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Saturday, February 18, 2017

Georgia - Harper's History Vol.1 #11

by Scott Harper

The people of Georgia commonly use a variety of alternative names for Sasquatch, including "skunk ape", "swamp ape", "booger", and "wood booger" among others.

Call them what you will, there are a lot of stories regarding these creatures floating around the state. However, many of them carry the air of tall tales. There are accounts out there of them screaming at people in English, riding on the back of horse-and-buggies, and even being 13-feet-tall, and able to survive being shot with multiple rifles at the same time. I've even run across an account in which a man carrying a scythe supposedly fought a Sasquatch. Can I say with one hundred percent certainty that these accounts are nothing more than stories? No. But these seem unlikely to me. Still, there are more credible historical accounts to come out of the Peach State, too.

Early in 1923 reports were made of a Sasquatch breaking into several buildings belonging to the Church of Latter Day Saints. No follow-up on these reports seems to have taken place.

In 1934 a group of children claimed to have spotted a Sasquatch running down a dirt road while making car noises. Maybe the creature decided to mimic a car for some reason after hearing one?

In 1943 a group of men in Georgia reported killing a Sasquatch. Something—the creature, presumably—had been killing calves, and sheep on farms in the area. The legs had been torn from many of the victims, testifying to the strength of the killer. This probably took place in northern Georgia, given that the men reported to have chased the Sasquatch onto a mountain while tracking it. They claimed to have shot the creature sixty times, killing it. However, details are lacking as to what happened next—including what became of the body.

A group of dogs cornered a Sasquatch on the porch of a house near Boston, Georgia in 1951. A man and his wife both claimed to have witnessed this. The man shot at the creature, but the Sasquatch fled.

In 1956, near Columbus, Georgia, multiple witnesses spotted a 7-foot-tall Sasquatch standing beside a road.

A 10-year-old boy saw what he was positive was a Sasquatch watching him on a 98-acre farm in Troup county in 1960. This sighting took place after the discovery of calves and goats that had been found dead.

1961 brought in an account from Fulton county in which a group of young boys spotted what they took to be a gorilla sheltering in an unfinished basement under a house. They threw rocks at the creature, which "smiled" back at them. My guess would be that the "smile" was actually a threat display. Later, red eyes were seen looking in a window at night, and half-eaten apples, and large footprints were discovered close to the house.

One end of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, or the Appalachian Trail as it is more commonly referred to, is in Georgia. Northern Georgia, at Springer Mountain, to be exact. The Appalachian Trail was completed in 1937. It isn't only humans who use the trail. Many Sasquatch reports are given from the entire 2,200 miles of the trail. Apparently, Sasquatch like the easy pathway provided by the Appalachian Trail.

Lizard Men sightings are also reported in Georgia's swampy areas. Despite the name, many researchers suspect that the lizard men are actually sasquatch that are simply covered in greenery from the swamps. Whether this coverage is an intentional attempt at keeping cool, camouflage, or something else isn't known.

Wood booger, Sasquatch, Lizard Men, or something else—whatever you choose to call them, they seem to have been living in the state of Georgia for quite some time.

About the Author

Scott Harper is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 published short stories, and several novels. Harper grew up in Ohio, and graduated from Marysville High School in 1993, and began screenwriting in 2007, after the publication of several short stories and novels. He has worked on projects for James Tucker Productions, and 11th Dimension Films. He is currently involved with several projects, covering literature, film, and comic books. He was also a contributing writer for "Nuclear Winter Entertainment" for several months before that site shut down. Scott is very happily married to bestselling paranormal author Desirée Lee. Together, they have a wonderful little girl, and are working jointly on several projects. Those projects include multiple books, as well as the hit webcomic "MoonWraith."

More information about his work can be found on his website: www.scottharper.net

Blog Post by Dan Lindholm

Bigtruth YouTube Channel

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Florida - Harper's History Vol 1 #10

by Scott Harper

"Skunk Ape" is the term commonly used in the state of Florida for Sasquatch—or Sasquatch-like creatures. There is actually ample evidence that the beings in Florida are some type of subspecies, rather than Sasquatch as we tend to think of them. The Skunk Ape, many reports claim, are thinner, leaner, have sparser hair, are more openly aggressive, and tend to have varying numbers of toes. Tracks have been found displaying only two toes—as if the normal five were merged together with only a divide in the middle—up to six, or even seven toes per foot.

The leading hypothesis as to why the creatures in that region seem to be to altered is inbreeding due to isolation. Still, it isn't only the Sasquatch which are smaller in Florida. Most mammal species are. Deer, squirrel, opossum, raccoon, rabbits, etc. all tend to be smaller, and leaner than their counterparts further north in the United States. At least this is true in Central, and Southern Florida. Given the warmer climate, and very mild winters there, animals don't need the bulky fat supply to keep them warm, and nourished. This may, at least in part, account for the leaner Sasquatch so often reported in the state.

The name "Skunk Ape" comes from the unspeakably putrid stench commonly reported in association with the creatures. Having lived in Florida for fourteen years, and suffered the legendary Florida heat, and humidity for all that time, it's no stretch of the imagination to think of how it's possible for them to smell so bad! Still, despite this, smell isn't a factor in every sighting; not even in ones where the creature is seen fairly close up. This lends support to the hypothesis that these creatures can emit that signature stench at will, as a warning, or defense, perhaps.

Presently, Florida ranks as number four in the United States for the most Sasquatch sightings. It is surpassed only by Washington (#1), California (#2), and Oregon (#3) in the number of sightings recorded each year. Many of these sightings come out of the Everglades. However, when I lived in Florida, I lived in Pasco County, about 20 minutes north of Tampa. Pasco County can sometimes see 30 or more sightings reports per year alone. However, it isn't only today in which we find sightings of the creatures in the Sunshine State.

Native American tribes in Florida have a long, rich history of stories involving Sasquatch. However, they are typically unwilling to speak of these with anyone not of their own tribe. Still, it isn't only the native tribes who have had sightings of, and encounters with these beings.

August of 1884 saw a very peculiar occurrence in the area of Ocheesee Pond in Jackson County, Florida. After several sightings of a hairy "wild man", a party of men gathered, and forayed into the swamps with the intent of capturing the creature. According to record, they succeeded. The being they brought back was described as "emaciated", and "covered with a phenomenal growth of hair". The creature was sent to Tallahassee. The records regarding the captured being end there. No one seems to know what became of it after the transfer.

In 1947, or 1948, a young man spotted a Sasquatch among a stand of pine trees while riding his horse. Based on the movements the creature made, the young man thought the Sasquatch may have been scratching its back on the tree in the manner of a bear. This took place near Palatka, Florida.

While boar hunting in the everglades in 1957 a man sighted what he first thought to be a bear. However, the creature stood up on a pair of legs, standing roughly 8-feet-tall. The being had reflective orange/yellow eyes. The hunter didn't wait to see more; he ran back to his truck, and left the area.

Near Hollywood, Florida—not far from the Everglades—in 1960 a driver spotted what he described as a 5-foot-tall "adolescent Skunk Ape" walk out of a drainage ditch alongside the road.

1969 saw two sightings near the town of Davie, Florida. In the first, a man encountered a "smelly, growling" Sasquatch in an old, abandoned guava orchard. In the second, a "huge, black" Sasquatch was treed by dogs in an orange grove. The creature swung through the trees, and dove into a canal to escape.

The state of Florida boasts a wide, diverse ecosystem. It has plenty to offer in the way of resources for a being such as Sasquatch. Parts of the state are still heavily forested, and swampy. These areas would provide plenty of cover, water, and food in the way of plants, fish, birds, eggs, insects, larva, amphibians, and prey mammals. Not to mention the abundance of human garbage for those with an inclination—or need due to age, illness, or injury—to scavenge close to people. Given the sightings records, and native awareness of these creatures, it seems apparent that not only are they taking full advantage of what Florida has to offer them now, but they have been doing so for quite some time.

About the Author

Scott Harper is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 published short stories, and several novels. Harper grew up in Ohio, and graduated from Marysville High School in 1993, and began screenwriting in 2007, after the publication of several short stories and novels. He has worked on projects for James Tucker Productions, and 11th Dimension Films. He is currently involved with several projects, covering literature, film, and comic books. He was also a contributing writer for "Nuclear Winter Entertainment" for several months before that site shut down. Scott is very happily married to bestselling paranormal author Desirée Lee. Together, they have a wonderful little girl, and are working jointly on several projects. Those projects include multiple books, as well as the hit webcomic "MoonWraith."

More information about his work can be found on his website: www.scottharper.net

Blog Post by Dan Lindholm

Crypto Evidence Locker

Monday, December 5, 2016

Delaware - Harper's History Vol.1 #9

by Scott Harper

Delaware seems to be another state without any real history where Sasquatch is concerned. Although Delaware is a long way from Colorado, the two states share this in common, at least. While researching this article, I ran into the same issue—a distinct lack of historical sightings—that I had in the Colorado piece for this series of articles.

Why is that? Let's take a look at American history. Delaware was the first US state; it was one of the thirteen colonies to partake in the American Revolution. Since Europeans have been on land now know as the United States, we've been in the area we know today as Delaware. Back then, there was no dearth of trackless forest for Sasquatch to retreat into in order to avoid the new settlers arriving from England. Given that, it's really no surprise that people back then didn't have a lot of encounters with Sasquatch.

Add to that the stiff religious beliefs of the time, coupled of the common labeling of Sasquatch as "demons" or "devils" and such. Even if settlers encountered such beings would they be apt to speak out about their sighting in such conditions?

Looking at Sasquatch sightings today, we find a few in the state of Delaware. Have a small population been there all along, and people are only now talking about them? Or have a few Sasquatch ventured into the tiny state simply because they have nowhere else to go given human encroachment upon the wilderness?

The earliest account I'm aware of for the state of Delaware is the one mentioned in John Green's iconic book "Sasquatch: The Apes Among Us" on page 227. Mr. Green speaks of a newspaper article collected in his files of reports, which lacks a date. He surmises that it "seems to be fairly recent". Given as the book was first published in 1978, that would likely put the sighting sometime in the early-to-mid 1970s. The report is simply that a group of teenagers claimed to have spotted a "half-man, half-animal running on two legs in the woods near Cedar Swamp, near Selbyville." From there we jump to the 1990s for the next report I've been able to find from the state of Delaware.

Did early Americans see Sasquatch in the forests, and just not talk about them? Or did the Sasquatch flee West, North or South keeping ahead of the settlers, and avoiding contact with them? It's a question we may never have a definitive answer to.

About the Author

Scott Harper is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 published short stories, and several novels. Harper grew up in Ohio, and graduated from Marysville High School in 1993, and began screenwriting in 2007, after the publication of several short stories and novels. He has worked on projects for James Tucker Productions, and 11th Dimension Films. He is currently involved with several projects, covering literature, film, and comic books. He was also a contributing writer for "Nuclear Winter Entertainment" for several months before that site shut down. Scott is very happily married to bestselling paranormal author Desirée Lee. Together, they have a wonderful little girl, and are working jointly on several projects. Those projects include multiple books, as well as the hit webcomic "MoonWraith."

More information about his work can be found on his website: www.scottharper.net

Blog Post by Dan Lindholm

Crypto Evidence Locker

Friday, November 4, 2016

Connecticut - Harper's History Vol.1 #8

by Scott Harper

Research history in Connecticut with a slant toward Sasquatch sightings, and one topic you'll likely run into, over and again, is the story of "Leatherman". It seems that Leatherman was actually a real person—but not a Sasquatch.

In the 1800s, Leatherman walked a circuit of three-hundred-sixty-five miles that took him through parts of New York and Connecticut. He did so like clockwork, wearing a 60-pound leather suit which he never took off, even in the hottest of weather—hence his nickname—taking thirty-four days per loop. Leatherman was found dead in one of his crudely-built shelters in March of 1889. He has been immortalized by "Ripley's Believe It Or Not", and a song by Eddie Vedder of the rock band Pearl Jam.

I suppose it's the strangeness of Leatherman, and his strictly adhered to hobo trail, not to mention his odd clothing, that gives him enough strangeness to be lumped in with an officially undiscovered North American great ape species in people's minds. There are however, some legitimate Sasquatch from the era.

In August of 1895 a witness, who was picking berries near Colebrook at the time, reported that a Sasquatch ran at him, "yelling", chasing him off. Was the Sasquatch protecting a food source by chasing off a competitor?

Some versions of the above report state that the creature chased the man's dog, and the dog ran to the man, apparently seeking protection. The interesting point there is that we have numerous reports on file connecting Sasquatch and dogs. In some of them the dogs seemed to be running with the Sasquatch, as pets, or helpers on a hunt. In other reports, the dogs seemed to be prey being carried away. The latter would certainly explain the fear the witness's dog had of the Sasquatch.

Not long after, seemingly in the same year, a man reported spotting a Sasquatch stealing two chickens from his chicken coop.

Also in the same year, two women visiting the same area of Connecticut from New York reported seeing what they thought might have been an ape escaped from a circus standing up on its hind legs.

Again, in the same general region, and time, a police officer saw what he described as a "gorilla". He chased the animal until losing its trail in a swampy area.

Speculation arose—and seems to still exist—that all of the sightings listed here were of one Sasquatch, spotted several times. If so, it must have either left the area, or learned to hide better, because reliable sightings from the 1800s pretty much vanish at that point in Connecticut. Look into sightings from the early-to-mid-1900s up until today, and there is a steady stream of them. Historically speaking, however, there doesn't seem to be very many.

What could cause the upswing in sightings in more modern times? Could it be the numbers of people out and about in the Connecticut woods hiking and camping during their leisure time? Or have Sasquatch been forced to migrate into areas they didn't traditionally frequent due to human encroachment upon their habitats? Or is it a bit of both?

About the Author

Scott Harper is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 published short stories, and several novels. Harper grew up in Ohio, and graduated from Marysville High School in 1993, and began screenwriting in 2007, after the publication of several short stories and novels. He has worked on projects for James Tucker Productions, and 11th Dimension Films. He is currently involved with several projects, covering literature, film, and comic books. He was also a contributing writer for "Nuclear Winter Entertainment" for several months before that site shut down. Scott is very happily married to bestselling paranormal author Desirée Lee. Together, they have a wonderful little girl, and are working jointly on several projects. Those projects include multiple books, as well as the hit webcomic "MoonWraith."

More information about his work can be found on his website: www.scottharper.net

Blog Post by Dan Lindholm

Crypto Evidence Locker

Monday, September 26, 2016

Colorado - Harper's History Vol.1 #7

by Scott Harper

Researching this particular article taught me a lot. Unlike the previous articles in my on-going series of historical Sasquatch sightings across the United States, this one is something of a paradox. Why? Well, when most people hear the word "Colorado" they mentally leap to images of rugged mountain territory, lush forests, and deep ravines. That's just what much of the state is—prime Sasquatch country.

Sightings, and stories of "monkey men" in the region supposedly go back to at least the 1800's in the area where the Pikes Peak Highway now runs. We know that in roughly 14,000 BCE our ancestors were migrating through the area, spreading out over the North American landmass.

The paradox?

Contrariwise to the above, there isn't much on official record in the way of Sasquatch sightings from times past. I've searched, and searched, and found no confirmed sighting reports older than the mid-1900's.

It isn't just me. To quote famous Sasquatch researcher John Green from his well-known book "Sasquatch: The Apes Among Us" (1978) "Colorado is one of the states where Sasquatch reports are all but unknown. I do not have a single report from there with the minimum details as of who, what, when, and where." (p. 44) And, "...there is a virtual blank in the sightings report map that sweeps south and east through Nevada, Utah and Colorado." (p. 172)

The area of land that the world knows as Colorado today has a very long history. The past few hundred years have been rife in Colorado with skirmishes, and all-out war, between Native Americans, and other cultures. Could the violence of these centuries be a major reason why Sasquatch sightings have been so rare until modern times, despite the perfectness of much of the state's habitat for Sasquatch?

Still, evidence of the presence of Sasquatch in the state is lent by the number of places in the state named for such beings. Devil's Head, Devil's Den Cave, Devil's Backbone, Devil's Hole Mine, Devil's Knob pillars, and other such places scattered around the state suggest a very long habitation of Sasquatch in the area. Often these beings are considered by Native Americans to be demons, or devils. Places where they are frequently seen, heard, or encountered tend be labeled with names such as these.

We're faced with a region that seems perfect for Sasquatch, and, in recent decades, there has been a steady flow of sightings, and other encounters reported from the state of Colorado. Yet, despite the seeming perfection of the state for Sasquatch, we have zero solid reports once we look back much more than fifty, or sixty years. Given the climate, and environment, we would expect just the opposite of Colorado. Could this situation by brought about be, as mentioned earlier, the times of war between Native Americans, and others? Or is there another, less obvious explanation for this discrepancy within Colorado where Sasquatch are concerned?

About the Author

Scott Harper is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 published short stories, and several novels. Harper grew up in Ohio, and graduated from Marysville High School in 1993, and began screenwriting in 2007, after the publication of several short stories and novels. He has worked on projects for James Tucker Productions, and 11th Dimension Films. He is currently involved with several projects, covering literature, film, and comic books. He was also a contributing writer for "Nuclear Winter Entertainment" for several months before that site shut down. Scott is very happily married to bestselling paranormal author Desirée Lee. Together, they have a wonderful little girl, and are working jointly on several projects. Those projects include multiple books, as well as the hit webcomic "MoonWraith."

More information about his work can be found on his website: www.scottharper.net

Blog Post by Dan Lindholm

Bigtruth Researchers Unite

Thursday, July 28, 2016

California - Harper's History Vol.1 #6

by Scott Harper

Say anything regarding Sasquatch in the state of California, and most people automatically leap to the world-famous film footage recorded by Roger Patterson, in the company of his friend Bob Gimlin. That recording was made in 1967, at Bluff Creek, which is roughly 40 miles south of the state border with Oregon. The film is 952-frames-long. Frame #352 of Patterson's footage is probably the most recognized image of a Sasquatch in the world. It's the famous shot of the creature, looking back over her shoulder as she walked away from the two men.

California has a very long history of sightings—and other encounters—of Sasquatch reaching back well before Roger Patterson recorded the aforementioned historic film, however.

Going back to 1769, Spanish priests were warned by local native tribes, upon founding a mission in San Diego, of foul-smelling "hairy devils". These creatures were said to live in the forests nearby.

Around 1876, a Sasquatch caught the blame for a series of murders at a water stop on a stage coach line. During a stop for water, one stage coach passenger who had gotten off the coach for a drink reported seeing a large hairy creature watching him from the cover of some brush. Not long after, several people in the immediate area were found dead, having been beaten, or strangled to death. In 1888 two hunters went out looking for the creature. They planned to shoot it, thus ending the string of murders in the area. They also planned to take the body to San Diego, to put it on display. They claimed to have succeeded in killing it, but the body vanished before arrival in San Diego.

November 10, 1870 saw the publication of an article in the "Titusville Morning Herald" called "The Wild Man of California". The piece covered the sighting by a hunter who, upon returning to his camp after a day in the forest, discovered a Sasquatch in his camp. He hung back, watching as the creature proceeded to scatter ashes from the campfire, and generally explore the campsite. As the creature—presumably male—left the camp, it was joined by another that the witness classified as female. The pair wandered quietly away together.

The newspaper "Del Norte Record", from Crescent City, printed a report in 1886 concerning a sighting by several men. The men claimed to have spotted a 7-foot-tall "wild man" near the town of Happy Camp, which is about 60 miles north of Willow Creek. One of the men had a gun, but refused to shoot at the creature, claiming that it looked "too human".

In 1939 a gold prospector claimed to have had an encounter with "upright walking apes" at his camp in the Borrego Sink area. He credited his campfire with keeping the creatures from attacking him during the night. He reported that they seemed to be afraid of the flames.

August of 1944 saw a report from Siskiyou County—the county in which my family, and I live—what seems to be a family of three sasquatch, describing what appears to be a male, a female, and a juvenile spotted together. The sighting occurred near Yreka. Upon realizing they had been seen, the trio of creatures immediately walked into denser woods, and out of sight.

The summer of 1950 brought in a report from San Bernardino County. The witness heard whistling, and "chomping noises". Upon moving to investigate the sounds, a "hairy, man-like creature", which was said to be very muscular, was seen. The creature simply walked away upon being spotted. The witness left, but returned to the site later, and discovered very large footprints.

About the same time of year, in Ventura County, a young runaway girl was on horseback when she spotted three young Sasquatch. She estimated the oldest of the trio, a female, to be a teenager. The other two were smaller, and younger. When first seen, the creatures were drinking from a steam. Upon realizing they had been spotted, the oldest one took the smaller ones by the hand, and led them away from the scene, into denser trees, and better cover. The witness commented that none of the three seemed frightened of her, only cautious.

In the autumn of 1955, a Boy Scout, who was camping with a group, got up during the early morning hours to use the latrine. He heard tree limbs breaking. Upon turning his flashlight beam in the direction of the disturbance, he spotted a tall, shaggy creature with eyes that glowed orange. The Sasquatch was swaying from side-to-side, watching the boy. Frightened, he ran back to his tent, shouting, and made no further attempt to see the creature again. On a side note, such side-to-side swaying, or rocking motions are very commonly reported behavior of Sasquatch.

In the autumn of 1956 a teenager witnessed a tall "ape-like creature" walking along the top of a ridge. The creature was about 40 yards from where the teen sat.

In the summer of 1957, three children claimed a sighting of a Sasquatch near Eureka, California.

Two construction workers reported a sighting of a Sasquatch about 45 miles northeast of Eureka, California in 1958. 16-inch footprints had previously been reported in the same region.

California remains a hotspot for Sasquatch sightings right up to today. Many new sightings are officially reported each year. No one knows just how many sightings actually take place, though, as a large number of them go unreported. People who are afraid of being laughed at, losing prestige at their jobs, or other negative backlash often keep completely quiet about their sightings for years after it occurs. Some researchers have speculated that up to two or three times as many sightings take place as are actually reported in some official capacity.

About the Author

Scott Harper is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 published short stories, and several novels. Harper grew up in Ohio, and graduated from Marysville High School in 1993, and began screenwriting in 2007, after the publication of several short stories and novels. He has worked on projects for James Tucker Productions, and 11th Dimension Films. He is currently involved with several projects, covering literature, film, and comic books. He was also a contributing writer for "Nuclear Winter Entertainment" for several months before that site shut down. Scott is very happily married to bestselling paranormal author Desirée Lee. Together, they have a wonderful little girl, and are working jointly on several projects. Those projects include multiple books, as well as the hit webcomic "MoonWraith."

More information about his work can be found on his website: www.scottharper.net

Blog Post by Dan Lindholm

Bigtruth YouTube Channel