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| "Kentucky Bigfoot" from earlier blog posting Illustration used with permission |
Fact or Fiction: Tracking Bigfoot in Kentucky
By: Amber Philpott - Email
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) In October researchers in Dallas released new information from the Sasquatch Genome Project claiming there is now DNA evidence proving Bigfoot is indeed no longer a myth, but rather a human hybrid living among us.
During that announcement video of what researchers believe is a female sleeping near Crittenden, Ky was also released.
Whether you think the video is real or not, according to researchers there have been hundreds of sightings of the creature here in the state.
So is it fact or fiction?
WKYT's Amber Philpott hits the trail with one Kentucky man who is always searching for Bigfoot.
Along a quiet country road in Henry county there isn't much out of the ordinary, or is there?
"I heard a g-r-r-r and I just froze, crickets stopped, it was an eery silence," said Bruce Tandy.
The night of September 27th Tandy says he was pulling onto a road in Henry county leaving a friend's home.
What happened next after flipping on his headlights still has the veteran farmer and hunter spooked.
"That's when sitting right there on the road in my rear view mirror was something, and all I saw was like the mid section of a big hairy creature that had arms with fur about 3-4 inches long," said Tandy.
Tandy still can't be sure what he saw that night.
"I was scared to death, I always thought you know it would be cool to see one, not just right next to me," said Tandy.
Some will swear what Tandy encountered was Bigfoot itself.
When asked if Tandy believes he saw Bigfoot he said that was the first thing that went through his mind because he knew it wasn't a bear.
The love affair with bigfoot has been going on for decades, with countless reports and grainy sightings.
Since 1997 Charlie Raymond has headed up the Kentucky Bigfoot Research Organization and says he has 274 reports of sightings in Kentucky in his database.
"We take reports from people here in Kentucky who have seen something out of the ordinary," said Raymond.
He says Kentucky is a hotbed of activity for Bigfoot sightings with reports all across the state.
"Typically in Kentucky they are usually dark brown, little bit of red tint to it and usually stand at least seven feet tall," said Raymond.
WKYT set out with Raymond and his wife Dana to track the creature near the site of two reported encounters in Henry county.
Raymond was able to show us ways they communicate like knocking on a tree.
Many times expeditions like the one we went on are about getting into Bigfoot's territory.
Raymond looks for any sign like footprints or structures that many experts think are where Bigfoot beds down.
The creature is known to be elusive, even escaping being photographed on trail cameras.
Raymond says its because the creatures are highly intelligent and says if you get to close they will usually let you know.
While our trek to find Bigfoot turned up nothing, Raymond says he's seen proof with his own eyes of existence.
"We've been on an investigation where our group had a thermal imager, and we actually captured what appears to be two juveniles belly crawling," said Raymond.
The fascination with Bigfoot started early for Charlie Raymond as a child and since then he has become a true believer.
Raymond's wife Dana though, is the skeptic.
"I'm not a 100% believer, probably I'm more of a believer I'm not because I do think that there are a lot of credible people who have come forward, but I have to see it for myself," said Dana Raymond.
For many its hard to believe in what Charlie Raymond tracks, despite his critics Raymond has no doubt Bigfoot is out there.
So you might ask what does Charlie Raymond hope to accomplish in tracking Bigfoot? He says he is working to prove it exists to one day go to our state legislators and establish laws to protect them.
To learn more about the Kentucky Bigfoot Research Organization just click on the link below.
During that announcement video of what researchers believe is a female sleeping near Crittenden, Ky was also released.
Whether you think the video is real or not, according to researchers there have been hundreds of sightings of the creature here in the state.
So is it fact or fiction?
WKYT's Amber Philpott hits the trail with one Kentucky man who is always searching for Bigfoot.
Along a quiet country road in Henry county there isn't much out of the ordinary, or is there?
"I heard a g-r-r-r and I just froze, crickets stopped, it was an eery silence," said Bruce Tandy.
The night of September 27th Tandy says he was pulling onto a road in Henry county leaving a friend's home.
What happened next after flipping on his headlights still has the veteran farmer and hunter spooked.
"That's when sitting right there on the road in my rear view mirror was something, and all I saw was like the mid section of a big hairy creature that had arms with fur about 3-4 inches long," said Tandy.
Tandy still can't be sure what he saw that night.
"I was scared to death, I always thought you know it would be cool to see one, not just right next to me," said Tandy.
Some will swear what Tandy encountered was Bigfoot itself.
When asked if Tandy believes he saw Bigfoot he said that was the first thing that went through his mind because he knew it wasn't a bear.
The love affair with bigfoot has been going on for decades, with countless reports and grainy sightings.
Since 1997 Charlie Raymond has headed up the Kentucky Bigfoot Research Organization and says he has 274 reports of sightings in Kentucky in his database.
"We take reports from people here in Kentucky who have seen something out of the ordinary," said Raymond.
He says Kentucky is a hotbed of activity for Bigfoot sightings with reports all across the state.
"Typically in Kentucky they are usually dark brown, little bit of red tint to it and usually stand at least seven feet tall," said Raymond.
WKYT set out with Raymond and his wife Dana to track the creature near the site of two reported encounters in Henry county.
Raymond was able to show us ways they communicate like knocking on a tree.
Many times expeditions like the one we went on are about getting into Bigfoot's territory.
Raymond looks for any sign like footprints or structures that many experts think are where Bigfoot beds down.
The creature is known to be elusive, even escaping being photographed on trail cameras.
Raymond says its because the creatures are highly intelligent and says if you get to close they will usually let you know.
While our trek to find Bigfoot turned up nothing, Raymond says he's seen proof with his own eyes of existence.
"We've been on an investigation where our group had a thermal imager, and we actually captured what appears to be two juveniles belly crawling," said Raymond.
The fascination with Bigfoot started early for Charlie Raymond as a child and since then he has become a true believer.
Raymond's wife Dana though, is the skeptic.
"I'm not a 100% believer, probably I'm more of a believer I'm not because I do think that there are a lot of credible people who have come forward, but I have to see it for myself," said Dana Raymond.
For many its hard to believe in what Charlie Raymond tracks, despite his critics Raymond has no doubt Bigfoot is out there.
So you might ask what does Charlie Raymond hope to accomplish in tracking Bigfoot? He says he is working to prove it exists to one day go to our state legislators and establish laws to protect them.
To learn more about the Kentucky Bigfoot Research Organization just click on the link below.
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