Map Monday, Bigfoot Sightings in North America

Bigfoot, often referred to as Sasquatch, is a large bipedal creature that stands between six and nine feet tall. Most sightings describe Bigfoot as an ape-like entity covered in dark brown or black hair. The creature’s name stems from the giant footprints – measuring as long as two feet (60 cm) – that are the most common physical evidence of its presence. While the focus of this post is on North America, sightings of similar creatures occur across the globe. The Yeti in the Himalayas, the Yowie in Australia, the Yeren in China, and even the Mapingauri in the South American jungles represent relatives of Bigfoot.

Native American legends include tales of Bigfoot-like beasts from all corners of the continent. Whether because of publicity or simply more people searching, the number of sightings continues to grow. Prior to the mid-1970s documented reports of Bigfoot rarely exceeded more than a handful. From that point through the 1990s sightings tripled to an average of roughly ten per year. During the first decade of the new millennium, the number doubled again before dropping back to the 1990s level in 2010.

Do all of these sightings prove the presence of giant ape-like being roaming through the North American wilderness? No scientific proof, i.e., a body or live specimen, exists. That said, according to an AP poll in 2014 (from Wikipedia), more Americans believe in Bigfoot than in The Big Bang Theory. For what it’s worth, Dame Jane Goddall remains open minded about the possibility of Bigfoot.

So if you’re of the seeing-is-believing type, where should you go to maximize your chances of finding Sasquatch? While roughly a third of all sightings happen in California and the Pacific Northwest, a surprisingly large number come from Ohio, Texas, and Florida.

Map of Bigfoot Sightings in North America (Wikimedia)

As always thanks for reading.

Armen

Note to pay the bills:  While it doesn’t contain any giant ape-like creatures, the Warder series, a James Bond-like thriller in a fantasy setting, does include many legendary monsters. If that interests you, check out a summary of the series here or find links to purchase books here.