Bigfoot: Real or Myth?

Author: Emily Jones

There are plenty of stories about strange creatures in different parts of the world, but perhaps the most well known is Bigfoot. This creature, which goes by many names including Sasquatch and Yeti, is most commonly seen in western United States and Canada and the Himalayas. According to Tom Harris in his essay How Bigfoot Works, Sasquatch has been described as a cross between a gorilla and a human that stands anywhere from seven to fifteen feet tall. It walks on two legs with a loping gait, and is covered from head to toe with long reddish-brown fur. There is much controversy over whether Bigfoot really exists or not, but believers have found evidence to support their claims that this primate-like being is real.

            There is a surprisingly large amount of evidence that is used to support the existence of Sasquatch. All of the proof comes down to several different categories: footprints, sounds, smells, sightings, and photographic evidence. Each the pieces of evidence in these categories have small differences, but they all have certain details that are the same across the board. According to Stephen Wagner, a paranormal researcher, Sasquatch footprints look like a human foot, but on average are 15.6 inches long and 7.2 inches wide, which is larger than any human being’s foot. Many people can recall hearing a deafening cry in the woods that could not have been made by any person or animal, leaving Bigfoot as the only explanation. Most people who claim to have seen or been near Sasquatch say there was a strong, foul stench that only went away when the creature left. Sightings are possibly the most common form of evidence. Bigfoot sightings are reported almost every day, allowing the possibility that Bigfoot has to be real for so many people to have seen it. Photographic evidence is one of the rarest types, but can become the most popularly used because of its availability to the public. This evidence could prove to the world that Sasquatch is real, but there are people who will not accept it.

People who do not believe in Bigfoot have found countless flaws in the evidence that is supposed to prove that Sasquatch is real. Tom Harris said nonbelievers claim that pranksters could have easily pretended to be Sasquatch just to mislead the public. Footprints could have been made by molds of large feet, and sounds could have been created using a computer. Nonbelievers usually claim that any pictures of Bigfoot are just a man in a costume. 

In 1967, Roger Patterson shot a in Bluff Creek, California of a Bigfoot. To this day, people still have not determined whether it is real or fake. People who believe in Sasquatch say it is real and the movement could not have been done by a man in a costume. Nonbelievers claim that the creature in the film is simply a man in a costume that has been altered to look like a real Sasquatch. There is no proof of the video’s validity,  leaving the viewers to decide for themselves whether Patterson’s film is true evidence or a hoax.

Bigfoot is a large, ape-like creature who supposedly lives in the forests of many different parts of the world. There is evidence to support the existence of Sasquatch, but that has been turned down by many people. Some people whole heartedly believe in Bigfoot, and others are totally against the idea, while other people may not be sure what they believe. Until there is undeniable proof supporting the existence of Sasquatch, everyone will all have to take the available evidence and decide whether they believe it or not.

Works Cited:

DavidWalker1964.”Roger Patterson Bigfoot Footage.” Video. Youtube. Youtube, 24 Nov. 2007. Web. 23 Oct. 2012.

Harris, Tom. “How Bigfoot Works.”How Stuff Works. How Stuff Works Inc, 2012. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Wagner, Stephen. "Sasquatch: Best Evidence." Paranormal Phenomena. About.com, 2012. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.

Links for Further Research:

How Stuff Works
http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/bigfoot2.htm
Discusses the origin of Bigfoot and the controversy over Bigfoot’s existence.

Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization
http://www.bfro.net/
Contains stories of recent sightings and Native American stories about Sasquatch.

Bigfoot Encounters
http://www.bigfootencounters.com/
 Has the latest news concerning the search for Bigfoot and includes basic information and sightings.