Bigfoot Sightings - Do You Believe in Bigfoot?

I sat up and took notice of a recent article in our local Michigan newspaper that reported on Bigfoot sightings in Michigan, including a few sightings in our own county near an area where we go hiking.  Whoa!   That's the first I had heard of Bigfoots, also known as Sasquatches, in Michigan!  What does that mean?

I posted that news story on my Facebook page because I thought it was pretty funny.  Frankly, I figured the people who had reported the bigfoot sightings were probably nutcases, or else very suggestible and gullible. 

Kinda weird indeed!!  What could they have seen? Perhaps the headlights only lit up two legs of a four legged creature.  But still, a Sasquatch would have fatter legs than a deer, and longer legs than a bear!   Wouldn't it?   (I thought moose or elk could be possibilities, but they don't live in that area, and I still think their legs would be skinnier than Bigfoot legs!)

My friend isn't the gullible sort.  I figure she and her friend aren't positive of what they saw.  But they saw something!  Wouldn't it be cool if they really saw a Sasquatch!

Sure, I'm a skeptic.  On the other hand, I want to believe!   I want there to be weird and wonderful oddities in this world, including Bigfoot!

Sasquatches, or Bigfoots, are large ape-like, or humanoid creatures that purportedly live in North America, mostly along the Pacific Coast states and provinces. These hairy creatures are generally larger than humans, 6' - 10' tall, and can weigh more than 500 pounds.  They typically have brown or reddish brown hair (not fur).

The word "Sasquatch" comes from a Pacific Northwest Native American word for "wild man" or "hairy giant", and is a part of many Native American legends.  The first recorded "sighting" of a Sasquatch by a white man was in 1811.  (See Bigfoot of North America)

The term "Bigfoot" was coined in the 1950's from large humanoid footprints that were found in California.   Other names for this North American hominid include "skunk ape", "skookum", and "mountain devil".   More ape-like cryptids (animals whose existence has been unproven) have been reported from around the world, like the yeti (abominable snowman)  from Himalayan Nepal and Tibet.

Rhettman Mullis, from Bigfootology, thinks that fairytales about ogres, trolls, giants, and bogeymen may really be from sightings of Bigfoot-like animals in different parts of the world.  That's a fascinating idea, don't you think?

Many people think this was a well-done hoax of a man in an ape costume.  But Bill Munns, Hollywood costume designer and computer animator, examined the film closely, and considers it to be real.

Watch Analysis of Patterson/Gimlin Bigfoot Film by Bill Munns, originally on the National Geographic channel.

Read more about the Patterson / Gimlin film and responses, including those who think the film is fake, and those who believe that it is authentic, on OregonBigFoot.com.

Most people believe that the Sasquatch is only a mythical creature, a part of folklore and tall tales, and sightings are either misidentifications of other animals such as bears, or humans wearing large heavy coats and backpacks (or in the earlier history of North America, perhaps "mountain men" wearing animal furs and skins for warmth), or out-an-out hoaxes. 

But there are also a number of organizations and researchers who believe that Sasquatch, or Bigfoot exists.  While they agree that the majority of "sightings" are fake, they think there is enough evidence to suggest that Bigfoot does exist.

BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) has a great FAQ page if you want to learn more about Bigfoots, including what kind of physical evidence there is, and why we haven't found any Bigfoot remains. It also lists Bigfoot sightings by region.

Find Bigfoot on Facebook has posted some interesting videos with commentary.  Some of these videos are also on YouTube.   Many of the videos don't show much -- vague shapes and possible movement of humanoid creatures, but they're not necessarily convincing. 

Not knowing much about Bigfoots, I thought that all sightings had been in the Pacific Northwest. 

As you can see here, most sightings are along the western states and provinces, but all other continental states and most Canadian provinces also have had reported Sasquatch sightings.

My home state of Michigan shows a moderate amount of sightings.

Map of Bigfoot sightings is from Wikipedia Commons, and has been released into the public domain.  Map was created from the BFRO Geographical Database of Bigfoot/Sasquatch Sightings & Reports.

During the week of May 21, 2012, Oxford University announced that it plans to do DNA tests on donated samples of blood, hair, and items chewed on by "Bigfoots" and "Yetis".  

During the next few months, a research team will decide which samples to use, and will publish their results in a scientific journal.  One of the researchers, Bryan Sykes, acknowledges that there's not a big chance that they'll prove the existence of Yetis and Sasquatches, but believes the study is worthwhile.

Negative results wouldn't be conclusive evidence that Bigfoot doesn't exist, but positive results would be evidence that these creatures do exist.  That would be exciting, don't you think?

Some previous Yeti hair samples have been tested....and they turned out to be bison hairs.  

What do you think?   Are Bigfoots real?   Have you seen one or known a reliable person who has seen a Sasquatch? Or are all of these sightings hoaxes or products of over-active imaginations? 

Have you taken a look at some of the resources I've included that give research "evidence"?

The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization

Bigfoot on Wikipedia

AnnArbor.com - Bigfoot in Michigan?

Bigfootology

Bigfoot of North America