In a previous post about Rick Lunsford of Cricket, North Carolina we quoted his description of his Sasquatch encounter 32 years ago (see Bigfoot Search Is On In Wilkes County).
"I seen it's eyes first. Then I seen it's oval shaped head. Then I seen the hair hanging off of him about 4 or 5 inches. I seen his left arm bowed out beside of him. I could see every finger and thumb," said Lunsford. "I never did see it no more and I never did go back looking for it."
In an article at Winston Salem Journal (below), there is talk of Lunsford asking for some help to find another Sasquatch in the same area, in the hopes of having another encounter.
'The missing link is out here'
More than 30 people show up in Wilkes County to try to find Bigfoot
By ANNETTE FULLER
Published: March 06, 2011
MILLERS CREEK --
Rick Lunsford didn't want to take his vision of Bigfoot to the grave without sharing it, and that's why he arranged an outing in Wilkes County Saturday to try to find the big guy.
"I had a serious gallbladder infection a year ago, and the doctor gave me three to five days to live," said Lunsford, 52. He had an operation and recuperated, but the near-death experience convinced him that he had to come out with it — that he had seen Bigfoot in rural Wilkes County when he was 20.
"I've got five grandyoung'uns, and I wanted them to know about Bigfoot before I go. The missing link is out here in these hills," Lunsford said Saturday afternoon, surrounded by about 30 other Bigfoot adventurers who came out on a gray, rainy day to seek the creature.
Lunsford described Bigfoot as between 6 and 8 feet tall, as broad as a refrigerator, with an oval head and dark eyes, and a hand similar to a human's, with a thumb and four fingers.
The group met at the Millers Creek Food Lion parking lot at noon Saturday, in a drizzling rain.
"I honestly don't believe, but I could always be made a believer," said Matthew Billings of Hayes, a turkey hunter.
Bobby Lee of North Wilkesboro said if Bigfoot is out there, "he's smart, because he's avoiding bear traps that can easily take a man's leg off."
Logan Baker of Hayes said he wanted to come see what all the fuss was about. "We'd like to believe it; we'd like to find proof," said Baker, who is a deer hunter.
Gary Pilkenton of Millers Creek said he is 75 percent sure that Bigfoot exists. "I believe that all these witnesses who have seen him, all these years, can't be lying. They come up with the same descriptions, by and large."
Bigfoot is a species of animal that hasn't yet been recognized officially, Pilkenton said.
"He's a mammal, a primate of some kind."
The group would look for footprints or broken limbs — anything that would show that a big creature had been there.
About 12:30, the group got into their vehicles, and a caravan of trucks and cars headed toward the Roten Creek area, about 12 miles away. Vehicles slowly drove on a winding, misty mountainous road beside a wide creek, past Christmas tree farms, wood and brick bungalow houses, cows and churches, including Poplar Cove Baptist and New Light Baptist. The Blue Ridge Holiness Campground had a sign that read, "Jesus is coming soon! Wake up America!"
As the vehicles were parking near the site, a driving rain began. When a couple of the all-terrain vehicles began spinning their wheels, trying to make it up a steep muddy hill to get to the site, Lunsford called off the hunt.
"I don't want anyone to get hurt," he said, adding that he would reschedule for a day with better weather and no rain.
Hobert Hart, who lived nearby, came outside to find out what all the hubbub was about. When told that people were trying to find Bigfoot, he said he has lived in the area since 1949 and had never seen it.
"The biggest thing I have ever seen was a bear," Hart said, adding that he did not believe in Bigfoot.
"Maybe these people are getting a bit of exercise, but that's about all they're getting," he said.
Brad Boyer of Mooresville and his two sons Robbie and Ryan came to the hills of Millers Creek wearing T-shirts that said, "Bigfoot stepped on me in Willow Creek, California."
"Bigfoot is a cottage industry in Willow Creek," he said, adding he couldn't pass up the chance to go on an expedition so close to home.
"All the Bigfoot folklore, TV programs and websites out there influence people, and leads them to put things together in their minds," Boyer said. "I don't believe in it personally, but I don't believe these people are lying."
Lunsford said that when people tell him what he saw was probably a bear, he answers that "a bear has a neck, and this thing I saw, his head rested right on his shoulders."
Lunsford said after he saw Bigfoot, he didn't tell many people, only his wife. He said he waited 20 years to tell his mother, so as not to upset her.
After various media reported on the upcoming expedition, Lunsford said he was teased in the chat rooms of gowilkes.com, a popular website for Wilkes County residents.
One person wrote that Lunsford was trying to find the tooth fairy, and another one wrote: "Dear Ricky: Leave him alone, you dummy!"
"People can believe whatever they want to believe," he said, adding that he was pleased with the turnout, especially given the rain. "This was worth it all, and these people showing up means a lot. Now, people know that Bigfoot was here."
Those who would like to go on the next hunt can call Lunsford at (336) 667-4730.
You can watch two earlier videos attached to this story below.
Wilkes County Man Searching For Bigfoot - Rick Lunsford is on the search for Bigfoot 32 years after he claims he first saw him.
Why Are They Searching For Bigfoot - 6pWhat is up with the fascination of hunting for Bigfoot
