Town distances itself from $1M Bigfoot hunt

In December of 2009 we had heard chatter that Rick Lewis might not be legit. Lewis owns Bigfoot Central, a Bigfoot themed gift shop, and museum. He also claimed he was conducting a genuine contest which consisted of a $250 entry fee and a chance to win 1 Million Dollars for photographic proof of Bigfoot. The contest was advertised at hunt4bigfoot.com (if you go to the site, all of the sudden "online registration is now closed".)

There are several signs that point to the illegitimacy of the event. For one, the host resort has never heard of the event and two, News 9 is reporting several cease-and-desist letters from companies and government organizations that were implied to be sponsors of his event



News 9 of Colorado is skeptical:

SILVERTON - For $250, photographers can enter to win $1 million for snapping a photo of Bigfoot in the mountains of southwest Colorado. The problem is the event's supposed sponsors and host resort have never heard of such a thing.
The hunt, advertised through the website www.hunt4bigfoot.com, is the brainchild of Silverton-businessman Rick Lewis. He owns Bigfoot Central, a gift shop and "museum."

Lewis is also the recent target of several cease-and-desist letters from companies and government organizations that he implied were sponsors of his event.

The $1,000,000 Hunt For Bigfoot offered a chance for 400 participants, for $250 apiece, to win the bounty for catching Bigfoot in a photograph during a July 10-14 event at Kendall Mountain Resort in Silverton.

However, the event appears to be about as real as the mythical hairy forest-dweller itself.

Silverton town administrator Jason Wells says the Kendall Mountain Resort, which is owned by the town, has never been scheduled to host the $1,000,000 Hunt For Bigfoot. Wells says the resort is booked with a different event that weekend.

"I just want to make sure that we're not somehow tied into this whole affair," Wells said. "I don't want a bunch of people showing up here who have paid $250 for there to be a lack of an event that's got the town's name in any way attached to it."

In a statement, dated 12/27/09, to Whalesinspace.com Rick Lewis released this statement.

The primary purpose of our Hunt for Bigfoot event is simply to gather together four hundred or more other Bigfoot enthusiasts, for a few days to enjoy the Great Outdoors of the San Juan region of Colorado, promote our business-Bigfoot Central and Legend of Bigfoot Museum, show off the town of Silverton in which we are located, and let everyone enjoy an evening together, Bigfoot'n at our planned $1,000,000.00 Hunt for Bigfoot closing party.

Over 17,000 people visited our Legend of Bigfoot Museum this past season and we have had many a request for such an event. With (7) recorded sightings nearby this year and a long history of encounters in this region, Bigfoot excitement is in the air and the response to our planned event has been very good. For those one or two skeptics-and there always seem to be some in a crowd-we encourage them to stay home. The $1,000,000.00 Hunt for Bigfoot event is for imaginative and fun enjoying people only.

-- Bigfoot Central/Legend of Bigfoot Museum

OUR PREVIOUS COVERAGE
$1M Contest to Capture Bigfoot Legit?
Promoters Weigh In

EXTERNAL LINKS
9 NEWS Official Report
Whales in Space Page Dated 12/27/2009

Promoters of $1M Hunt 4 Bigfoot Contest Weigh-In

We received a Comment to our previous post via WhalesInSpace.com that seems to close the case of the $1,000,000.00 Hunt for Bigfoot. We decided it deserved its own post. Rick Lewis, of Bigfoot Central/Legend of Bigfoot Museum and promoter of the Hunt 4 Bigfoot event has provided the comment below.

The primary purpose of our Hunt for Bigfoot event is simply to gather together four hundred or more other Bigfoot enthusiasts, for a few days to enjoy the Great Outdoors of the San Juan region of Colorado, promote our business-Bigfoot Central and Legend of Bigfoot Museum, show off the town of Silverton in which we are located, and let everyone enjoy an evening together, Bigfoot'n at our planned $1,000,000.00 Hunt for Bigfoot closing party.

Over 17,000 people visited our Legend of Bigfoot Museum this past season and we have had many a request for such an event. With (7) recorded sightings nearby this year and a long history of encounters in this region, Bigfoot excitement is in the air and the response to our planned event has been very good. For those one or two skeptics-and there always seem to be some in a crowd-we encourage them to stay home. The $1,000,000.00 Hunt for Bigfoot event is for imaginative and fun enjoying people only.

-- Bigfoot Central/Legend of Bigfoot Museum

Great Job WhalesInSpace.com!

You can still register to participate in The Hunt For Bigfoot at www.hunt4bigfoot.com

$1M Contest to Capture Bigfoot Legit?

Our pals at WhalesinSpace.com are doing some great investigative work into the legitimacy of the $1,000,000.00 Hunt for Bigfoot.



According to the website www.hunt4bigfoot.com:

The Hunt will be held in the San Juan Region of Colorado on July 10-14, 2010 with Hunt Headquarters located at Bigfoot Central in Silverton, CO. approximately 50 miles North of Durango, CO. on Hwy. #550. Many sightings of Bigfoot have been reported in this area over the past 200 hundred years, with recent credible reports of sightings and personal encounters during 2009. Registered participants will be given (96) hours to locate and photograph a live Bigfoot within the Designated Hunt Area of a 100 mile radius of Silverton, CO. The first photograph presented to the Promoter and authenticated by it's designated specialists, will win the $1,000,000.00 reward. Additional prizes will be awarded for photographs of Bigfoot Physical Evidence, i.e. tracks, shelters and the like as well as for Best Photographs of selected animals in the wild.

Registration is through this website. The $1,000,000.00 Hunt for Bigfoot is limited to the first (400) entries and Registration will close when available entries are filled. Entry Fee is $250. for (1) Designated Hunter. Additional T-Shirt/Museum/Party tickets are available for Family Members/Friends at $75. per person. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover Card are accepted through our secure Google Check-Out.

A commenter at Whales In Space question the legitimacy of the contest due to the domain registration of huntforbigfoot.com. The contest site does seem unfinished or incomplete, in fact, the only link that works on the site is the link to purchase tickets. The jury is still out.

We recommend going over to WhalesInSpace.com as they begin to connect the dots on this mysterious contest. Whales in space has a lot more detail and some evidence that may sway your opinion.