Who is Derek Randles?

Derek Randles of Ridgwalkers Unlimited and The Olympic Project

Derek Randles has been looking for Sasquatch since the mid 80's. In September 2000, he was a principle investigator in the Skookum Cast. The Skookum Cast is named after the Skookum Meadows area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. It is believed to be a cast made from a full body print of a Sasquatch laying on it's side and reaching for an apple that was left out the night before. 

Illustration based on the imprint of the Skookum Cast

Derek Randles was also part of the Dr. Jeff Meldrum's North American Ape Project. The North American Ape Project is a grant-funded multi-year sasquatch research project directed by professor Jeff Meldrum of Idaho State University. According to a university announcement, "The North American Ape Project (NAAP) seeks to detect and collect evidence through support from the Mayfield Foundation. This will be undertaken primarily by means of hair snags monitored by camera traps. In addition, fieldworkers will record vocalizations, document tracks and sample associated scat. Habitats will be analyzed for availability and distribution of food resources.

According to the Acknowledgments section of Meldrum's book "Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science" (2006), participating members of the North American Ape Project included Ron Brown, LeRoy Fish, Derek Randles, John Pickering, Rick Noll, Owen Caddy, Brian Smith, John Mionczynski, and Julie Davis.

Derek was also one of the first investigators to interview the two bear hunters involved with the Sierra Kills and has been instrumental in getting specimens from the possible killing Dr. Melba Ketchuim's DNA study. It is important to note that Derek Randles does not condone killing Bigfoot, even for the sake of science.

Recently Derek Randles investigated investigated the Elbe Trackway, now a known hoax. Prior to the discovery of a hoax Derek Randles was one of the first investigators on the scene carefully documenting every detail.

My first chance to do field work with Derek Randles
(Left to Right: Derek randles, Cliff Barackman, and me, Guy Edwards)

Now you can catch Derek Randles working the Olympic Project. According to OlympicProject.com:

The Olympic Project is an association of dedicated researchers, investigators, biologists and trackers committed to documenting the existence of Sasquatch through science and education.  Through comprehensive habitat study, DNA analysis and game camera deployment, our goal is to obtain as much information and empirical evidence as we can, with hopes of being as prepared as possible when and if species verification comes to fruition.  Our studies are conducted in a non-invasive manor with respect and sensitivity to probable habitat we believe this amazing species inhabits.

From my personal experience, Derek Randles is one of the most prepared field researchers out there. He had a tool for everything, and not just a tool, but the best tool for everything; measuring tape that measured yards and yards, casting materials, etc...His planning and thoughtfulness is apparent when you are out in the field with him and he is extremely generous with his knowledge and giving you an opportunity to collect your own data and research. 

Talk Like a Pirate Day includes Bigfoot

Arrrr Matey's! It aint beneath ourselves to take advantage of International Talk Like A Pirate Day! It be a real holiday! See fer y'self here. What do pirates and Bigfoot be havin' in common?

You'll be findin' the answer at Slow Wave. Slow Wave is a collective dream diary authored by different people from around the world, edited and drawn as a comic strip by Jesse Reklaw. A new strip is uploaded every week. Below is an dream from 2007.



EXTERNAL LINKS
Slow Wave
Wikipedia talk Like a Pirate Day Entry
official talk Like a Pirate Day Site

Bigfoot encounter in Daniel Boone National Forest

Forensic artist Traci Harrell drawing of Ken Storch's Bigfoot sighting at Narrows Creek, PA. (c) OUPT 2012

“When the flashlight hit his eyes he immediately turned his head and moved his body and turned the opposite direction we were in,” --Teresa; recent witness, spiritual medium and animal communicator from New Jersey

Some of you may be familiar with the tale of Danial Boon's Bigfoot encounter. In a 1992 Boone biography, John Mack Faragher writes about him "killing a ten-foot, hairy giant he called a Yahoo,” What better place to do some Bigfoot field research than the Daniel Boone National Forest.

A local Kentucky paper, the Morehead news ran a story today about a a 60-person investigation that brought one person eye-to-eye with a Sasquatch. The picture above was in the inset of the article, and had more to do a with a sighting in Pennsylvania, but they paired it with the article becuase it was part of a slideshow. We tracked down the picture origin and you can read about it here.

Bigfoot hunter says she saw the creature

By Nicole Sturgill - Staff Writer
September 10, 2012

Sept. 10, 2012 —       Nearly 60 persons paid $75 apiece Saturday to join paranormal researchers in the search for Bigfoot in the Daniel Boone National Forest.

One of those said she was lucky enough that night to catch a glimpse of the creature.

Teresa uses only her first name, as do many Bigfoot believers, for fear of ridicule.  She is an established spiritual medium and animal communicator from New Jersey.

She and her group had been walking the trails near Cave Run Lake for a few hours Saturday night and were not very deep into the woods, she said, when she heard grunting and growling.

Her group stumbled upon the creature as he was trying to kill a deer. He was interrupted by bright lights shining in his face.

      “When the flashlight hit his eyes he immediately turned his head and moved his body and turned the opposite direction we were in,” she said.

      The eight-foot-tall creature quickly ran away, deep into the forest, Teresa said, with her chasing him.

      “I wanted to talk to him,” she said.

      The sighting happened between 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m., she said.

      There were three search groups and, according to Teresa, hers was the only one that spotted the big, hairy, ape-like man.

      In order for the search to be legal, paranormal researcher Chad Morin paid $150 for a temporary special-use permit from the U.S. Forest Service to “attempt to locate the famed Bigfoot creature.”

      “I think the permit pretty much speaks for itself,” Teresa said.  “Why would you issue a permit if something doesn’t exist?

      “They’re saying, in my opinion, ‘We’re not agreeing or disagreeing,’ but they’re also not stopping us either.  I believe the government does know and was that’s why the permit was issued,” she said.

      Copies of the permit were passed around Saturday afternoon at the Hampton Inn, where presentations were given all afternoon, leading up to the search.

      The room was filled with persons who were obviously interested in the subject but reluctant to share their stories, especially with the press.

      “I don’t talk a lot because I don’t want to be put on the sixth floor,” one man said, referring to St. Claire Regional Medical Center’s Mental Health Unit.

      The hunt lasted from 8 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Teresa said when crews returned to the Hampton Inn, residents were more comfortable about talking.

      “I was very surprised,” she said.  “More people turned out to tell their stories than I would have imagined. For something that doesn’t exist there are an awful lot of stories for people to tell.”

      Researchers and investigators will lead another local hunt in April 2013.

      Nicole Sturgill can be reached at nsturgill@themoreheadnews.com or by telephone at 784-4116.

src: The Morehead News