3 Things That Cryptid Could Have Been (Other Than Bigfoot)
I want to believe…but first, a little due diligence.
A little while back we ran an article about the reasons why the legend of Bigfoot will never die. I did neglect to mention one reason why hunters and outdoorsmen still whisper about Sasquatch over their campfires: Because hunters and outdoorsmen still see Sasquatch. Fairly frequently, in fact. Today, we have a new report from Pennsylvania that details the latest credible sighting…but what was it, really?
First, here’s what the outdoorsman reported having seen and heard:
At approximately 50 yards he watched a huge dark haired hominid walking towards Pine Creek. RA stated that he literally heard each footfall as the massive creature moved through the forest. He continued to watch as the Bigfoot stepped over the small creek and continued trekking away from him. RA states that he watched the Bigfoot for about 20 seconds.
RA describes the Bigfoot as at least 8 foot in height with massive wide shoulders. It was covered in dark brown hair. The face was hard to make out, but he compared it as more human than ape with a conical head and prominent brow ridge. It never altered it’s [SIC] pace.
That evening, RA said that he heard a series of wood knocks and ‘whoops’ in and around 1:00 AM that were emanating from all directions. This is the first time he has ever heard anything similar to this in all the years he has come to the cabin.
1. Was it a bear walking upright?
Any outdoorsman who has encountered the skeleton of a bear in the wild can tell you that the architecture of a bear is eerily similar to that of a human. It’s similar enough, in fact, that law enforcement personnel are frequently fooled by the remains. Furthermore, bears are absolutely capable of walking upright and of doing so for remarkable distances.
However, in this instance, the witness insists that this is not the case. Back to the report:
The area has a lot of wildlife, including large black bears. RA states that this was not a black bear, which he is very familiar with seeing in the area.
I personally am willing to believe that an experienced outdoorsman is able to tell the gait of an upright bear from that of a hominid. That brings us to Option #2 for what this could have been.
2. Was it a moron in a suit?
Cryptozoologists and lovers of mystery still must admit that hoaxers abound. From that very famous short video of Bigfoot loping away, to the Cardiff giant, to crop circles, people love a prank and they will go to extensive lengths to pull off a good one. Furthermore, it’s that time of year; you can find a nice Bigfoot costume at pretty much any strip mall. It’s a simple solution, and according to Occam’s Razor, that means it’s the right one. But…
Although most people aren’t very good at judging size at a distance, our Pennsylvania witness insists he was only 150 feet away. At that range, it’s less likely that tricks of perspective could make a 6-foot moron in a suit look like an 8-foot cryptid. Furthermore, the “whoops” our outdoorsman reported hearing probably didn’t sound like they could have come from a human throat, or he wouldn’t have mentioned it.
So, if it wasn’t a bear and it wasn’t a hoaxer, what could it have been (besides a real Bigfoot)?
3. Was it some other cryptid?
There’s a legend among the Native Americans of the desert Southwest about a different kind of cryptid. The Navajo word is “naagloshii,” but the English translation is “skinwalker.” Unlike “regular” cryptids, skinwalkers used to be human before they gave up their souls in exchange for the ability to change form at will. Also unlike “regular” cryptids, skinwalkers don’t avoid people–they hunt us.
According to the Navajo legends, the way the naagloshii hunts you varies, but its primary weapon is that it’s a shapeshifter. It may attempt to lure you away from your group or campfire by imitating a person you know, or by imitating a game animal you want to hunt. Maybe, even, a cryptid that you’re not terribly afraid of.
I want to believe…
Mystery and legend are part of the human condition, and that will never change. We outdoorsmen are also very aware of the fact that Nature is so vast and complicated that we will never understand every corner of it. And what fun would a campfire be if you couldn’t whisper tales around it about the mysteries that caper just beyond its light?
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From tag to table — official season dates for all 50 states, plus safe doneness temps for your harvest.
| Species | Archery | Firearm |
|---|---|---|
| Deer | Sep–Oct | Nov |
| Elk | Sep | Oct–Nov |
| Turkey | — | Apr–May |
All 50 state wildlife agencies, plus how seasons, tags and licenses work.
Find your state → Network| Doneness | Target |
|---|---|
| Rare | 125–130°F |
| Medium-rare | 130–135°F |
| Well-done | 160°F+ |
Safe pull temps for venison and steak, from Popular BBQ.
View full chart →
I think it was the Jersey Devil getting the Hell out of NJ. He’s just a few years behind the curve…
A comment on BIGFOOT sightings. For any species to exist in the wild it must have a the following: 1. a safe secure environment. 2 adequate food supply. 3. enough numbers of both sex to ensure a reproductable number of their kind to live on. Be it Nessie, Bigfoot, Cupabara , Jersey Devil and other sightings of who knows what would probably die out early. Finally if all these sightings are valid why has not anyone what with the availability of cell phones and such not taken any pictures of them Just thinking out loud
Bigfoot, aka Sasquatch, is a reality. So much evidence has been suppressed,. And that at governments hands, why they have this childish need to suppress it I don’t know, if you ever have an experience, you’ll no longer be skeptical. Speaking from experience. Keep your mind open, it will lessen the mental shock that we aren’t the masters of the woods. Nor the top of the food chain.
LOL, nothing, NOTHING has ever been found as solid evidence EVER. We have millions of fossils and bones of extinct animals and nothing from this imaginary creature. Who would be suppressing it and why? Solid evidence would be worth millions, who is turning that down. The reality is that ALL large primates evolved and lived in the tropics, because that’s where the massive amounts of calories they need exist, not in the piney woods.
I’ve run into strange thing out in the woods. Was it Bigfoot? No idea. Just things I can’t explain and didn’t want to hunt. Any idiot running around in northern Minnesota, or in the Wyoming Mts. in a costume is either a fool or suicidal. I know too many people who would love to be able to drag in a Bigfoot body.
A friend of mine said he saw Big Foot in the woods in Northwest Louisiana and I asked him if he took a picture with his cell phone and he said No he didn’t. I then asked him if he could find some prints of where Bigfoot walked and he said he would go look and take a picture. The picture he took looked like someone in rubber boots had walked through the woods. It’s funny but even without the faintest bit of proof, he still believes he saw Bigfoot.
Did this “witness” get a picture with his cell phone or take a clear picture of a footprint as proof, probably not. “Where’s the Beef?”
Oh wait, it was Hilary Clinton.
I wasn’t scared until I read your comment
I am not so sure about Bigfoot, but I do know for a fact there are several naagloshii among the Democrat Party!
Sounds like a sighting that needs to be investigated. It’s too bad that there isn’t more funding for this type of thing. A polygraph exam may eliminate fake reports. Passing a polygraph might result in a scientific pursuit of some sightings.
How could the cryptid imitate a person I know without seeing that person?
Magic !
I believe this was a sighting of the Bigfoot Lee Majors fought years ago!
Takes a special kind of stupid to run around the woods in a bigfoot costume during hunting season. Oh well, maybe it’ll thin out the gene pool.
What was RA smoking?
I want to know how much for that cave bear fossil.
If you’re interested in finding out more on Sasquatch, look up “howtohunt.com” on YouTube
From the description he gave, I think it is much more likely that he saw my X wife.
LOL