Today in Bigfoot History | JAN 02 | The Bigfoot Bulletin is Published

George Haas pioneer of disseminating Bigfoot news and research

"One of the most significant developments of the year 1969, at least from a Sasquatch hunter's point of view, was the birth of an unassuming little publication called the Bigfoot Bulletin. " -- John Green

In 1969 on January 2nd George Haas, the organizer, archivist, and spokesman of the Bay Area Group of Bigfoot investigators, publishes the first issue of The Bigfoot Bulletin a two-page newsletter that allowed Bigfoot researchers to actually compare and share notes.

A diagram of a Bigfoot hand trap, the type of ideas you would see in The Bigfoot Bulletin

The Bigfoot Bulletin was a new kind of venture in North American hominology, much approved at the time both by René Dahinden and John Willison Green. In Fact one chapter of Green's Year of the Sasquatch (1970) is devoted to that newsletter. Green writes:

One of the most significant developments of the year 1969, at least from a Sasquatch hunter's point of view, was the birth of an unassuming little publication called the Bigfoot Bulletin. For years people who were spending their spare time and money running down Sasquatch reports have talked about the need for a means of communication, but none ever did anything about it. Some kept in fairly regular contact by letter, but others did little or no writing, only dropping in during their travels or telephoning at intervals that might be years apart. Quite a few didn't know that anyone else was active in the field at all.

The man who changed all that is George Haas, of Oakland, California. George has worked at a variety of outdoor jobs and has been a keen woodsman for many years, but he got into the Sasquatch business via the bookshelf. From correspondence with George I know that his experience included a period as Ranger in Charge of the Calaveras Big Trees State Park in California and six years in Yellowstone National Park where he designed, built, and operated an 18-acre reforestation nursery.

The first issue of the Bigfoot Bulletin came out on January 2, 1969. It was just two mimeographed pages. The first item reported the finding of 16-inch tracks in the snow on the Bluff Creek Road, December 2, 1968. Most of the rest of the first page listed published articles on the subject in current papers and magazines, but on Page 2 was an article by Jim McClarin, who has continued to be the Bulletin's most prolific contributor. It was the first of a series of old-time stories to reach a modern audience in the Bulletin.

Despite its growth in size and circulation, George Haas has continued to distribute it (the Bulletin) free of charge, as well as handling an ever-growing volume of correspondence resulting from it.

A number of Sasquatch hunters are basically more inclined to compete than co-operate — because they each want to be the first to bring one in. From this point of view some already object to the Bulletin as making too much hard-won information available at no cost and no effort to anyone who comes along. But for those whose main interest is to see the facts brought home to a doubting world, the Bigfoot Bulletin is an undiluted blessing. No one can buy the Bulletin. It is sent only to those who contribute information.

As someone who has been blogging about Bigfoot since 2007, I am reminded of my hard-copy predecessors. Men like George Haas,  Ray Crow, and Mike Rugg; men who were compelled by research and were interested in sharing as much insight on Bigfoot as possible. These Bigfoot newsletters were made with typewriters, scissors, paste and are still impressive today.

Click the following link to see the Bigfoot Bulletin archives
You can also buy archives of Ray Crows newsletter, "The Track Record."

Today in Bigfoot History | JAN 01 | Chief Big Foot and Finding Bigfoot Season 2 Premiers

Photo of Chief Big Foot taken on January 1st 1891, 2 days after the Wounded Knee massacre .

This photo had been taken on January 1, 1891, two days after the chief was killed by a horrific revengeful Seventh Cavalry gone berserk. Although far from the cryptozoological Bigfoot, Chief Big Foot got his namesake in a similar way; not from his actual feet, but from his tracks. Jut as Jerry Crew's 16 inch print discoveries led the media to describe our favorite cryptid as Bigfoot, Chief Big Foot was also known for his extra large snowshoe prints he left while pursuing deer. In other words, white people have been abusing the word Bigfoot 70 years earlier than we thought. It should be noted that only U.S. soldiers referred to the Chief as Big Foot, he was known by the Lakota as Spotted Elk (Unpan Glešká).

Spotted Elk (Chief Big Foot) The son of Lone Horn, he was cousin to Crazy Horse and half brother of Sitting Bull. He became chief upon his father's death in 1875.

Though skilled in war, he was known as a great man of peace, adept at settling quarrels between rival parties. Known for his political and diplomatic successes, he was often called upon to mediate disputes. Following their defeat during the War for the Black Hills, he encouraged his people to live in peace, and to adapt to the white men’s ways while retaining their native language and cultural traditions. He encouraged them to adapt to life on the reservation by developing sustainable agriculture and building schools, taking a peaceful attitude toward white settlers.

This makes all the more tragic the circumstances of his death. Sick with pneumonia, he was en route to the Pine Ridge Reservation, seeking shelter with Red Cloud's band. Apprehended, he became a victim of the Wounded Knee Massacre (1890) in which nearly 300 men, women and children of his tribe lost their lives.

Cliff Barackman trying to be a "baby Bigfoot"

On a less somber note, on January 1st, 2012 the second season of Finding Bigfoot kicked off. Below is an excerpt from the full Finding Bigfoot press release.

Over the course of 10 hour-long episodes, Animal Planet’s FINDING BIGFOOT returns for a brand-new season on Sunday, January 1, 2012, at 10 PM (ET/PT) for further expeditions to investigate reports of the mysterious bigfoot. From small towns in the South to remote areas of the mountain West and dense forest of the Northeast and into Canada, four passionate, driven researchers and adventurers embark on one single-minded mission – to find this beast.

BFRO members Matt Moneymaker and James “Bobo” Fay, professional educator Cliff Barackman and skeptical biologist Ranae Holland engage in the ultimate quest in search of proof that Bigfoot really does exist – and that he or she is alive and abundant in North America. By examining photos and videos of the creature, speaking to local witnesses, using new technology and luring the mysterious beast with the team’s squatch calls, the group uncovers startling proof of the legendary and highly intelligent enigma that has eluded capture for centuries and fascinated man for just as long.

During the series premiere, called “Baby Bigfoot,” the quartet of investigators head to the Catskills in New York near Poughkeepsie to provide in-depth analysis of 15-year-old video footage from 1997 that indicates a juvenile or baby sasquatch could have been in the area at the time.

 Click the following link to read responses to the Baby Bigfoot episode.

Bigfoot Walk as if on Tightropes, A Gorilla Does it Literally

Walking upright is one thing, but this is just showing off.

Today (12/24/12) The Telegraph filed a report about a tightrope walking Gorilla. This is of particular interest to Bigfooters since it is suggested that Bigfoot trackways often appear as if the Sasquatch was walking on a tightrope. Humans tend to straddle their gait, walking with a wider stance.

fig. 1 The difference between Bigfoot and Human gaits

The London Trackway discovered in mid-February of 2012, had similar traits to fig.1 and many trackways with fewer prints also demonstrate this same formation.

It is quite a treat to see a Gorilla literally walking a tightrope. You can read the article from The Telegraph below:

Daredevil Gorilla walks across tightrope

First he was homesick, but Kidogo, a gorilla in Krefeld zoo in Germany, now appears to be enjoying himself with a walk across a tightrope similar to daredevil Nik Wallenda.

The 12-year-old silverback moved to Germany from Denmark's Givskud Zoo at the end of March. He was acquired by the German zoo after the previous male gorilla Massa proved to be infertile.

Kidogo, a western lowland gorilla nicknamed 'King Kodo' by his keepers, shares his gorilla garden with females Muna, 23 and Oya, 24. Roughly translated from Swahili, his name means "small".

After he initially suffered extreme homesickness, he has now discovered he is somewhat of an artiste.

This year, Krefeld zoo celebrates its 75 anniversary. A tightrope-walking gorilla would likely be a highlight of any zoo.

Kidogo, with a little more practice, could join the ranks of the great tightrope walkers. In June, Wallenda became the first man to walk across Niagara Falls on a high wire.

SRC: The Telegraph