregon Governors tend to support Sasquatch. John Kitzaber, will always be known as the first Oregon Governor to acknowledge in front of TV cameras, and while in office during his second term that Bigfoot is real, and still got reelected.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

DOCUMENTARY: "I KILLED BIGFOOT" A Justin Smeja Interview

Justin Smeja claims to have shot Bigfoot
Fans, you will remember Ro Sahebi from his initial Extinct? documentaries. We covered his first two documentaries on the Yeti and the Orang-Pendek vs. the Hobbit. The Extinct? brand has expanded into also providing a weekly podcast that stars a group of Bigfooters that jokingly calls themselves Team Tazer Bigfoot. (Click the following link to watch the first five Extinct Podcasts).

All the members of Team Tazer in alphabetical order are Damian Bravo, Shawn Evidence, Michael Merchant, and Ro Sahebi, who is the host of the show.

Ro Sahebi and the rest of Team Tazer has something new to look forward to. It is an interview with the man who claims to of shot Bigfoot. If Ro's previous documentaries are any indication, this should be an engaging piece.

Uploaded to The Bigfoot Report YouTube Channel is a teaser for a new documentary about a very controversial Bigfooter. Justin Smeja. Not only is it frowned upon to actually shoot a Bigfoot, some in the community say Smeja's story does not add up. Watch the teaser video below and then read another interview of Smeja recalling the day he shot Bigfoot.




It is amazing that Smeja admits to pulling the trigger even after his partner warns that it may be a guy in a suit.

Below is a excerpt from a Jeffery Pritchett's Interview with Justin Smeja. Jeffery Pritchett, is a radio show host for The Church Of Mabus at www.ChurchOfMabusRadio.com. Click the following link to read our entire coverage of Justin Smeja.

What exactly happened and where did this happen regarding the actual shooting of two bigfoot creatures?
Justin Smeja: Wow. Well thats kind of a loaded question. In October of 2010 I was bear hunting near Gold Lake CA. Me and my buddy drove into a clearing shielded by trees, so it was much like a blind corner for any game that would be feeding in the meadow, and we saw a strange looking creature. I shot it and 2 others juveniles came out of the thicket. They all ran off and we went after them on foot and eventually I shot another one. We hid the small one and i couldn't find the other. We left immediately after. We felt like we just wanted to wake up.

Did you feel threatened by them at any time and is it true you shot them in the back?


Justin Smeja: NO I did NOT shoot any animal in the back. Quite honestly I dont think it matters if I was poaching (I wasn't) or if I shot them in the face, the back, the neck or the ass. The story may seem interesting to some, most others read or listen with the soul intention of hopefully tearing it apart and somehow finding a hole in the story. I pierced both lungs on the adult, the young one I shot square on. It's hard to put my emotions into a paragraph unless you have been there. We felt all kinds of things. At times threatened yes. (un-warranted in all honesty)

3. Also what made you decide to carve a piece of flesh aka steak off of them instead of bringing the carcasses back?

Justin Smeja: I dont know where in the &^%$ stuff like this comes from. I mean I have been asked this several times I don't have a computer so I dont spend time online correcting what whoever is saying about me. I'm 100 percent convinced bigfooters read about half of everything and jump to their own conclusions and start injecting their opinion. If this was bigfootevidence by this point in, these people would already be commenting.

I did NOT carve any piece of meat or any part off of any animal ever. After we left we did not return for several weeks. Hard to say why it left me with a weird fear feeling almost like ptsd. Mean while I was so sure it was just like any other animal and would be there when we went back to get it, at least some hair and skull I figured. Some people had said to me ''well after several weeks scavengers would have ate every last bit of meat.'' Thats simply not true anyone who has said anything like that hasnt killed enough animals or any to make that statement. Go shoot a cow a deer or elk and leave it lay. Come back in a few weeks. There will be a &**& load of hair hide depending on elevation and time of year fat and yes even a bit of meat on the bones ect. Me and my buddy returned several weeks later with a blood hound, we were greeted by a few feet of snow that came in shortly after the shooting. All we could find was a small scrap of hide. We sent some to Dr. Melba Ketchum.

How does Melba Ketchum fit in? Does she actually have the aka flesh evidence and when does she plan to release the DNA results?

Justin Smeja: She was working with the Olympic project long before I came along. Theres an on going DNA study that I contributed one of the larger samples to, but I really have no inside information on when and where it will be released, I havent even a guess. Your guess is as good as mine. I have talked to her one time for 10 minutes on the phone back in January nothing before or sense [sic]. I have much more flesh from the shooting and its going to be sent around to labs all over the US and outside. They can do whatever they do with it.

You do realize alot of people are outraged by this story and theres a huge no kill pro kill debate in the bigfoot community and many people are upset about this. How does that make you feel?

Justin Smeja: I was put in a situation where I reacted in a moments notice and made really poor decisions. I wish I could take it back. I'm not a pro kill guy at heart. At the time I didnt know any of this was real. It was just a monster to me. Had I had previous knowledge of the creature I would of reacted different.

US Federal Govt: Denies Mermaids and Embraces Bigfoot

The feds were quick to deny Mermaids, but this is not so for Bigfoot
We know, some of you are saying of course there are no Mermaids. Or, even if you believe in Mermaids, that's not the point. The point is a federal agency had to take the time and effort to publicly refute the existence of Mermaids--and they acted quickly. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a big agency with almost a $6 Billion dollar budget; that is 6 times the amount of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This is what is interesting to us, the BLM actually embraces Bigfoot. It should be noted NOAA and BLM work under two different departments; Commerce and Interior respectively.

Let's quickly go over NOAA's denial. On July 3rd the British paper The Telegraph wrote:
The National Ocean Service, a scientific agency of the Commerce Department, felt compelled to make the somewhat obvious statement in a response to a rash of inquiries made after a spoof documentary was broadcast on US television.
"No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found," the NOS said in a post on its website.
The conclusion was apparently not based on research but was drawn from publicly available resources.
"We don't have a mermaid service programme," a spokeswoman told the BBC, prompting sighs of relief from American tax payers.
The official statement can be found on the NOAA website.

Why go through the effort to squash public opinion over the reality of a cryptid? Why act so quickly? There is the conspiracy theory that mermaid proof would hurt commerce. There is the scientific theory that there is enough evidence to support Mermaids (less than Bigfoot even). And finally our theory, they, as an agency, are just too inexperienced in dealing with cryptid inquiries. If there is any federal agency that knows how to embrace a cyptid, it is the BLM.

Blog Banner of The Bureau of Land Management in Oregon & Washington 
Yep, that is Bigfoot riding a raft down a Northwest river. The above artwork is on the title banner of BLM's blog. There are other examples of the BLM embracing Bigfoot. The video below titled, "Bigfoot and the BLM" was actually produced by the BLM. The video even recommends three areas to investigate Bigfoot; 1) Rogue Wild and Scenic River, 2) Table Rock Wilderness 3) North Umpqua BLM Campsites.


Even Finding Bigfoot's Matt Moneymaker seems to think that the BLM are on to something.




Saturday, July 7, 2012

Chinese Bigfoot Expedition: What the News is not Reporting

The Shennongjia Nature Reserve in China's Hubei Province,
The Chinese Bigfoot expedition is all over the news. Mostly, it is the same report literally reprinted word-for-word. While the headlines sayBigfoot, the copy says otherwise:
A group of 38 experts from several universities and research institutions will begin the expedition on July 8, according to a statement from the Shennongjia Nature Reserve's management bureau.
 The trip is scheduled to last through August, the statement said.
The group will focus on studying the region's animals, plants and land features and will publish its research results later, it said.

Even GhostTheory.com seems to marginalize the Bigfoot aspect:
Is China taking the lead in Crypto-Zoology research? Well, no probably not...While the expedition being launched is not necessarily specific to Yeren research, at least it is acknowledged to be a potential item on the agenda.

As you loyal readers of Bigfoot Lunch Club may remember, this is a large effort specifically in search of the Yeren. Two years ago on October 9th of 2010 we announced, "Scientists to look for China's Bigfoot" and followed up with, "Chinese Plan to find Bigfoot is muddy"

The gist of both articles was that the Hubei Wild Man Research Association is very serious about the the Yeren search and completely devoted. The Founder, Wang Shancai is quoted with specific details:
"We encourage any companies, social groups and the public to donate or cooperate with us and contribute to the reso-lution of this long-term mystery," said Wang, who is also a researcher with the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
The planned year-long exploration needs 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) and some 50 people to work in small teams.
The exploration will focus on the area around the Shennongjia Natural Reserve, a 76,950-hectare forest in Hubei Province. Wireless cameras will be installed in caves to capture tracks of Bigfoot.
This is the same Wang Shancai who is heading the expedition you are reading about in today's news, he also part of the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics. And this is the same Hubei Wild Man Research Association from which the vice-president, Luo Baosheng claims, "(we are) comprised of more than 100 scientists and explorers who have been chasing the ape-like animal for years. The last time a organized search took place was in the early 1980s,"
So don't let the watered down media fool you into thinking this is a small undergoing. It is a $1.5 million year-long expedition to find the Chinese Bigfoot known as the Yeren.







Friday, July 6, 2012

Destination Truth looks for the Vietnamese Bigfoot, Nguoi Rung

A FLIR thermal of a possible Nguoi Rung a/k/a Vietnamese Bigfoot


The season 5 opener of Syfy's "Destination Truth", airs this Tuesday, July 10th, at 8/7c. The premier episode will follow Josh Gates and his team as they hunt for Vietnam's Bigfoot a/ka Nguoi Rung. Watch the video trailer of the season 5 premier episode below.



Our interactive Bigfoot variant map has a listing on the Nguoi Rung. read the following entry from our map. 
Nguoi Rung ("forest man") is a creature said to inhabit Vietnam, reputedly similar to the bigfoot, sometimes also known as "forest people". It is described as being approximately six feet tall and covered with hair except in the knees, the soles of the feet, the hands, and the face. The hair ranges in color from gray to brown to black. The creature walks on two legs and has been reported both solitary and moving in small groups. The creature is most often sighted foraging for food from fruits and leaves to langers and even flying foxes.
Two Nguoi Rung were reportedly captured by tribesmen near Dak Lak Province in 1971. In 1974 a North Vietnamese general, Hoang Minh Thao, requested an expedition to find evidence of the creatures, but it was unsuccessful.[
Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman suggests in his book, "The Field Guide to Bigfoot and Other Mystery Primates" that the Nguoi Rung are a possible surviving population of Homo erectus or Neanderthal.
Professor Tran Hong Viet is a researcher of Nguoi Rung who in 1982 claimed to have located a footprint measuring 28x16cm.
Click the following link to see the Nguoi Rung listing on the interactive map or simply scroll below. We also have on good authority that Season 4 of Finding Bigfoot will be filmed in Vietnam searching for the same Bigfoot variant.

Zoom-in, Zoom-out explore the map below. There are many more Bigfoot variants across the globe.


View AKA Bigfoot World Map in a larger map

Bigfoot Hair to be Auctioned this Saturday (07.07.2012)

A close up of the Bigfoot hair samples up for auction (Click to enlarge)
“I got it from a guy out of state, actually. I can’t confirm it’s Bigfoot hair. You’d have to have the actual Bigfoot to match the hair...” -- Ty Shafer current owner of the Bigfoot hair sample

On June 19th 2012 we mentioned the news that Bigfoot hair samples were for sale from a collector named Ty Shafer. Since his offer was publicized at the Daily Sentinel, Shafer realized this hair sample may be worth more than a mere $30. Mr. Shafer has decided to put the hair up for auction.

It's not too late to get your bid in for the auctioning of a Bigfoot hair. The auction will be held Tomorrow (July 7th 2012, 5:30pm)  at  Hwy 59 South Between Lufkin and Nacogdoches (Nacogdoches, TX).

Can't make it to Lufkin Texas? No problem. Call the auctioneer Bonnie Worley txl # 16894 phone: 936.366.5745. You can look at the auction yourself at Auctionzip.com

After speaking to Ty yesterday, he claims there is already some interest from Texas Museum of the Weird

Below are pictures provided from the auction site.


Wednesday, July 4, 2012

NEW BOOK: Skeptics Analyze and Dissect the Psychology of Bigfooters

Daniel Loxton’s Illustration for new Skeptic book about the psychology of Bigfooters
At the Skeptic Blog Donald Prothero announces his upcoming book on cryptozoology co-authored by Daniel Loxton. This is a great opportunity for us Bigfooters, it is easy to remain in our own echo-chamber of assumptions. Although we believe bigfooters are a little more rational than most sub-cultures, this doesn't mean we don't have our own bubble. After all we are human.

Unfortunately at Skeptic Blog Prothero doesn't talk much about his new book.  He references two other books familiar to us. First he mentions Joshua Blu Buhs book, "Bigfoot: The Life and Times of a Legend"

Buhs also points out a common theme in the conflict between amateur cryptid hunters and professional scientists. The amateurs usually have a big chip on their shoulder over their treatment by academic scholars. They feel that if they can find the elusive creature that science rejects, they will be able to triumph over people who have ignored, ridiculed, and disrespected them for decades. In the words of veteran Bigfoot hunter René Dahinden, “I’d take the scientists by the scruff of their collective necks and rub their goddamn faces in—actually, I would like to see all the people—the scientists—who have opened their mouths and made their stupid, ignorant statements, fired from their jobs….They should totally, absolutely, right then and there, without pension, without anything, just be taken and thrown out the front door. Then and there.” Buhs follows this statement with “and when that dream was realized, those who had always known the truth, those who had come to the right conclusion by the dint of hard work and the application of skill, would receive the dignity that the world had otherwise denied them .” According to Bigfooter Peter Byrne, “More credibility should be given to the common postal worker, the truck driver, the policeman, the housewife, the fisherman, the farmer, the surveyor, the bum off the street, hippies, hitchhikers, milkmen, shop-janitors, bookkeepers, etc. ..The simple genuine honesty of the country people” would at last be celebrated, and the world put right.
Then Prothero introduces a different take from Christopher Baders book, "Paranormal America: Ghost Encounters, UFO Sightings, Bigfoot Hunts, and Other Curiosities in Religion and Culture"

Bader et al. (2011) provide a slightly different look at the culture of Bigfoot “researchers” based on their experiences in the Bigfoot community of East Texas. (We used the quotes around “researchers” here because they don’t really do true scientific research in the sense of lab experiments, testing hypotheses, or scientific publication; their “research” consists mostly of reading the Bigfoot literature and tramping through the woods). Like fans of any particular topic (from NASCAR to the vampire series Twilight or True Blood), the Bigfooters form their own “subculture” of people who believe strongly in the reality of Bigfoot, and spend a significant amount of their time and resources researching Bigfoot. They have their own meetings, their own jargon, their own shared body of accepted knowledge, and their own distinctive way of looking at the world.
Bader et al. describe the people and events at the annual Texas Bigfoot Research Conference (TBRC) in Tyler, Texas, and also followed one of the dedicated Bigfoot hunters on his late night hunts for Bigfoot. As they describe it , the conference of nearly 400 dedicated Bigfoot “researchers” is much like any other meeting or convention of an established organization or interest group. It is populated by mostly conservatively dressed, white, middle-class people attending a daylong slate of presentations. Exhibitors selling books, DVDs, T-shirts, and every other sort of Bigfoot merchandise fill the hallways. Most of the membership are people who know the Bigfoot legends and evidence backwards and forwards, and speak in shorthand about “the Skookum cast”, the “PG [Patterson-Gimlin] film”, the “Ohio howl”, or the “shoot/don’t shoot” controversy (whether a Bigfoot hunter should actually shoot or not if they find Bigfoot). As sociologists have long pointed out, the argot or distinctive lingo of a subculture is part of the process of becoming a member of the subculture, distinguishing insiders from outsiders, and a mark of acceptance when you master it.
Overall Prothero concludes:
Needless to say, the more conventional Bigfoot “researchers” try to disavow any connection to the paranormal crazies like Johnson or Beckjord, but the boundary between the subcultures is very faint and frequently crossed. More importantly, Bader et al. (2011) showed that most Americans who accept Bigfoot also accept the ideas of UFOs, Atlantis, psychics, ghosts, and other paranormal beliefs. To most Americans, all these paranormal ideas are more or less equal, and there is no real distinction between cryptozoology and the UFO cults.
You can read the full Skeptic Blog post at http://www.skepticblog.org/2012/07/04/bigfoot-on-the-brain/ 

6 of the best July 4th Stories from BFRO

Happy 4th of July from the Bigfoot Lunch Club!

There are about 17 Bigfoot Fourth of July stories from BFRO! Below are the top 6th, Hope you enjoy. These stories have been rewritten for you reading pleasure, you can read the rest of the stories told by the witnesses at the links following each story.

The Stick Throwing Stomping Sasquatch of Shawnee National Forest
During July 4th weekend camping trip, a man, his wife and three children hear rustling in the middle of the night, assuming it was raccoons until they heard the vocalization of something much bigger. 

“It sounded like it was calling the other one from the woods into the site,” The wife recalled
When a second one came close to the tent the husband yelled, “HEY GET OUTTA HERE!”
It was enough to get the two creatures to stomp away, and the stomping sounds were enough to convince the family these were not raccoons.  The mother gathered the kids and drove to the nearest town of Portsmouth. They returned an hour later when light began to break. When the parents went to scout the camp site, sticks were thrown and heavy breathing was heard, so they returned to the car and stayed there for another 3 hours. Eventually they returned to camp and had found everything in tact except for the garbage, which had been thoroughly gone through.
http://www.bfro.net/GDB/show_report.asp?id=27972

Family of Fourteen Finds Bigfoot on the Forth
Three miles east of Nebraska, a family had lit their final fireworks and the hour was close to 11. The party of eight adults and six children retired to the patio as the night began to wind down. Suddenly one of the adults jumped from his chair and urged everyone to look at the bean field across from the house.

“The animal/creature walked at a very fast pace through the beans to a point behind a hill where we lost sight of it,” reported the witness, “I have hunted my entire life and have never seen anything like this before. It walked leaning slightly forward, swinging it's arms as it moved across the field.”

The witness drove his 4x4 truck equipped with spotlights to the place the creature was heading towards. The trail led to a barbed wire fence that clearly indicated the creature had crossed through. The evidence at the fence was enough to scare the witness into turning around and go home.
http://www.bfro.net/GDB/show_report.asp?ID=6410

Mother and Baby Run over Bigfoot with a Honda Civic
During a Fourth of July Weekend a Mother and her Baby were heading home in a Honda Civic. As they rounded a corner the mom eyes followed the guard rail to her right, past the final guard rail post was a crouching creature. To her surprise the seven-foot tall creature stood up eventually jumped in front of the car. In shock, she did not slow down and the creature seemed to know this. Immediately the creature laid flat on the ground and the mom could feel her driver side tires roll over the creatures head. Once home she checked for damage to her car and found only the some hair got in the license plate bolt.
http://www.bfro.net/gdb/show_report.asp?id=33908

Seattle-bound from Seneca Sasquatch caught in Headlights
it was 1:30am on highway 395. It was the evening of the Fourth of July (officially the fifth as it was 1:30 am) and the witness was driving his 1964 Lincoln Continental Convertible, a car with four headlights.

“ I was doing about 70 MPH when my lights caught the eye reflection. I rapidly decreased my speed & the damn thing just stood there like he owned the road! Maybe he was as supprised [sic] as I was? I had good visual on him for at least 10 seconds at close range.” The witness reported.
As the witness got closer he claims, “It crossed the highway (one lane & shoulder) in 2 or 3 steps! It then proceeded up the bank & into the tree line.”

Upon a follow up interview the witness estimates that he got within about 40'-50' at the closest approach before the animal decided to move and could clearly see its facial features, as it was looking at the car directly. He emphasized its short neck and ape-like face with brow ridge and flat nose, the head shape closer to that of a gorilla than of a chimpanzee.

Cabinet Mountain Climbers hear a Curdling Call
Five climbers made base camp at 6500 ft, a great spot to witness firework in Libby, Montana 10 miles away. Any chatter amongst the climbers was silenced by a call lasting for ten long seconds.  The calls are described as a low bear-like growl that continued to rise into a high-pitched scream. The next day a 15ft deep cave was discovered that was lined with pine needles.  Knocks have been heard in the area when the witnessed returned with his son 6 years later.
http://www.bfro.net/GDB/show_report.asp?id=10260

Waking Whoops heard in Washington State
A fourth of July camping trip near the Humptulips fish hatchery at the mouth of Stevens creek. This is in Grays Harbor County Washington, a hot spot for Bigfoot encounters. After a cooking hotdogs and talking, almost all five campers including a father, son, fiancé, a friend and his step-brother settled in for the night. The friend had stayed up until 2:30 am, and that’s when the whoops began.
When asked by his fiancé what the noise was he claimed it was people as not to alarm her, but these sounds were familiar to him as he states, “the first thing that entered my mind when i heard this was the whoops from the 1974 recording from California..it was almost identical to it but the ones that i heard had more of a primate tone to it...I do believe there was 2 of them communicating because there was one just on the other side of the river not to far back in the timber..(the one that woke us up)...then occasionally we would hear one farther away, then the closer one would whoop back in response...this went on for an hour.”
http://www.bfro.net/GDB/show_report.asp?id=24216
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