Finding Bigfoot's Pocatello Idaho Expedition Takes Cliff Barackman by Surprise

Promotional photograph for season three of Finding Bigfoot
(Clockwise starting left: James "Bobo" Fay, Matt Moneymaker, Cliff Barackman, Ranae Holland)

"The Idaho expedition was one of the first times I really was taken by surprise as to where bigfoots hang out." --Cliff Barackman

Last night's episode of Finding Bigfoot took place around Pocatello, Idaho. We covered this student-filmed footage in our post Dr. Jeff Meldrum Discusses Pocatello Idaho Bigfoot Video. Click the following link to read our entire coverage of Finding Bigfoot.

Cliff Barackman, co-host of Finding Bigfoot, does the best job filling in the blanks and supplementing the TV show with behind-the-scenes information. At his site (CliffBarackman.com) he has posted field notes from the Pocatello, Idaho episode of Finding Bigfoot. 

When you read his field notes, you quickly realize why Cliff Barackman is one of the most respected Bigfoot researcher's. He is not afraid to share his initial thoughts and how they evolve as he has access to more information. In a community that can be filled with vitriol and hyperbole, Cliff Barackman is breath of fresh air. Well, we should really let him speak for himself. Below is a short excerpt from his most recent field notes taken from the Idaho expedition of Finding Bigfoot.

I came into this investigation thinking that this could very well be a case of hoaxing by teenagers, especially with the concerns I had with the footprint photograph. However, after speaking with the witnesses, I am pretty convinced that they are not lying about what happened that day. They proved themselves to be people of religious morality and intelligence with future aspirations that mirror this. In fact, their wish to remain anonymous is partly due to their concern about sports scholarships and pending acceptance to universities. At worst, this might be a case of a misidentification, but I think it’s very likely that they filmed a bigfoot.

The town hall meeting was pretty interesting. Dr. Meldrum attended with a couple of his sons. There was a botonist that saw a large sasquatch many miles back in a wilderness area. Another man had photographed footprints just the weekend before in an area of frequent bigfoot activity, which is where Ranae went for her solo camping excursion. Many Native Americans from the local Fort Hall Reservation came out to hear stories of bigfoots from the area, but almost none of them shared encounters… until after the meeting ended. We were then overwhelmed with both the number and quality of sightings from the local Indians. As is often the case, they just didn’t want to share their encounters on camera out of respect for the sasquatches.

The Idaho expedition was one of the first times I really was taken by surprise as to where bigfoots hang out. While the mountains surrounding Pocatello, ID are typical bigfoot habitat, the flat lands look like about the last place a bigfoot would want to hang out. Yet, there are very credible sightings from these flat, largely-treeless areas. These sightings usually happen in farm lands that are not far from waterways. Some of the reporting witnesses are law enforcement officers who have seen the sasquatches both with their eyes and with thermal imagers. Once again, bigfoots do some very unexpected things in some very unexpected locations. They are full of surprises, to say the very least.

SRC: Cliff Barackman's Idaho Field Notes

As in seasons past, these Field Notes (he should call them Cliff Notes) will be a crucial supplement to every episode of the TV show Finding Bigfoot. We are big fans of the show and understand the obligatory necessity to entertain, but we are also bigfooters through and through, and we are thankful a respected researcher from the community adds context to each episode.

Don't forget to visit our Pocatello, Idaho Bigfoot Video coverage from June.
And click the following link to read Cliff Barackman's Idaho Field Notes

2 Award-Winning Bigfoot Authors to Speak on November 16th Near Mt Hood

Where Bigfoot Walks and Wild Life by Robert Michael Pyle and Molly Gloss respectively

WHO: Robert Michael Pyle, Molly Gloss
WHERE: The Resort at The Mountain | 68010 East Fairway Ave
WHEN: Friday November 16th at 7:30 pm
TICKETS: $15

Wild Nights is an event hosted by the Wy'east Book Shoppe and The Resort on the Mountain, The Friday night event will present three acclaimed authors to speak about thier personal Bigfoot experiences starting at  7:30 pm. It will be followed by a daytime event on Saturday November 17th at the same location called "Mt.Hood Bigfoot Gathering".

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHORS

ROBERT MICHAEL PYLE -- The author of fourteen books, including Chasing Monarchs, Where Bigfoot Walks, and Wintergreen, which won the John Burroughs Medal. A Yale-trained ecologist and a Guggenheim fellow, he is a full-time writer living in southwestern Washington.

MOLLY GLOSS -- Winner of the Oregon Book Award and a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, and a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. Her sci-fi novel, The Dazzle of Day, received the PEN West Fiction Prize and was a New York Times Notable Book. Her Bigfoot book,Wild Life, set in the woods and mountains of Washington State at the turn of the 20th century, won the James Tiptree Award for literary fantasy

Four Smart Questions for BeardCard, Provo Canyon Bigfoot Videographer

Artist, Guy Edwards, depiction of Provo Canyon Bigfoot

We recently asked BeardCard, videographer of the Provo Canyon Video what we think are important smart questions bigfooters want the answers to. Please read his responses below and re-watch his original video. (Click to see our stabilized Provo Canyon Bigfoot) 

1. Have you been to that area before? Have you seen wildlife there before? The reason I ask, Bigfoot have been reported to "hang-out" with certain fauna.
We have been up four wheeling and hiking in this area quite a bit. We have camped there a few times as well. We haven't been this this exact location many times, but many places throughout Provo Canyon and near Squaw Peak. There are many many deer up there. It is actually deer hunting season right now, so tons of hunters are/were up there as well. Besides deer and smaller animals, I have seen a couple mouse over the years, but not often.

2. You said you went back to the site to get your belongings, do you plan on going back to revisit what happened?
We have, and may be going back up soon to document what happened on video.

3. How many people were with you? Did you think it was Bigfoot before you reviewed the video?
There were 5 of us there. My wife and I, and 3 of my siblings.
Before coming home and watching the video, it being a Bigfoot had been brought up along with lots of other thoughts. In the moment we didn't know what it was besides a huge animal who turned quickly to look at us, and we were way to close to it. Still at this point all 5 of us are not sure what it was or could have been.

4. Finally, what is the craziest question you've been asked so far? 
Probably, "Do you think it could have been a turkey fanning its feathers?"  Um no. It was huge, had arms and stood and stared at us. If the video doesn't show that clear enough, in person all of us can assure you that thing was not a turkey.
Or "Looking at your shoes in the video you guys obviously weren't dressed in hiking gear, how can you explain this..."
We were simply out there to camp overnight and decided to go on a little hike up to some deer. We were not set to be hiking long distances, we were simply on a fun little camping trip.
Or "What do you have to say to the people who call hoax?"
They can think what they want. A lot of people are so set in their opinions that nothing can ever waver them. We simply posted our video online to show friends and family how freaky it was, the Bigfoot community and news media blew it up from there.

Thanks for the interview BeardCard! Now that we heard it from you we can cross the Turkey-Theory off the list as possibilities! Please watch the original Provo Canyon Bigfoot video below.