by Kathleen "Katie" O'Donnell
of Punkin' Doodle Boo Folk Art

In many a quiet town's history, there lurks a tale of strangeness or legend that is passed down from one generation to another. Frightening tales of happenings that leave lasting impressions on us as children, these stories prompt us to sleep with the hall light on, or the closet door shut tight. Spooky tales that make us walk briskly past a dilapidated landmark or old cemetery. Later, when we recall those stories as adults, we find we still get goose bumps on our flesh. Recalling those tales as perfectly rational grownups, we still find ourselves questioning our belief in supernatural occurrences, witchcraft, and mythological beings.

Last month, we traveled to the San Juan Mountain Range of Colorado to share with you the true tale of the “Colorado Cannibal”. This month, we will travel once again to the wilderness, this time to the massive forests of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. Once there, we will explore the legend of the elusive Sasquatch.

Believed to be a reclusive ape-like man or hominid, Sasquatch is thought to be related to the Yeti of Nepal, the Yeren of China and the Yowie of Australia. Even Lakota Indians refer to such a creature in their folklore. The Lakota call him Chiye-tanka, or “Big Elder Brother”. Many of us know a story or two about Bigfoot, or we have seen the famous Patterson-Gimlin film with footage of the animal.

Eyewitnesses report that the Sasquatch is somewhere between 6 and 10 feet tall. The creature is reportedly covered in brown, black or reddish brown hair. Descriptions of his facial features seem to vary, but many report large eyes, and a long and low, pronounced forehead. Often witnesses liken his facial features to those of a male gorilla. Sasquatch is also reportedly a nocturnal mammal and an omnivore that eats both plants and small animals. General reports indicate that Bigfoot is not an aggressive creature, as he often seen running from witnesses and camera shots. However, there is text that indicates that a man was once killed by a Sasquatch. “The Wilderness Hunter”, written by Theodore Roosevelt and published in 1892, recounts a story told by an old trapper, named Bauman, who said that he and a fellow hunter were out in the wilderness and only one of them came back.

The two men headed up to the high country in search of beaver and game pelts. The two set up camp in a remote area. The indicators of game were plenty and the two planned to stay at the site for a couple of days. They set out at daybreak on the first morning to scout and set beaver traps. In the late afternoon, when Bauman and his friend returned to the camp, they were surprised to find that an animal had rummaged through their food and gear and destroyed their campsite. At first, the two trappers thought that it was a curious bear visiting their campsite. However, after very quickly assessing the tracks, they found that this strange bear walked solely on two legs.

That first night in camp, Bauman and his partner were awakened by grunts and groans and the distinct smell of a wild animal that had come into their camp. Startled, Bauman fired at the animal twice, but it ran away. The shadowy figure was huge, and frightened the two men. At dawn, the two shook off the events of the night before, calling themselves old fools. Again, the two men set out to check their traps and hunt for the day. Upon returning, again, they found the camp in disarray. The animal was taunting them now, they were sure of it.

Very uneasy that evening, the two men did not sleep and they kept their campfire roaring until daylight. Bauman remembered that at about midnight the creature came down the hillside to the stream across from the camp. The shadowy figure stayed there for a little over an hour, making threatening sounds and breaking branches, however, it seemed to be frightened by the fire and never ventured any closer. At daybreak, the two rattled men made the decision to leave. It was decided, Bauman was to go and gather the traps and his partner would stay behind to pack the gear. As the sun was getting low, Bauman returned to camp anxious to pack the ponies and leave. The camp was eerily quiet. As he entered the clearing, he saw his friend slumped in front of the cold fire pit and the fresh tracks in the soft dirt.

Bauman shook as he neared his friend. His long time partner must have finished packing the camp and waited by the fire for Bauman to return. His friend was now dead, his neck broken, and teeth marks left near his throat. The forest behind the body was dense and the creature must have approached him from behind.  The haunted Bauman looked to the darkening sky and the dense forest. With fear in his eyes, he hurried to his horse, leaving all but his rifle behind. He galloped away without looking back.

You can find the actual tale from “The Wilderness Hunter” here:
http://www.bigfootencounters.com/stories/bauman.htm

Scientists have long debated and often debunked any existence of such a creature. Scientists maintain that the story of Bigfoot is just that, a story that is a culmination of long told folklore and hoaxes.

However, those who have had direct encounters cite that new species of animals are being discovered all the time and that it is narrow-minded to think that no other hominid species may currently exist. These proponents point to the 2003 discovery of a new ancient hominid, Homo Floresiensis; a recent piece in the great evolutionary puzzle. Homo Floresiensis lived about 18,000 years ago and it was a very tiny hominid, about half the size of Homo sapiens. Floresiensis was a hominid that resembled chimpanzees and it was very intelligent in spite of a small brain size.

Crytozoologists say that if a small hominid population was once part of the evolutionary chain, then it is likely a larger group existed in North America. There is the suggestion that Gigantopithecus blacki may be a plausible candidate for Sasquatch. Fossils have been found in the Siberian forests which are similar to the forests of the Pacific Northwest. Many other animals migrated across the Bering Strait, so scientists feel that it is possible that G. blacki did the same, settling in North America. The theory is that G. blacki is the Yeti of the Himalayans and the Sasquatch of North America. Though no fossil remains, droppings, or physical proof of Sasquatch exists to date, sightings still occur with great frequency, especially in the summer months when locals and tourists travel into the mountains for recreation.

In my research I have found that hundreds of sightings are listed in public records. In 1840, a missionary reported in his journals that hairy giants lived with the North American Indians in the Pacific Northwest.

In 1924, five miners were purportedly attacked by Sasquatches and the story was printed in the local papers. The list goes on with many notable sightings. Then, in 1995, a breakthrough for Sasquatch proponents occurred, a film crew from Waterland Productions filmed a Sasquatch caught in their RV headlights. Very recently, on July 22nd, 2008, a mother and daughter out blueberry picking were startled by a figure walking away from their truck.

"It was black, about eight feet long and all black, and the way it walked was upright, human-like, but more — I don't know how to describe it — more of a husky walk, I guess," she told CBC News.

Additional sightings and video can be seen at the following website: http://theshadowlands.net/bf.htm

If Sasquatch is only a story rooted in Native folklore and legend, then what of Mr. Bauman and his horrible experience in the Northwest Woods? What was it that stalked those two old trappers in the remote forest of the Pacific Northwest?
 

HalloweenArtists.com is a group of talented, artistic individuals who love "Spooky Stories and Frightful Folklore" and all things associated with All Hallows Eve. Each month I will feature a spooky tale that is based on truth and/or regional folklore. I welcome you to send in your own "Spooky Stories and Frightful Folklore" or make suggestions for an upcoming column. Most of all, we encourage you to bookmark our site, so that you may retell these stories to you and yours.

Till next time,
Katie

About the Author:
Kathleen "Katie" O'Donnell is a Colorado artist, educator and mother of two children whose nicknames inspired the title of her business. Her work has been featured in online artisan magazines, and shops and galleries across the country. Visit Katie here on HalloweenArtists.com or on her website at PunkinDoodleBooFolkArt.com.