Bigfoot Society - Bigfoot Encounters of Salt Fork State Park with John Hickenbottom

Episode Date: July 3, 2023

In this episode of Bigfoot Society, John Hickenbottom, Salt Fork State Park naturalist, returns to share his favorite Bigfoot encounters from the park.Note: there are points where the host and guest t...alk over each other due to technical issues with the recording studio that used at the time. This is not a normal occurrence for this podcast.Resources:Salt Fork website:https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/salt-fork-state-parkSalt Fork Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/saltforkstateparkContact John:https://www.facebook.com/john.hickenbottom.589https://www.instagram.com/hickenbottomjohn/Ohio Bigfoot Conference website:http://www.ohiobigfootconference.comSasquatch Trackshttps://sasquatchtracks.comWATCH THE IOWA EPISODE IN THE “SASQUATCH: A SEARCH FOR SABE” DOCUMENTARY SERIES BY TATE HIERONYMUS // FIND OUT ALL ABOUT MY FIRST BIGFOOT ENCOUNTERS! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo8O4rvywzEDo you have a personal Bigfoot encounter you would like to submit for me to share on the podcast?Please head over to www.bigfootsocietypodcast.com and fill out the "Share your Bigfoot Encounter" form. Use as much detail as you can and please specify if you would prefer to remain anonymous or what specific name you would like used with your encounter if it is chosen to be shared.Join our private Facebook group "Bigfoot Sasquatch Encounters" for a chance to connect with others who have had similar experiences. Follow the directions to ensure your entry is accepted.https://www.facebook.com/groups/5762233820540793/?ref=share_group_link Tune in to our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Qq45W6iaTU8FE9kelxT7Q) for new episodes of Bigfoot Society, and visit our website (www.bigfootsocietypodcast.com) for all the links mentioned above and more. Don't miss out on the Bigfoot action!--Affiliate links mean I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps support my channel at no additional cost to you.-- MY GEARMy Audio Interface: https://amzn.to/3L1q8XYMy Podcast Mic: https://amzn.to/3AlYwb9My Computer: https://amzn.to/40CCjQyMy Headphones: https://amzn.to/40A8gcrMy Webcam: https://amzn.to/3NqfddhThe best Bigfoot book: https://amzn.to/41x8IcNLose the weight along with me on Noom. Get 20% off your subscription with link below. (Consult your doctor first) https://noom.com/r/GdkaWNddL?1251Join Whatnot and pick up some sweet video games and vintage shirts. Use my link below and we both get $10 credit after you place your first order. https://whatnot.com/invite/bigfootsociety

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 If you're a QuickBooks customer looking to grow your business without the growing pains, you need the Intuit ERP. Upgrade to Intuit Enterprise Suite in a matter of hours. It's the AI native ERP from the makers of QuickBooks. Learn more at Intuit.com slash ERP. Indeed, sponsor jobs gets you quality candidates when you need them most. Spend less time searching and more time actually interviewing candidates who check all your boxes. Less stress, less time, more results.
Starting point is 00:00:27 When you need the right person to cut through the chaos, This is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at Indeed.com slash podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? This is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. During Memorial Day at Lowe's, shop household must-haves for less.
Starting point is 00:00:53 Save $80 on the charbroil performance series for Burner Grill to chef up something special. Plus, get up to 45% off select major appliances to keep things free. Our best lineup is here at Lowe's. Lowe's, we help, you save. Valid through 527, while supplies last. Selection varies by location. See Lowe's.com for details. Visit your nearby Lowe's on West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Starting point is 00:01:17 This particular story involves two people who were in a car, a man and a woman in a car, parked on what back then was just a picnic area in the middle of the night. something large, hairy and two-legged, picked up the rear end of their car and held it. You know, they were gunning the gas and couldn't go anywhere. And finally it dropped it and they took off. And they allegedly had told a park ranger about it. There's this whole other portion that's kind of this conspiratorial cover-up. That also probably never happened.
Starting point is 00:01:56 I've been told by so many people that, yeah, after that happened, we tried to go out there to see, you know, where it happened at. And there were two armed rangers, you know, blocking off the road and telling, turning people away. This episode of Bigfoot Society contains a chat with John Hickenbottom, naturalist from Salt Fork State Park in Ohio. John is a known and vetted individual within the Bigfoot community and is very respected within the Ohio DNR. Enjoy this conversation. All right, BigFest Society. Thanks for coming back to another episode.
Starting point is 00:02:37 We have the privilege of talking again to an old friend, Mr. John Hickenbottom. How's it going, John? Good. How about yourself? Oh, I'm doing great. It feels like I just got to see you out in Ohio, actually, at Monster Fest. That was a fun time. We got kind of a long chat there for a while.
Starting point is 00:02:55 Yeah, yeah. That was a good event, too. That was a nice event. Oh, it was. Yeah. And just a little plug for Small Town Monsters. They just announced that the second one will be happening end of June of next year. So if you didn't get to go to the first Monster Fest, you really don't want to miss out on the second one because it's going to be even more wild.
Starting point is 00:03:18 So that's my plug for them. John, let's talk a little bit about who you are, just so listeners that haven't gotten to listen to the first John episode, which I recommend you do. do, but they want to know that you are the head naturalist at Salt Fork State Park in Ohio, correct? Yeah. Yeah. So it's the, it's the largest state park in Ohio. And it has the distinction of being Ohio's, Ohio's capital of, you know, the Bigfoot capital of the Buckeye state. it's kind of where a lot of historically it's sort of where a lot of the the state's earlier bigfoot sidings and big foot reports kind of came from the salt fork area so it's it's got that distinction and I grew up around there so I kind of grew up
Starting point is 00:04:13 around all of that folklore and everything so it's yeah it's a pretty cool place I think it's the largest Bigfoot conference east of the Mississippi is hosted at Salt Fork. Yeah, and it's a good time, too. If you've ever, you've never had the opportunity, it's a pretty cool, pretty cool event also. It's on my, I guess you could say, Bigfoot bucket list. Oh. That's one of the one. Were you not there this year?
Starting point is 00:04:42 That was kind of a blur for me this year, because I have a table there every year. and that event this year was a bit of a blur. Everything was, we were positioned in a good spot. Our table was right in front of the, right in front of the entrance to the conference room where all the speakers were. So it was non-stop all day talking to people. And it was kind of a blur. I thought you were, I guess crypticone would have been the last one that we got to chat at then. if you weren't at the Bigfoot conference this year, it would have been.
Starting point is 00:05:20 The thing about these conferences, yeah. Yeah. If listeners don't, if they don't know, these conferences go really quick. And if you see someone, you've got to talk to them right then because you probably won't see them again later on the day. Yeah. And that's, and it's hard for me to keep track. Like generally, a lot of times I'm not like part of the conference. I just go there to chat with people.
Starting point is 00:05:47 Um, and things and, uh, you know, meet up with people like you, uh, you know, folks that I've gotten to know in this community. Um, but I mean, a lot of times I'll go with my family. Like I'll drive my family comes along. These are we sort of do these big foot conference trips now. Uh, it's a whole thing. So a lot of times my, that's awesome. My wife and kids will go, um, you know, go get crypted stuff from all the artists and vendors there. And then I go like, like talk to folks like you. You know what I mean for the whole day. And my wife, my wife is kind of my, she's kind of like my hype man. She's the, she,
Starting point is 00:06:29 she will go chat with, go chat with a podcaster at a table somewhere and then say, oh, you should talk to my husband. He's, he's the naturalist assault work. So she's got to me so many, like,
Starting point is 00:06:41 I've gotten so many interviews. Oh, that's awesome. Just because, just because my, my wife will go, you know, chat with people and then say,
Starting point is 00:06:47 oh yeah, you'd like to talk to my husband. So that's kind of, you know, it's kind of cool. She's the, she's the pallbearer to my undertaker, you know, a good, a good wrestling. Yeah, there you go. She's my hype man. It was really nice to meet your family as well. Yeah. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:07:05 Yeah. Well, I mean, the kids and the good, the kids all go to it. So it's, you know, it's kind of one of our family things now is going to these conferences. So, yeah. We are going to. to do that for the first time next year. And it's still in the works, but it looks like we'll be trying to swing down to Tennessee for the, is it Smokey Mountain? The Smokey Mountain in July.
Starting point is 00:07:36 That's another great event. That's another good one. Yeah. It's big, too. Yeah, yeah, it's very nice. That's, I think we went to the first one. we haven't gone for a couple of years. It was that summer where things started to get normal again after COVID before it all tanked one.
Starting point is 00:07:54 You know what I mean? It was like summer 2021. We all went. And then everything kind of got weird again. But yeah, it's a really good. Oh, yeah. It's a really good event. That's a nice event.
Starting point is 00:08:07 A lot of good speakers at that one. It's a great venue too. I mean, Gatlinburg's great. You know, it's the Vegas, the Smokies. It's awesome. you know oh i am looking so forward to it you have no idea i love that stuff awesome i mean it makes sense right but right so john we i i asked you to come back on because i was really curious i wanted to talk to you specifically about there's got to be some great bigfoot stories
Starting point is 00:08:40 or encounters that you've heard over the years to do with Salt Fork. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I usually get, somebody will tell me some story. Now, some of the, it's incredibly difficult to vet all of these, you know what I mean? Because some of them are extremely like a friend of a friend. Some of them are, you know, well, actually, one that I'd like to tell you about today, happened in like 1981.
Starting point is 00:09:07 So the park was still relatively young. I mean, the park had only opened in 72, officially opened in 72, like, between 70 and 72, the park had kind of opened in phases. So the park was still relatively young when this particular one happened. But, you know, it was, so it's that long ago, like 1981, 1982, when I had heard about this. And actually, the gentleman that this happened to had written in to another show, another podcast, and they were doing like a listener. email day. And when I heard him tell a story about salt pork, I was like, so I contacted them. And I said, is there any way I explained who I was?
Starting point is 00:09:48 And I said, is there any way that I can get this guy's contact, like this guy's email, so I can maybe talk to him and get a location, you know what I mean, where his signing happened. So I got his email and eventually connected with him and got to talk and kind of narrowed down the location. I mean, the park's 20,000 acres. So, narrowing, sometimes narrowing down our location in the woods is a little,
Starting point is 00:10:14 little tricky. But I kind of narrowed it down because of a couple of key things, which kind of play into the Bigfoot siting to begin with. But I can just, do you mind if I just tell you that particular encounter? If we get, if we, if we get right into it.
Starting point is 00:10:30 I would love that. Yeah, go right ahead. So, uh, you got this gentleman. We have it. We,
Starting point is 00:10:35 the whole park is, uh, like I said, it's 20,000 acres. And we have a few thousand acres of public hunting land that you're allowed to hunt fish trap on, you know, it's public hunting land. And then, of course, there's park land where hunting is prohibited because of, you know, traffic, visitor traffic and things like that. You're obviously not allowed to hunt off a hiking trails, things like that. So there are parts of the park that are really rugged that people just don't go, you know, not for any reason other than it's very, difficult to get there.
Starting point is 00:11:10 So this gentleman was hunting in the 1980s or in the early 1980s, like 1981, 1982 with his dad. And the story that he told was it was very cold, nice snow on the ground. So he was deer hunting. And they had shot a dough and the dough ran off. And they were tracking it. And they got within about 100 yards of it. They found that they located the dough.
Starting point is 00:11:37 you know, followed the blood trail, located the dough, and standing over top of the dough was about an eight-foot bipedal hair-covered animal that proceeded to scoop up their deer, throw it over their shoulder, and walk off, kind of looked at them for a second, turned around and walked off, and they were just frozen. So obviously, when I heard that story, I'm like, man, that is a great, you know, that is a great encounter. You know, and I mean, on the other side of that, like, what a great hunting story to begin with. You know what I mean? Like, oh, no. And that's what makes me kind of think that this was maybe there's, I don't think that he's lying to me, you know, because I mean, if you're going to lie, why not shoot a buck that's this big? And the, you know, a big foot takes it and carries it off. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:12:27 He said he shot a dough. So he wasn't, he wasn't stretching the truth as far as like, oh, you know, I shot a 10 point buck. It was a, you know, it was a dough that he shot. But I mean, man, what a great story. So I, he'd written into another show. They read this story on air. And I had to contact him. So when I talked to him, he explained the whole thing, told me the story.
Starting point is 00:12:49 You know, and very few frills. That's another thing that didn't really turn my, you know, didn't really like trigger my like BS radar. was that, you know, that there were very few frills. It was basically straightforward. He said, no, you know, I shot this deer. We tracked it. And there was this thing standing over. It scooped it up through it over its shoulder and walked off.
Starting point is 00:13:12 And the, I really wanted to know a location because it's a huge park. So I really, and he told me he could, he remembered walking up a horse trail and there, that they were hunting out of an old apple orchard. Now, the park is made up of 200 plus old farms that used to be functioning up until the 50s when the state started buying land. So some of them were very small, you know, 20-acre farms. Some of them were over 200 acres. And when he said there was an apple orchard, I knew pretty much he told me where at approximately in the park he was. And when he said there was an old apple orchard, I was able to like figure out because I knew we're an old apple orchard. was in that area.
Starting point is 00:13:59 So, and it's a very rugged place, but here's, here's my thinking, too, like, an old apple orchard still, you know, it's a great place to deer hunt because those old apple trees still produce apples. Now, they're going to be like tiny and bitter and, you know, hard apples, but it's a great place to deer hunt because the deer don't care in the middle of winter, calories are calories. You know what I mean? So if they're old dried out apples still hanging out on the trees, those are still calories. and it would stand a reason that something, you know, that needs the caloric intake of like a four or five hundred pound bipedal, you know, animal like a Bigfoot would also not pass up those calories regardless if they're, you know, little bitter apples or not.
Starting point is 00:14:40 So that location, you know, I'm like, man, that is ideal because it's off of any, there's no trails. It's out of the way. The closest thing is a bridle trail, a horse trail that kind of cuts up through. there. And interesting, like interesting in its own, it's one of the locations like near the, the nearest road there is one of the spots that we, people claim to see Black Bearers quite a bit. But this is in the 1980s when Black Bearers in Ohio would have been like really scarce. They've only just in the last like 20 years started to come back into the eastern part of the state. So talking, you know, looking at the 19, in 1980s.
Starting point is 00:15:24 or 1982, there weren't a, you know, there wasn't an abundance of black bears coming across over from West Virginia and Pennsylvania at the time. Now, now it's less, it's, uh, it's not uncommon to have a black bear. I mean, we're nowhere near like Tennessee where we need bearproof dumpsters, at least, uh, like not yet, but. Right. Um, you know, they're around. Uh, I've had one on my property, um, here. And I live about nine miles from the park, miles from the park, so they're around, you know, but I'm kind of, I don't think that it would have been a black bear in that case just because of the time period in the 1980s. But now, now this is kind of one of the locations that people occasionally see black bears. Wellness looks different at every stage. The right support makes all the difference.
Starting point is 00:16:18 Shake up your routine with vital proteins, collagen peptides. The 20 grams of collagen source from grass fed, pasture raised, bovine. It helps support healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, and joints. Made with no artificial sweeteners, a clean way to fuel your body. So your wellness stays effortless wherever the day takes you. Vital Proteins. Stay vital. Visit Vital Proteins.com and get started. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It may just be the world's greatest eraser. Mabelian Instant Eraser Concealer is your secret weapon for erasing signs of a sleepless night.
Starting point is 00:16:53 Instantly cover dark circles and undereye bags in a tap, swipe, blend, leaving a bright, refreshed look without feeling heavy. Instant Eraser does more than cover and conceal. With 24 shades, you can correct, highlight, or sculpt. From a subtle brow lift to defining your pout. This is the multitasker that keeps up with you. The best part, the formula delivers flawless results for up to 16 hours with crease-resistant, lightweight wear.
Starting point is 00:17:21 Instant Eraser won't settle into fine lines and stays smooth, breathable, and hydrating. No cakey vibes here. Just a natural skin-like finish that looks fresh from morning coffees to late-night RSVPs. Mabelene Instant Eracer. Find your shade of Instant Eraser concealer at your local retailer. Mabelene, New York. By the time I hit my 50s, I'd learned a few things. Like how family is precious.
Starting point is 00:17:51 Work can always wait. And 99% of people over 50 already have the virus that causes shingles. Not everyone at risk will develop it, but I did. The painful, blistering rash disrupted my life for weeks. Don't learn about your shingles risk the hard way. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist today, sponsored by GSK. And my thinking is, you know, well, there's probably a significant overlap between two large omnivores. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:18:23 As far as sharing habitat, like you've got two large omnivores. They probably share very, very similar habitats, you know. And this would be a good spot for either of them. So that's kind of an old, you know, kind of an old story. Again, 1980s. And then like I said, I'm retelling it because the gentleman gave me permission to kind of retell that story. Oh, absolutely.
Starting point is 00:18:50 It's always important to get permission. Right, right. Yeah. So then I have one memorable story. It happened in the early, early 2000s. Two fishermen were night fishing. And for catfish, we've got these kind of big mutant flathead catfish, like these kind of river monster catfish that live in the lake, you know.
Starting point is 00:19:15 Oh, like Jeremy Wade style stuff? Yeah, yeah. So night fishing is kind of a big pastime. in the park because of the because of these big these big flathead catfish you know they can get up to like 60 pounds that sort of thing big that's a big fish oh yeah um so we uh there were two night fishermen um kind of on the north end of the park uh near an area known as hossack's cave which actually has its own encounter and has like uh which i'll kind of get to the closest thing that i have ever personally seen firsthand that could resemble a footprint, you know what I mean? That someone didn't say, hey, we found a footprint. You want to come check it out. Yeah, me and actually, me and two of the guys from Sasquatch tracks were out hiking at Hosex Cave and found, you know, found something that looks suspiciously like a big footprint.
Starting point is 00:20:11 It wasn't great, you know what I mean? Wow. But this isn't the same area. But those gentlemen were night fishing in that area and started having, they described. between softball and bowling ball-sized rocks getting, and they said they weren't getting rolled down the hill or chucked straight at them. They were getting like catapulted. They said they looked when we finally started,
Starting point is 00:20:33 because we kept hearing these big splashes. And he said when we looked up, we could see them like arc out of the woods, out of the trees. They actually would arc out of the trees and then end of the lake, you know, at them. And they said, you know, they were, they were, it would be really hard.
Starting point is 00:20:52 in my opinion, for a, you know, person to, you know, Hulk softball size, you know, hunk of black -haired sandstone up out of the trees, clear over the tree line, you know, and end of the water from the hillside. So they were. Oh, yeah, that would be intense. Yeah, yeah. So they, and they witnessed this for, for a while. And the thing was that the rocks kept getting close, like kept getting, you know, they kept
Starting point is 00:21:18 getting launched from a closer and closer location. So they kind of sked dad. out of there, you know, they, they, um, got out of there, but immediately told people like that, I believe they might have even done a beef BFRO report on it. I think it might be, I think it might be on the BFRO database for Ohio. Um, but it was a, you know, that, that's an interesting story. Uh, there. I have not gotten the chance to speak to those two individuals. Um, this is one of those stories that is like one of salt fork stories, you know, that's a, it's kind of the park story now, you know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:21:55 That and then there's one. It's like the campfire story. This is one of the, yeah. And there's also, there's also one that I have no, I've got no, I'll tell this because it's, it's important in this, in this, uh, community and in this, this subject. It's important to keep some, uh, keep some skepticism. Like you should have, you should be open minded. Um, but, uh, as a good scientist, you need to, you need to have.
Starting point is 00:22:22 some skepticism, you know. And I do have one story that I've got no evidence that it actually happened, but it gets retold and retold and retold. And I can't find a single, I can't find a single speck of evidence that it actually, actually happened, you know. But there's the story. Our primitive camp is in an area called Bigfoot Ridge now. It's called that because of the Bigfoot activity that had happened there.
Starting point is 00:22:52 the past and also kind of a marketing thing. You know, everybody knows that we, like, we do kind of market, you know what I mean? Bigfoot salt work spread and butter. So we do, we do use it, you know, like you, whenever I get accused of like, oh, you're, you know, you're, um, are people will often say something like, well, have you ever caught me like, have you ever caught any, like, have you ever caught me, you know, gruff from like talking about big foot? I'm like, well, it'd be different if you couldn't go to the gift store and get a bigfoot
Starting point is 00:23:22 plushy. You know what I mean? Like it's kind of, it's kind of, yeah. You know what I mean? Like, it would be different if I were just some, if I were just like, hey, you know, no one's talking about this, but these things are happening. That'd be totally different than I'd be like, but you know, you can go to the gift shop and buy a Bigfoot coffee mug. So talking about it's not such a big, not, not quite the big deal that sometimes it gets made out to be. Um, but, uh, this particular story involves two people who were in a car. A man and a woman in a car parked on what back then was just a picnic area in the middle of the night.
Starting point is 00:24:00 And something large, hairy and two-legged picked up the rear end of their car and held it. They were gunning the gas and couldn't go anywhere. And finally it dropped it and they took off. And they allegedly had told a park ranger about it. And that's kind of where that, the Bigfoot portion of the story ends. But then there's this whole other portion that's kind of this conspiratorial cover-up that also probably never happened. That I've been told by so many people that, oh, yeah, after that happened, we tried to go out there to see, you know, where it happened at. and there were two armed rangers, you know, blocking off the road and turning people away.
Starting point is 00:24:53 So here's the thing. The number of people that have told me that they went there and two rangers said there's an unknown animal and turn them away. Like there would have been a line of cars clear out of the park because of the number of people that said I was there that night. And two rangers turned me away. You know what I mean? Also, I have spoke to a. I spoke to a retired ranger back when they called them Rangers still, who was not afraid to talk about Bigfoot.
Starting point is 00:25:24 He actually had one of his. He was on Monster Quest, the Salt Fork episode of Monster Quest, telling a story about an animal looking in the window at the old Ranger station at one point. So not afraid to talk about it. He has no recollection of this. He would have been there. He was like one of the first officers that got hired at Salfork.
Starting point is 00:25:50 So he would have been there. You know what I mean? So I have no evidence. That when we talk about campfire stories, that one comes up over and over. So it has to have, it's got to have a nugget of truth somewhere. Like someone had to be freaked out while they were in their car with their girlfriend. Something happened. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:26:06 But it has grown into this like, oh, yeah, I was there that night. There were there were Rangers, you know, turning people away because of something was going on. You know what I mean? Like, I had an aunt and uncle tell me about that same story. And I'm like, I've got no, there's no evidence that this happened, you know. But there's got to be a nugget of truth. And in that area, people have, there have been some really compelling, like, audio recordings that I've heard that people have, have collected. I know, I know one researcher, yeah.
Starting point is 00:26:38 So I know one researcher that would make it a habit of just carrying around like the little digital, you know, tape recorders. you can get at like the college bookstore, you know. And he would just turn them on and put them like in the crotch of a tree as he's walking. You know what I mean? And then kind of collect them on his way back just to see if it picked up anything. So not the most, not the most technologically advanced thing. But, you know, it's something. And it's not a terrible idea.
Starting point is 00:27:04 I mean, I'm sure you can pick up all kinds of stuff. And he has actually recorded some really interesting things. one recording that was really fascinating to me and fascinated to him, like he was fascinated about it because he remembers when he recorded it, you can hear him like turning on the recorder and putting it in the tree, and then you hear him walk off with his two feet. You know what I mean? You can hear him walk off.
Starting point is 00:27:30 And each recorder that he had had the same recording, you know, kind of the shuffling around, you can hear him positioning it, and then him walking off clearly bipedal, you know. And just 10, 15 seconds after he walks off, something very heavy and bipedal walks right by, you know, and you can hear this crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, and it fades off. And every single recorder picked this up after he, you know, 10, 15 seconds after he had placed the recorder. So it was like something was just tracking him just far enough. You know what I mean? And so that to me is kind of an interesting, interesting story.
Starting point is 00:28:12 But that whole area, that Bigfoot Ridge area, it's called that partially because, you know, it's kind of a campy thing, but also because it historically had some sightings. I mean, there's the story about the two people in the car. But there's also, when it was still a picnic area, there's also a story about a family picnic and seeing two of them just kind of come out of the woods and nonchalantly walk. back into the woods, you know, walk through. Yeah. And they witnessed it. They sort of all, you know, stopped eating their potato salad and watched and froze, you know, and then, then, you know, and had to find somebody to tell about it. So that whole area has its own, its own sort of legends and stuff.
Starting point is 00:28:56 And it is pretty remote. I actually, I'm pretty familiar with that area because I have done a lot of hikes back there. and stuff. So, and it's, it's pretty remote and pretty rugged. I usually will take people, if I've got, say, like a reporter that wants to, wants to really go out and like, I'm not going to take them on a really heavily traffic trail. So I'll usually take them out, uh, out there just to kind to get them out in the woods and it feels, you know what I mean? It feels more remote, uh, than say one of our right, we're pretty common trails. Um, so, you know, it's a, that's a, that's an interesting area. Uh, so here, here most recently, this is kind of an interesting.
Starting point is 00:29:34 story. And, and you know, when you're involved in this community, uh, you get all kinds of, you get all, all, all manner of stories, you know, um, and sometimes it's really hard to vet. And like, I've noticed a lot of times people just need someone to listen to them, you know what I mean? And go, wow, interesting. You know, that's fascinating. Um, they don't need, they don't even necessarily need somebody to analyze. This is one thing that I kind of go back and forth with some of my research friends, like some of the, some of the people that are hardcore, you know, Bigfoot researchers, rather than like, what I primarily do is education. So rather than doing, you know, a lot of heavy, I do, I do a fair amount of research,
Starting point is 00:30:19 but I always say I spend more time out looking for snakes and salamanders and stuff than I do bigfoot, you know, because I think it's important if you're in this, if you're studying this, You shouldn't just be studying. You should be, you should be kind of taking it all in. You know, you should take like a naturalist's approach to it. You know, you should be trying to take it all in. So I try to do as much research as I can, but I'm always, you know, kind of more interested in other stuff.
Starting point is 00:30:46 Well, I get distracted while I'm out there. You know what I mean? I'm out, you know, it's, it's pretty rare for me to be able to go out and like just set in the woods and squash, you know. I'll usually get distracted by like, oh, cool. this is cool plants here or something, you know. But I kind of go back and forth with a lot of the researchers at the park where it's like sometimes people aren't necessarily telling you their story for you to like analyze it and figure out what they saw and tell them, you know, what you think about it. Sometimes they just need to tell their story.
Starting point is 00:31:25 You know what I mean? Sometimes they just need to get it out there. Oh, yeah. And you're a good outlet for that, you know, because a lot of times, a lot of times the researchers will get real laser focused, you know, and they'll be like, oh, well, you know, I kind of doubt that that's what you saw. You probably saw a black bear because this situation or, oh, you know, what you were seeing was actually some sort of. And, you know, they would, they'll kind of speculate as to what was going on, you know, why, why they saw it in that context or something. And I'm like, well, sometimes people aren't really looking for that. They're just kind of looking to tell your story.
Starting point is 00:31:59 And here, there's a place for that. Right. But yeah. Yeah, right. There is a place to like analyze stuff. But sometimes if somebody comes up after a program and they don't directly ask me, what do you think of this? A lot of times what they get is, wow, that's fascinating.
Starting point is 00:32:15 Thank you so much for sharing because that's interesting. Because I, you know, I can't be rude to people, you know. And I also can't like, I don't want to like, if they clearly saw a black bear, I don't want to say, well, that's just silly. You clearly saw a blackbait. You know what I mean? But also, like, I mean, I've had some people who get really into like the, the sort of, um, ukey, spooky paranormal Bigfoot stuff, you know, where Bigfoot's
Starting point is 00:32:39 maybe not a critter. It's more of a paranormal being and it's, you know, they talk about portals and things like that. And a lot of times that all the best I can do is like, oh, I'm fascinated. You know, Forbes and, you know. Right. And I will admit that there is weird stuff that kind of goes. Once you get into this subject, and the same goes for like UFOology or, you know, any paranormal.
Starting point is 00:33:04 Like once you get into the subject, you start seeing really weird stuff. You know what I mean? Like you start experiencing like weird things, not necessarily paranormal things. That's not what I mean. But like it kind of opens you up to like it kind of, you start, you start like observing things that you're like, huh. And I'm really comfortable now saying like, yeah, I don't know. That's really strange. For instance, the most recent story that I've got.
Starting point is 00:33:33 Wellness looks different at every stage. The right support makes all the difference. Shake up your routine with vital proteins, collagen peptides. The 20 grams of collagen source from grass fed, pasture raised bovine. It helps support healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, and joints. Made with no artificial sweeteners, a clean way to fuel your body. So your wellness stays effortless wherever the day takes you. Vital proteins.
Starting point is 00:33:53 Stay vital. visit vitoproteins.com to get started. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It may just be the world's greatest eraser. Mabelian Instant Eraser Concealer is your secret weapon for erasing signs of a sleepless night.
Starting point is 00:34:13 Instantly cover dark circles and under-eye bags in a tap, swipe, blend, leaving a bright, refreshed look without feeling heavy. Instant eraser does more than cover and conceal. With 24 shades, you can correct, highlight or sculpt. From a subtle brow lift to defining your pout. This is the multitasker that keeps up with you.
Starting point is 00:34:33 The best part? The formula delivers flawless results for up to 16 hours with crease-resistant lightweight wear. Instant eraser won't settle into fine lines and stays smooth, breathable, and hydrating. No cakey vibes here. Just a natural skin-like finish that looks fresh from morning coffees
Starting point is 00:34:51 to late-night RSVPs. Mabeline Instant Eraser. Find your shade of instant. and eraser concealer at your local retailer, Mabelene, New York. By the time I hit my 50s, I'd learned a few things, like how family is precious.
Starting point is 00:35:10 Work can always wait. And 99% of people over 50 already have the virus that causes shingles. Not everyone at risk will develop it, but I did. The painful, blistering rash disrupted my life for weeks. Don't learn about your shingles risk
Starting point is 00:35:28 the hard way. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist today. Sponsored by GSK. Came at the end of April this year. Actually, right before the Bigfoot Conference, end of April, it was still kind of slow. The campground wasn't packed, you know. And a lady and her husband, about five in the morning, got woke up.
Starting point is 00:35:54 Their dogs started going crazy, just going nuts in their camper. and they got woken up by their camper was actually rocking back and forth, you know, they could feel it. And they said it wasn't violent. They said it was like someone was standing on top of it and just kind of like gently rocking it back and forth from on top of the camper, you know. And they said they couldn't quite put their finger on it. There's no wind. And they said it was clearly like rhythmic, you know. and they said finally it stopped and they heard some rustling around and the husband went out with the dog and looked around.
Starting point is 00:36:34 No footprints, no anything. And she goes up to the camp store to tell somebody about it and she opens up the door. And all of a sudden, there's all this Bigfoot stuff in the camp store. And she's like, oh, is Bigfoot like a, is Bigfoot a thing? You know what I mean? Here. And, you know, they told her, yeah. And she's like, oh, man.
Starting point is 00:36:53 So last night, we got woken up first thing that, you know, well, this morning we got woken up by something on the roof of our camper rocking the camper back and forth, you know. And she said it wasn't violent, but it was enough to like notice. It was like a noticeable rocking back and forth. And, you know, she told me this story. And she's like, I. And she's like, we couldn't find any tracks. But honestly, I don't, we were expecting to go out and see like, you know, a person.
Starting point is 00:37:21 You know what I mean? Or a really big raccoon or something, a bear. You know what I mean? Something. And there's just nothing there. And, you know, that particular story, I'm like, I don't know what to make of that. Because it could have been, it could have been a bear. I mean, it could have been a bear.
Starting point is 00:37:37 Probably wasn't a person. I feel like what? I don't know. We don't have, like, a ton of really, like, we don't have that. We don't have like a problem with, like, mentally old people just sort of like, you know, running through the campgrounds. causing, you know, issues. I feel like someone else would have noticed. Randomly pushing trailers.
Starting point is 00:37:57 Yeah, but that was kind of an, and she was in A-loop, uh, which it has its own like kind of history of Bigfoot. Actually, one of our really well-known Bigfoot prints came from just down over the hill from where her campsite was. Um, and it's kind of, it's like, I believe this particular print is actually, the original is in Cliff's Museum, like Cliff Berrickman's Museum. He's got, he's got one of the originals or the original of this footprint from 2012. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:38:32 So that whole area has its own history of Bigfoot sightings. A very well-known sighting that happened just, it happened on a trail just adjacent to A-loop in the campground. a gentleman named Walter Tippy back in 2011. He was actually a vendor at the, it might not have been the Bigfoot Conference. It might have been like Creature Weekend or one of the one of the little like proto bigfoot conferences that used to happen at the lodge. But he was a vendor there and he was, he talked to these two fishermen who had said they'd seen something out in the woods. So he was going to go meet a friend and they were going to go investigate, you know. And he went out and he looked up on the hillside heading toward A-loop.
Starting point is 00:39:23 And he thought it was his friend. He thought, like, why is he wearing this jacket? That was his first thought. Why is he wearing, you know, a raincoat? And then he noticed there were two of them. And he said, as he was watching, they sort of glided up the hill. And he said, they were going so fast that it was no way that it was his friend. You know, his friend had two fake knees, something like that.
Starting point is 00:39:43 You know what I mean? Like his friend wasn't going to glide up a hill. And he witnessed it right in that area. So that area does have its own, its own sort of, uh, its own sort of, um, history with Bigfoot stuff. And like I said, um, the cave area, uh, a former employee at the lodge, um, was heading to work one day, uh, one night actually heading to work one night. And, uh, witnessed something, witnessed this black shape sort of stand up from the side of the road.
Starting point is 00:40:14 Like it was setting on the side of the road. stand up, walk sort of parallel to the road for a bit and then cross. And when they got to work, they said, I saw something that I can't explain. You know, they told their boss that they're like, well, I was on the way to work and I think I saw a Bigfoot, you know. So they actually put them in contact with some Bigfoot researchers who came out and investigated and collected a print from the, from the soft shoulder on the side of the road right there at the cave. and right in that area, that whole, that cave area, that's where the rock throwing happened. And like I said, that's where the closest thing to a footprint that I've seen, that's where I saw the closest thing to a footprint that I have personally witnessed was right there in that whole area. So there's, there's sort of these little hotspots and salt fork, you know.
Starting point is 00:41:11 and the cave and A-loop are two of them. And then we have group camp. And group camp is kind of out in the willy-wags compared to the rest of the park. It's like a, it's an area where, say, a scout group or a church group could rent. And it's a primitive site. But, you know, it's for a large, like for a large group. And it's real primitive. Like, there's no water.
Starting point is 00:41:38 Out in the ponies. Yeah. And there's no potable water. It's pit latrines. You know what I mean? And it's where I think probably the last time we talked, I had talked about the tree knock that I had heard the one time. Probably. Yes.
Starting point is 00:41:54 But yeah. So, which is a whole other thing. Like tree knocks, I don't get me started because I kind of don't think that they're probably not knocking a piece of wood on a tree. You know, it's probably mechanical. But the, that area has, there's an area within group. camp that Bigfoot researchers like affectionately call the bleachers because multiple times people have witnessed, you know, uh, like a small group of sort of large, shadowy shapes just sort of watching whoever is camping in the group camp, you know, so they kind of call, they call that area the bleachers
Starting point is 00:42:31 because they just sort of, you know, there's an area where like people will witness stuff just sort of watching whoever's camping there, you know, uh, which is pretty creepy, right? I mean, that's a, you know. Yeah, that's really creepy. Yeah, right, right. And like I said, the researchers that stay there frequently refer to that area as the bleachers. And it's interesting. I talked to, so where I had that tree knock and kind of some stuff happened in that area,
Starting point is 00:42:59 I had gone back to a, there was a research group staying back there. And I went back just to chat with him. And this one old fellow walks up. And I said, I said, yeah, right over, whoever's staying over. over in that campsite. I'm like, that's where, uh, that's where I had like the closest thing to an experience that I've ever had. And again, it's no smoking gun. Like I, uh, I, I, I can't say with any certainty that there's something out there. I know that there's something out there, because people are seeing something. You know what I mean? But like, I haven't experienced
Starting point is 00:43:31 something that tells me like a hundred percent there's this undiscovered primate, you know, um, but there's got to be something to it. And that, that, that, was the closest experience I've ever had to like an encounter was right in that that area. And he's like, oh, that is exactly, that's exactly why I pick that spot every time we camp here. He's like, I picked that spot because something happens there every time. He said it might be simple. He said it might be acorns getting chucked out of the woods and hint in my tent. He said, but something happens when I stay in that spot every time.
Starting point is 00:44:03 And I'm like, well, I mean, something happened to there when I stayed there and it was enough to like creep me out, you know. So, yeah, I mean, we, and like I said, man, I get, I get stories like once a week through at the park, but some of them are so, so incredibly hard to vet, you know. And some of them are as simple as like, oh, I was, you know, I was driving one night. Man, something ran across the road in front of me and for the life of me. I don't know what it was, you know. And, uh, right. And unfortunately on the other side of this, because Salfork has such a history. and has such a, it's so popular at the park.
Starting point is 00:44:44 We also have a lot of hoaxes that have happened. There are a lot of, there's really good videos that get every once in a while, they'll show up on social media. You know, somebody will dig them back up. And they're not real. Like, we know that they're not real. Like, we know who did them, those sorts of things. And it's kind of unfortunate.
Starting point is 00:45:02 You know, same goes anywhere where there's like a prevalence of this sort of stuff. you get those hoaxes. And that's kind of unfortunate because that makes our job more difficult because I got to suss out, well, was it somebody in a suit? You know what I mean? Like, I got to suss out whether it's a hoax or not. You know what I mean? And that makes it.
Starting point is 00:45:22 But I do believe a fair number of people that I talk to because many of them don't have any skin in the Bigfoot game, so to speak. you know what I mean like they're not hardcore researchers. Oh, interesting. Okay. Yeah. So there is a good portion of people who like don't seem to have any reason to kind of, you know what I mean? Like they seem like normal people.
Starting point is 00:45:51 Like they're not having a psychotic episode. They seem like normal people, you know. And it's it's hard for me to completely disregard them, you know. It's hard for me to disregard some of those stories in particular. I mean, even not from like, I mean, from salt fork, but I mean, a few years ago, a few years ago, a nice, you know, little old lady with her family at the park came, came over and she was looking, I've got a map where people can put pens in if they've had an experience. You know, it's a map of Ohio and if they've had an experience. And some of them, like, clearly, you know, you probably didn't see Bigfoot in downtown Columbus. You know what I mean? Like in a metro park in downtown Columbus, like, which, you know, hopefully not. Yeah, like, probably, you know, you know, you probably didn't like, but, you know, so, but the, the map's kind of interesting because you start seeing like trends.
Starting point is 00:46:47 You start seeing where, like, pins will start to cluster together. You know what I mean? And most of them are in areas where, like, it's heavily wooded, lots of vegetation, or it's heavily agricultural, which is another interesting thing, you know. And I had this lady and she's like, well, you know, this is only Ohio. And what happened to me happened in West Virginia. And I was just a kid. She said, but it was right over the border.
Starting point is 00:47:12 Can I put a pen? Can I put a pen in the white spot on the map about where it would be in West Virginia? I said, yeah, sure. You know, do it? Like, uh, so she put a pen like in the blank spot. And I said, do you want to tell me your story? And she said, yeah. So she's like, I'm old enough that I actually went to a one room schoolhouse.
Starting point is 00:47:30 You know, she's like, I went to school up to like fourth grade in a one room schoolhouse. And, uh, she said that, you know, she remembered. members very clearly when she was, and there was one, uh, one spring where there was a monkey who kept bothering the school. There was a monkey that would come in and look in the window at the school. And, uh, and she's like, you know, it wasn't until I was older that I realized that West Virginia didn't have monkeys, you know, like, and, uh, and, you know, that it probably was. And I'm like, see, I, but I have, uh, she was like a little old grandma, you know what I mean? Like she could have been my grandma. And it was, it's really hard for me to just to be like,
Starting point is 00:48:07 And that might be a bias that, you know, it's an, you know, observational bias thing. You know what I mean? Where I'm like, oh, you're a sweet little old lady. You wouldn't lie to me. But it's really hard for me to dismiss her story. You never lie to me. Yeah, right. You know, really hard for me.
Starting point is 00:48:23 And it's also kind of a fascinating story. She's like, oh, yeah. It wasn't until I was older that I realized, like, we probably weren't seen a monkey, you know. So I get stories like that quite a bit. I have a question for you regarding stories that come into you. Would you say most of them are like, I kind of caught a glimpse of something? I couldn't really see it. Or there are, do you get anywhere?
Starting point is 00:48:48 It's like I literally was looking at the face of the creature. It's a primate. I saw it dead on. Or is it kind of like glimpses in the shadows? I guess a majority of them, as you kind of would expect, are like I was out and we saw something, you know, something went running through the woods. There are, I have had people come in and tell me, like, I saw this, you know, I clearly saw it. A gentleman fishing, fishing just outside the park, uh, saw something across the creek.
Starting point is 00:49:19 He was fishing like in the spillway area where our dam is. So it's kind of a creek, you know, uh, he was fishing in the creek and across the creek. He saw something that he described, you know, and he said that it, it basically, uh, it scared him because it kind of went crazy. He said, it went crazy like a monkey goes crazy, tossing leaves and sticks and things. And he said, he said, he took, he took off. He said, but he saw it. He said it was a, it was a long, tall, uh, definitely a long tall primate. And he said it was behaving like a primate. You know, he said it was throwing sticks up in the air and leaves and making noise. And he saw it dead on. Um, and you know, it's, it scared him. He actually, he actually, he actually, he actually, he actually,
Starting point is 00:50:03 had reported that one to a researcher. And it scared him. He said, you know, he's like, I'm a vet, you know, and like a veteran. And he's like, I'm, I'm not scared of much, but it scared me. You know, he said, because it was just so, it was something that you don't expect to see, you know, in southeast Ohio, you know. So, yeah, I mean, we do, we do get instances where people have, we've, you know, we've got the sort of tent pokers. You know what I mean? People have reported something like pressing down the top of their tent.
Starting point is 00:50:35 You know, that's... Hold on. Hold on. So I find that very interesting because I just talked to a gentleman from New Hampshire had the same thing happen. So is this like a normal occurrence that's happening in Salt Fork? It's not normal. I mean, I don't have people come in all the time and tell me like, oh, you know, something pushed down on the top. But it...
Starting point is 00:50:57 Wellness looks different at every stage. The right support makes all the difference. Shake up your routine. with vital proteins, collagen peptides with 20 grams of collagen sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine. They help support healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, and joints. Made with no artificial sweeteners,
Starting point is 00:51:11 a clean way to fuel your body. So your wellness stays effortless wherever the day takes you. Vital Proteins. Stay vital. Visit VitalProtene.com and get started. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose,
Starting point is 00:51:23 treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It may just be the world's greatest eraser. Mabeline Instant Eraser Concealer is your secret weapon for erasing signs of a sleepless night. Instantly cover dark circles and undereye bags in a tap, swipe, blend, leaving a bright, refreshed look without feeling heavy. Instant eraser does more than cover and conceal.
Starting point is 00:51:47 With 24 shades, you can correct, highlight, or sculpt. From a subtle brow lift to defining your pout. This is the multitasker that keeps up with you. The best part, the formula delivers flawless results for up to 16 hours, with crease-resistant lightweight wear. Instant Eraser won't settle into fine lines and stays smooth, breathable, and hydrating.
Starting point is 00:52:09 No cakey vibes here. Just a natural skin-like finish that looks fresh from morning coffees to late-night RSBPs. Mabeline Instant Eraser. Find your shade of instant eraser concealer at your local retailer. Mabelene, New York.
Starting point is 00:52:27 By the time I hit my 50s, I'd learned a few things. Like how family is precious. Work can always. weight. And 99% of people over 50 already have the virus that causes shingles. Not everyone at risk will develop it, but I did. The painful, blistering rash disrupted my life for weeks. Don't learn about your shingles risk the hard way. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist today. Sponsored by GSK. It's one of the things that has been reported. It's not just been reported here. I mean, I don't know if
Starting point is 00:53:04 you know, John Mayanski has a, he has a story about something kind of pushing, pushing down on his tent, you know, and him thumping at the knee. You know what I mean? And, uh, so yeah, I mean, it's something and it would, again, I try to look at all this from like a naturalist standpoint where it's like, well, is there, is there like a precedence out in nature for this sort of thing? But it's like, yeah, I mean, look like a raccoon is curious, you know, or a black bear. Like, if there's something, if there's this little pod and maybe, you know, you might have like granola bars or something in your, you know what I mean? If it smells like food, if it smells like an easy meal, you know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:53:45 Something's going, you know, it would stand to reason that something would be like, hey, maybe I'll just, I mean, we do that kind of stuff. Like, oh, maybe I'll just poke it. You know what I mean? Maybe I'll just poke it and see, you know what I mean? What's in there? Yeah. Yeah, right.
Starting point is 00:53:58 Right. Oh, don't want to mess with that. It's screaming, whatever it is. I got to get. You know what I mean? like so that's yeah are are most of the reports you get pretty tame or are there any aggressive occurrences that happen inside the park most of them are pretty tame again most them are like uh i saw something across the road um i i had a gentleman um i don't know a couple
Starting point is 00:54:24 of years ago come to a hike come to a bigfoot hike and tell a story about being bluff charged I was kind of skeptical about his story. Most of because of the word bluff charge, like it seemed like he'd sort of had that he'd sort of built up this scenario in his head. You know what I mean? But, I mean, there was a story about a gentleman being like bluff charged. Like, you know, something ran kind of toward him and stopped just short until he ran off, you know. But yeah, I don't get, other than like the rocks getting chucked out of the woods, you know, I mean, I guess that could be, I guess.
Starting point is 00:54:59 That could be kind of viewed in an aggressive, you know, light. You know what I mean? Rock's getting chucked at some fishermen. Could be. Yeah, could be. I don't know. You know, again, this is where I start to, like, this is one of my shortcomings is I have such a hard time, like, wildly, wildly speculating about what things mean when it comes to experiences and things like that. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:55:25 And it's one of the things that frustrates me. from like a naturalist and a biologist standpoint is like animals behave um they they will behave in odd ways for no reason sometimes you know what I mean like sometimes animals are just behaving weird you know um but for the most part you can kind of animals are kind of predictable you know what I mean like you kind of know what's going to happen with animals like for the most part you can kind of guess what's going to have it. Like you can read an animal's body language and things like that. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:55:59 They're kind of predictable. But this is something that we don't have much real information about. You know what I mean? Like so wildly speculating that a tree that you found twisted up is because of, you know, frustration. Like, oh, it was sitting here and people were walking through its territory. So it was just twisting this in a frustrated man. Well, it's like, that's specular.
Starting point is 00:56:23 That's pure speculation. And I get so frustrated because I'm like, we don't know enough. We do not know enough to start speculating about what things mean. How about we start focusing on like what is out there? You know what I mean? What could potentially be out there and not get so lost in the weeds with some of the, you know what I mean? Like, oh, what's this mean? You know what I mean?
Starting point is 00:56:44 The Trenock thing. Like I said. Oh, yeah. No, totally. People bring that up. I'm like, don't get me started on Treenox. Like, okay. So you're saying you hear three.
Starting point is 00:56:54 tree knocks. It means, oh, there's three, you know, like you happen to be with a group of three people. So if you heard three tree knocks, that means that they are letting the other ones know that there are three people out there. You know what I mean? Like that, that is pure speculation. That is very speculative. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:57:11 Yeah, right. Like, but if you're talking to the public, if you're doing a public program and you're the big foot person, like you're the researcher that's doing a public program, which is awesome, by the way, that you're doing libraries. So I saw that on Instagram. that's awesome that you're doing like public education stuff. Oh, yeah. Let's put a plug in for that real quick, John.
Starting point is 00:57:30 So if you want to hear a Bigfoot presentation I'm doing, July 28th, Erland Public Library, because they found out that there's a person in their town that does a Bigfoot podcast. So I may have told them too. I don't know, but, you know, yeah. But I mean, public education is the best. Like that's, you know what I mean? Like, it's awesome that you're doing that. So, but, you know, like,
Starting point is 00:57:53 in a position where you're educating the public, like the lay public, you know, who is not, who aren't Bigfoot researchers who are just showing up because they have an interest in it, you know, and you say that like, oh, well, there are three tree knocks means there's three people, you know what I mean? They see three people. There's three three tree knocks. Then they take that to mean like, oh, well, they know this. You know what I mean? And it's like, it's kind of counterproductive, you know what I mean? Oh, well, the Bigfoot researcher said that. So it's true. well, we don't know anything, you know what I mean? And that's giving them like an awful lot of credit.
Starting point is 00:58:28 Like that's, you know what I mean? That's giving them an awful lot of like this animal we don't know anything about that, you know, may or may not exist, depending on where you fall. You know what I mean? You're just kind of saying like it can communicate in like a pretty advanced way. Like, you know, oh, do these three treat. And then, you know, the idea that it's a, I use tree knock because everybody knows what I'm talking about. You know, wood knock.
Starting point is 00:58:52 everybody knows what I'm talking about. But I always challenge people. I'm like, I always kind of challenge people. I'm like, all right. You know, we're in a mixed Appalachian hardwood forest here in Salfork. You know what I mean? Go out right now and find me a log on the ground that's suitably dense that you can pick up and make like a Louisville slugger home run noise by banging it against another tree. You know, it's surprisingly hard because most of them are like,
Starting point is 00:59:22 punky and if you do that, they're going to like blow apart and a million pieces. You know what I mean? Like most of the, you pick up a log off the ground in the woods, it's going to be punky and rotten. You know what I mean? And if you do find one that's like dense, it's covered in bark. Like you're, you're not going to be able to replicate. It kind of, it seems improbable that these noises that people hear, these knocks, uh, are coming. Like, it seems improbable that Bigfoot has like its own walking stick all the time that it's
Starting point is 00:59:51 walking around, you know. banging on trees with. So I've always assumed that if this thing is, if this thing is real and if it's out there, it's probably some sort of mechanism. Like it's probably popping its jaw or, you know, popping its lips or even like, you know what I mean? Nash and its teeth, something like that, something that is rep, then they can replicate it. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 01:00:15 Like they can do it over and over with the same results, you know. So I've heard from a few. few people that have been able to replicate the sound. I want to say Jonathan Easley is one of them. If not, sorry, buddy, you just got a shout out in my bad. But they're able to make this sound by kind of clapping their hands in front of their open mouth.
Starting point is 01:00:41 I've heard that. I've heard that theory too. Yeah. And it makes a similar sound. A similar sound. Yeah. And that would make a lot more sense. And it would make a lot.
Starting point is 01:00:50 It would make so much more sense to me than like, oh, they're finding a suitable piece of wood, finding a suitably large tree, and doing that every time. You know what I mean? It would make a lot more sense to me. I know in some areas, like in the Olympic Peninsula, they have found rocks that seem to have, like, wear patterns on them like they were getting, you know, maybe smack together, you know. I mean, that seems more like, again, it seems more likely than like, you know, a wood knock per se. but it's just kind of the generic term.
Starting point is 01:01:23 At least that's my opinion. And again, like, I'm wildly speculating too. I'm just as guilty of it. You know, like, but that's kind of when I approach this sort of thing and when I hear stories, you know, I try to approach it from like a naturalist standpoint. That's kind of the like, you know, I kind of joke like I'm the bigfoot naturalist. That's kind of like one of my Instagram bio has the big foot naturalist in it because it's like, well, I'm doing this, but I'm doing education,
Starting point is 01:01:54 and I'm not so much, like, and I'm trying to approach this from like a naturalist standpoint, you know. So when I hear these stories, I'm like, man. Wellness looks different at every stage. The right support makes all the difference. Power performance with vital proteins, advanced collagen peptides plus creatine. Designed to help build and maintain muscle mass
Starting point is 01:02:10 in combination with resistance exercise. It also supports healthy hair, skin, and nails, strength and beauty in one scoop. So you turn every day into a little time for women's wellness. Vital protein. Stay vital. Visit vitoproteins.com to get started. These statements have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease,
Starting point is 01:02:28 in combination with resistance exercise. It may just be the world's greatest eraser. Mabeline Instant Eraser Concealer is your secret weapon for erasing signs of a sleepless night. Instantly cover dark circles and under-eye bags in a tap, swipe, blend, leaving a bright, refreshed look without feeling heavy. Instant eraser does more than cover and conceal, with 24-shed. you can correct, highlight, or sculpt. From a subtle brow lift to defining your pout.
Starting point is 01:02:58 This is the multitasker that keeps up with you. The best part? The formula delivers flawless results for up to 16 hours with crease-resistant, lightweight wear. Instant Eraser won't settle into fine lines and stays smooth, breathable, and hydrating. No cakey vibes here. Just a natural, skin-like finish
Starting point is 01:03:17 that looks fresh from morning coffees to late-night RSVPs. Maybeleen Instant Eraser Find your shade of instant eraser at your local retailer Maybelline, New York By the time I hit my 50s, I'd learned a few things
Starting point is 01:03:35 like how family is precious. Work can always wait. And 99% of people over 50 already have the virus that causes shingles. Not everyone at risk will develop it, but I did. The painful, blistering rash disrupted my life for weeks.
Starting point is 01:03:54 Don't learn about it. about your shingles risk the hard way. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist today. Sponsored by GSC. Why would it be behaving like this? You know what I mean? Is there a precedence out in nature for something like this? You know, I shine is kind of one of those weird things. People, I just got an alleged picture. And it's kind of like, I'm sure you see a fair number of shadowy blobs outlined in red on somebody's phone, right? I'm sure you see a fair number of them. Yeah. This is kind of a shadowy blob with two.
Starting point is 01:04:28 And I love them. I love them too. I love them too. No, I'm not bashing them. I'm just saying like, you know, I'm sure you see.
Starting point is 01:04:35 You know. Right, right. And yeah, I love them too. Like it's, yeah, it's great.
Starting point is 01:04:41 It's, you know, and it kind of moves the narrative forward to. You know what I mean? Like the whole, it's what drives this whole subject matter, you know. So yeah,
Starting point is 01:04:51 keep back to shadowy blobs. But, you know, it's a shadowy blob with two pinpricks of light. You know what I mean? And it's, uh, I, I've always struggled with the eye shine thing because there aren't, there aren't, uh, like there aren't great apes with a tepidum, you know, a tepidum lucidum at the back of their eye, the tissue at the back of their eye. You know what I mean?
Starting point is 01:05:14 And it's like, well, it doesn't mean there can, it couldn't be an example of like evolutionary convergence where two things evolve separately. I mean, wings are good eyes for. example, have evolved, like the eye, the structure of the eye, has evolved separately multiple times throughout the history of life, you know?
Starting point is 01:05:34 So, you know, it's not to say that there couldn't be, there couldn't be an evolutionary precedence for it where it's like evolutionary convergence, where they evolved a tepidum separately from everything else, you know what I mean? It's not to say that that's not the case, but I've always struggled with the eye shine.
Starting point is 01:05:50 Also, you know, because the animals climbed trees. So raccoon can be eight feet off the ground and has eyes shine. You know what I mean? Um, so I like, or a bard owl land in a tree, you know, landed in a, uh, branch that's seven or eight feet off the ground. You shine your light on it.
Starting point is 01:06:10 And you get these two pinpricks that are eight feet off the ground. You know what I mean? Like you get the, the two glowing eyes that are eight feet off the ground, you know, um, so you don't, I, I don't know. I've always struggled with the, the, the, the shine thing, uh, but I'm not going to like dismiss it because we don't know. You know what I mean? Like we don't know for sure.
Starting point is 01:06:28 So I'm not going to dismiss it completely. John. Yeah. So thank you. Thank you so much for sharing some stories from Salt Forth. Very, very cool stuff. At Monster Fest, you were sharing with me that story about the weird like horse. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:06:44 Or the horse got attacked. And we might talk about that after the show. That sounds good. For the for the Patreon side of things. But thank you so much for coming on. How can people keep up to date with, you know, what's going on in the world, a Salt Fork and John and all that good stuff? As far as Salt Fork goes, if you just, if you like the Salt Fork Facebook page,
Starting point is 01:07:08 that's usually the most up-to-date thing. That's probably the easiest is just look for Salt Fork State Park on Facebook. As far as I go, if you can follow my Instagram, it's a Hicken Bottom, John on Instagram. If you follow it, I mean, I post occasionally post things about Bigfoot, but mostly I post some critters and stuff that I find. But it's a good way. It's a nice way to keep in contact with people. I do like Instagram a lot for keeping in contact with people.
Starting point is 01:07:43 So it's Hick and Bottom John at Instagram. It's the Bigfoot naturalist. And you can see all of our adventures here and some of the stuff that I'm working on. And I'm hoping, I'm hoping things are kind of like, it's summer, so things are kind of crazy. But things kind of in my personal life right now are slowing down. Like I was actually working a second job for a little while and things were kind of hectic and I didn't get quite as much done as I wanted to, you know. But now things are kind of slowing down. Like it's summer and the kids are home and like things are, you know, things are hectic at the park, but things are kind of slowing down here.
Starting point is 01:08:19 And I'm hoping, I'm hoping to actually eventually do some writing. I'd kind of like to put together like, you know, something like the Bigfoot naturalist's field manual, something like that. You know what I mean? Not just to do bigfoot research stuff, but something to like how to be a naturalist and how to do this sort of thing out in the field. You know what I mean? And how to approach this from a naturalist's point of view. So I'm trying to, like I'm hoping to do a little bit of writing eventually and that'll all be Instagram stuff. You know, good, good Instagram fodder there once I get the ball rolling on anything like that.
Starting point is 01:08:56 So, yeah, I mean, lots of exciting things. Oh, that's awesome. We're building a new nature center at Salfork. It should be completed in 2024. And Bigfoot's going to be a central theme in it. We're actually having a life-size Bigfoot. The same special effects artist, Beau Bo Bruns that did the life-size Bigfoot in Cliffs' museum is uh like in clip really music he's doing he's doing one for us yeah um so that's going to be
Starting point is 01:09:26 pretty cool yeah oh wow that'll be really cool yeah so that is really cool man should be cool yeah so lots of stuff happening it's all exciting hmm awesome well john thank you so much for coming on again and if you go to a big foot conference you may just be lucky enough to see john in person just look for the amazing mustache but so good chatting with you dude It's good chatting with you too. Thanks for having me on. Before we go, just want to say thank you to all the new listeners that have joined Bigfoot Society over the last few weeks on our podcast platforms and on YouTube. You guys are incredible.
Starting point is 01:10:04 Things are exploding just over the last month. I've gone from 15% to 39% on the way to becoming a full-time Bigfoot podcast. I appreciate you guys so much. makes a difference when you listen to the podcast weekly. Make sure you're subscribed and share this episode with a friend and also an online Bigfoot Facebook group or any other groups that you're in. Thank you so much. Here at Bigfoot Society, our goal is to provide a platform for those that have encountered Bigfoot to share their encounter in a safe and respected environment. But we need to hear your story. If you've experienced something that you just can,
Starting point is 01:10:49 explain please send me an email at bigfoot society at gmail.com then we can start the conversation and I know a lot of you have not shared your encounter at all it's been 20 years and it's time that you get this off your chest and then you can get some well-deserved rest because I know you haven't been sleeping I understand what you're going through and I appreciate every one of you listening you back next week for another episode of the Bigfoot Society podcast. Wellness looks different at every stage. The right support makes all the difference. Power performance with vital proteins, advanced collagen peptides plus creatine.
Starting point is 01:11:31 Designed to help build and maintain muscle mass in combination with resistance exercise. It also supports healthy hair, skin, and nails, strength and beauty in one scoop. So your inner harmony works with your outer wellness. Vital Proteins. Stay Vital. Visit VitalProtene's.com to get started. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, in combination with resistance exercise. It may just be the world's greatest eraser.
Starting point is 01:11:58 Mabeline Instant Eraser Concealer is your secret weapon for erasing signs of a sleepless night. Instantly cover dark circles and under-eye bags in a tap, swipe, blend, leaving a bright, refreshed look without feeling heavy. Instant eraser does more than cover and conceal. With 24 shades, you can correct, highlight, or sculpt. From a subtle brow lift to defining. your pout. This is the multitasker that keeps up with you.
Starting point is 01:12:24 The best part, the formula delivers flawless results for up to 16 hours with crease-resistant, lightweight wear. Instant eraser won't settle into fine lines and stays smooth, breathable, and hydrating. No cakey vibes here. Just a natural skin-like finish that looks fresh
Starting point is 01:12:41 from morning coffees to late-night RSVPs. Mabeline Instant Eracer. Find your shade of instant eraser concealer at your local retailer. Mabelene, New York. By the time I hit my 50s, I'd learned a few things, like how family is precious. Work can always wait. And 99% of people over 50 already have the virus that causes shingles.
Starting point is 01:13:09 Not everyone at risk will develop it, but I did. The painful, blistering rash disrupted my life for weeks. Don't learn about your shingles risk the hard way. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist today, sponsored by GSK. Shell v. Power Nitro Plus fuels every drive from the Pacific Coast Highway to the Sierra Peaks with a fuel like no other. It contains active coating ingredients that clean and protect for longer lasting engines. That means more protection with active ingredients for longer lasting engines. Shell v. Power Nitro Plus premium gasoline. Engine performance that lasts.
Starting point is 01:13:41 Chances are you're not far from a Shell station. Find it using the Shell app. Formulation unique to Shell. Compared to minimum detergent gasoline with continuous use of Shell v. Power Nitro Plus and gasoline direct injection engines. Actual effects and benefits may vary. See shell.us slash more dash protection for more information. Having MG can make cooking difficult, but over the years I found some really helpful tools and tips that I'm excited to share. Hi, I'm Alicia. I think cooking should always be fun, creative, and of course delicious. These black bean burgers are hearty, full of flavor, and MG friendly.
Starting point is 01:14:12 You're going to love them. Check out Alicia's black bean burger cooking video and other recipes full of tips and tricks for managing common MG symptoms while cooking only at mG-united.com. Ready? Let's cook. Hear that? That's the spam brand singing you a love song. Spam, sizzle, pork, and mm.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.