Today, March 30th in 1984, Bigfoot was considered a protected non-game species that couldn't legally be hunted in California, state Department of Fish and Game officials said. Although we should note Skamania County in WA beat them to it in 1969 -- More on that in two more days.
Actually what is more fascinating due to some great investigative reporting by The North American Bigfoot Search website is the fact that the California State Department of Fish and Game has an entire file on Bigfoot. This is like a state-level project blue book for bigfoot.
Everyone here recommends visiting the The North American Bigfoot Search website for a great interview with Eric Loft, Chief of the Wildlife Branch. A masterful work of due diligence and investigative persistence.
Meanwhile expand the full post below to see a list of the entire contents of the DFG's file on Bigfoot.
California Department of Fish & Game/ The Bigfoot File Contents
The focus of this section will be the contents of the DFG file. DFG allowed us to copy each page in the binder. What follows is a list of the documents in the order they were inside the file:
1. DFG routing slip (47 Names).
2. Photo and short article on the PG film, dated 1/11/99
3. Sacramento Union article, 5/14/78, titled “Soviets Positive Bigfoot Exists”
4. Memorandum, From Ron Jurek (DFG), Title “Proposed Procedures for Processing Permit Applications to take “Bigfoot” and for Responding to Requests for Information”, 3 Pages, **NABS will further discuss this memo later in the story.
5. Record Searchlight Article, “Bigfoot Reported in Trinity County, 5/20/99
6. LA Times (No Date) “Bigfoot really was a fake says family of man who created it”
7. Letter from US Expedition and Exploration Society to Ms. Lorna Bernard, Wildlife Division, Dated 11/17/97, contents discuss the writers inability to get to Sacramento to obtain copies of file and requests they be sent.
8. Herald and News, Klamath Falls, Oregon, article- “Bigfoot Search Effort Eyed in Dorris”, 11/7/97.
9. Letter from US Expedition and Exploration Society dated 10/2/97, to Laura Bernard requesting that the name of the group be given to people writing the DFG asking for sighting information.
10. Letter from DFG Director Jacqueline Schafer to US Expeditions dated 11/11/97, states that DFG is writing at the request of an Assembly Member and states that they will keep their letter on file for future reference. The letter also describes the contents of the Bigfoot file.
11. Letter from Tom Woods, California Assemblyman to Jacqueline Schafer, DFG addressing the needs of a constituent, dated 10/16/97
12. Message note not dated to: Howard from Rev Schumacker.
13. Sacramento Bee Article, 11/30/75, “Scientific Opinion Mounts: Bigfoot More Than a Legend”, Photo of Peter Byrne goes with article.
14. Handwritten note from Doug Updike, regarding Ron Badal, regarding a sighting in the Lewiston Area, 5 Individuals observed a biped, 7-8 feet tall, followed people for 3 days. Note also states ”Grizzly in the Trinity Lake Area in 1978”.
15. Copy of article, “Bigfoot: A Bibliography by Patricia Katka, 3 Pages
16. Sacramento Bee Article, 7/11/81, “Bigfoot Hunters Stalk the Woods for Clues to an American Legend”
17. Sacramento Bee Article, “Man Goes in Search of Bigfoot”, By Rob Gold, 8/26/82
18. One page of a multi page letter to Mr. Thompson at DFG and speaks about a mystery animal doing destruction in the forests.
19. A 4 page proposal written by “Christian Bigfoot Project, Proposal for Financing”, for bringing in “a fresh killed body of Bigfoot”. The report has qualifications, Justification for project, Needed equipment with budget ($17,900) and is supported by “Sportsmen for Christ, Carmichael, CA.
20. Article, “I Touched Bigfoot”, no date and no name of where it originated.
21. Article, “Crazed Bigfoot traps Terrified Teens in Remote Wilderness Cabin”, no date, no name of origination.
22. Handwritten letter to “Mr. Fullerton” from “Ernest Sproles” about a scientific research proposal, one page.
23. Sacramento Bee article “Bigfoot Snapshot Claimed”, 5/11/81.
24. Routing Slip for DFG.
25. Letter from Richard Craig to DFG asking for assistance on writing a school paper on Bigfoot.
26. Letter to Rosalie Murillo (Redwood City, CA) from DFG (Gordon Gould) telling the subject that states “your family saw something that none of you can explain.” The letter implies that the family thought they saw a Bigfoot. The letter describing this event is not in the file.
27. Letter from DFG to Lynda Werner (Sacramento, CA) “The DFG feels the existence of Bigfoot is exceedingly unlikely. There is no scientific evidence which supports the existence of this mythical creature. Surely the scientific community and the military have sufficiently sensitive detection equipment to validate reports of Bigfoot. They have not done so, and therefore we cannot recognize Bigfoot as a living animal.” The name of the director that signed this letter cannot be recognized, dated 1/19/81.
28. Letter from DFG director to Ernest Sproules, Carmichael, CA. The contents of this letter mimic the content from above.
29. Article, Sacramento Bee, 5/6/80, “Sasquatch”.
30. Letter from Nick Kroeze, Yuba City, CA to Dept of Fish and Game Howard Leach. Kroeze writes about the proof of Bigfoot existence from he Smithsonian and forwards a photo (not in file) and a copy of the article, also not in file.
31. Letter from DFG to Nick Kroeze explaining the criteria for getting a creature on the endangered species act. Howard Leach from DFG writes, “Unfortunately until this animal is obtained, described and properly identified by the scientific community, we feel we cannot recommend to the fish and game Commission the inclusion of Bigfoot into California’s endangered species listing,” dated 2/21/73.
32. Article, “The Search goes on for Bigfoot”, by Russ Kinne, unknown where article appeared, 4 pages.
33. An unknown newspaper article with an unknown dated, titled, “On the Hot Trail of a Shadowy Giant”, dateline The Dalles, Oregon. Written by David P. Johnson.
34. Sacramento Bee article, Dated 5/16/77, “Bigfoot Sighting, Prints Convince Mounties.” The article talks about a Pacific Stage Line bus east of Mission, British Columbia had its driver and 6 passengers see a Sasquatch cross in front of the bus. The people followed a trail of stink and found some human type prints. The RCMP was called to the scene and believed that something had crossed in front of the bus.
35. One sheet with 2 newspaper articles, “Bigfoot Sighting in British Columbia. Dated 5/16/77, dateline Mission, BC, same story as in line 34. Another article from the Sacramento Bee dated 8/19/76, “Humboldt County Bills Shasta County for Bigfoot Hunt,” the article talks about a woman that is supposedly kidnapped by a Bigfoot.
36. San Francisco Chronicle article, dated 1/7/76, “Stomping on a Bigfoot, page 6 by Julie Smith.
37. San Francisco Chronicle article dated 1/3/76, “Lawyer Thinks it’s Bigfoot.” The article is about a NY attorney who purchased an animal for sideshows, it’s name is Oliver. The attorney thinks that the creature he bought is somehow related to the Bigfoot in North America.
38. California Threatened Species Data Form. Unknown person completed the form and wrote information that depicts a Bigfoot. The information was supplied by, Rev Schumacher, Sacramento, CA, dated 8/22/75. He lists “Destruction of forest habitat by logging operations” as the factors threatening the species. He also states “These people should be given full protection as soon as possible as they are human. I know because I seen them close up several times. They are as human as you and I, just hairy!” There are 3 pages to this document.
39. Newspaper article, unknown paper or date, “Report Seeing Bigfoot in Desolate Area near Yosemite”. The article talks about a pilot and passenger flying over Confidence Ridge north of Yosemite when they observed the brownish colored creature standing erect.
40. Letter addressed to “Mr. Fullerton” at DFG attempts to solicit assistance in killing two Bigfoot. Dated 11/12/80. Signed by Ernest Sproles in Sacramento area.
41. Letter from DFG director to Steve Valencia stating that they are replying at the request of the governor. The letter says that the DFG doesn’t recognize Bigfoot because the scientific community doesn’t. Dated 12/21/73.
42. Unknown newspaper article titled “To City on Columbia River”, by Philip Fradkin. It lists several Bigfoot incidents in Oregon.
43. DFG letter dated 4/23/76 from the State of Oregon, signed by Robert Mace “Deputy Director. The contents “We have checked out the Bigfoot news situation with the Post Office department and find that it is a subsidiary of International Wildlife Conservation Society, Inc. A non-profit educational permit for mailing has been issued through the Portland Post Office. Bigfoot news operates out of The Dalles rather than Dallas as you indicated. Otherwise the address is correct. I didn’t gather any information on money matters but could do so if you needed to know the income and outgo. I hope this helps.”
Written on State of Oregon, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of the Director- letterhead.
44. A copy of the Bigfoot news, dated March 1976.
45. A copy of the Bigfoot News, dated 12/75.
46. A copy of the Bigfoot News dated 11/75.
47. A copy of the Bigfoot News dated 2/76.
48. A California Threatened Species Data Form, Dated 6/18/76 and signed by Jon Beckjord, The Society for the Identification and Protection of Bigfoot. One section of the form asks “Numbers, Beckjord writes, “As of 1973, 59 sightings of this primate species have been reported in California.
49. Letter from DFG Howard to Leach to Jon Beckjord telling him he can appear in front of the commission to argue his cause for Bigfoot. The letter states that the DFG is recommending the denial of Bigfoot as a protected species. Dated 8/6/76
50. Letter from Mr. Beckjord to Howard Leach dated 8/5/76 stating that he does want to appear in front of the commission. Beckjord states that a large human skull was found in the Minarets by Dr. RW Denton who forwarded the skull to UCLA who promptly lost it. He said that the size of the cranium indicated it was possibly a Bigfoot. The document is one page.
51. Letter from Ron Jurek to Sergio Ramirez (Redwood City, CA). Ramirez had written requesting info on Bigfoot. Jurek says that there is no scientific basis for Bigfoot and encourages Ramirez to write to the Canadian Wildlife Service for info on Sasquatch, one page.
52. Three page letter written (almost a report) by Rev E. Watts Schumacher. This is a fascinating report!! He states that his first encounter with Bigfoot was in 1916 in Piercy, CA (almost on the Humboldt/Mendocino County line). He states that he was trapping furbearers and found 17 ½ inch tracks, 8 inches wide with toes, within 10’ of a trap. He was ten years old at the time. He said that his brothers often heard someone following them and paralleled them as they walked on trails. In 1925 he states that he was fishing on McCoy Creek in Mendocino County and camped there and found three sets of human type tracks. Later he said he was trying to rustle deer out of the brush when he awoke a red colored Bigfoot from its bed under the same brush. He said that it smelled like a sweaty human but he could see white skin under its reddish hair. Years later he stated that he was hunting in “Low Gap Creek” area when he saw a blonde Bigfoot crawl out of the tree and leave the area on two feet. “The next sighting was in 1953 while I worked for the City of Seatte Power and light company on their RR up the Skagit River. As I approached a talus rock slide I saw steam arising from the rocks (there was some snow on the ground) as I slipped up expecting to see a bear but it was a black haired B.F. curled up sleeping with its back to the crevice opening, it smelled human. That summer I was in a boat fishing on Ross Lake near Ruby Inlet when I saw something swimming across the inlet. I rowed over to see what it was, it was a big brown haired BF, so I got out of there as I did not care to have it hitch a ride in my small boat.” The paper is fascinating and contains many credible aspects of Bigfoot life.
53. Handwritten note from Rev Schumacher to Howard Leach advising him that there was a PBS special to be aired about the Search for the Great Apes., dated 12/28/75.
54. Letter from Tim Roberts (923 W. Watts, El Reno, OK) from Howard Leach telling Roberts to write to the Bigfoot Information Center for info on Bigfoot. The letter that initiated this response is not in the package.
55. Letetr from the National Wildlife Federation, director Louis Clapper, dated 3/19/75. It is addressed to Ron Jurek at DFG and addresses where the money came from for their Bigfoot expedition (restricted grant from a family in Florida). It also states that it has severed all relations with Robert W. Morgan. One page.
56. Letter to Scott Bravard (New Castle, Indiana) telling the subject to write to The Bigfoot Information Project for info on Bigfoot, signed by an unknown DFG director, 2/26/76.
56. State of California Office Memo. The following handwritten notes on are on the memo. The memo doesn’t state who it is from or to: Item 1- “Early Nov, rancher and wife on elk hunt “thing” came around their camp several nights in a row on the Klamath. Crashed through brush around camp 2/3 of way around it., 90-100 yards away. Made noise that was unheard of, slept with gun 3 nights in a row. Item 2- “Castle Crags State Park- Playing large predator call hears brush snapping w/ in 100 yards starts screaming and thrashing jack pines, 1969.” Item 3- “3am, along Walker River rolled off seat of car because something picked up car, 1957 huge car about 4000 pounds, three times. His friends asleep in back seat felt it too, feigned sleep while this “thing” stood at passenger door, breathing and making guttural sound. Walked away sounded like a two-legged animal. Ground too frozen to see prints. Trunk loaded with food was open but undisturbed. Bumper was completely twisted like a towel- how could an animal w/out opposing thumbs do that?” One page no other details.
57. Article, one page, “The Piltdown Man hoax.
58. State of Calif Office Memo. From “Loach, to “Files”. Dated 4/10/77. Subject, Bigfoot Sightings. “Rick Drovin, store keeper, Piercy, reported sighting Bigfoot on April 5-8. Allen Barry at lunch reported going to Piercy and interviewing Drovin, provided tape, sightings were inconclusive, Barry collected hairs and observed footprints, hair given to Oscar Brunolte.” No other details.
59. Letter to Eileen Havington, Damascus, PA stating that Bigfoot is not recognized by science, written by a DFG director, no other details. One page.
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