TCI - SP6 - Lon Strickler - The Bigfoot Paradox

Reports of a large, hairy hominid have circulated worldwide for centuries. The sightings and lore have become the basis for speculation as to what this creature really is and why there is scant evidence to support it's existence. Since Bigfoot has been part of the human culture for so long, is it possible that a Bigfoot or related hominid was found many years ago and remains hidden away from the public?

Near the end of the overnight appearance of Jeff Meldrum’s and John Bindernagel’s discussion of Bigfoot on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory on September 22, 2006 an American, who claimed to be living in the Ukraine, telephoned into the talk-radio program. The credible-sounding individual had an intriguing account.

Without disclosing his name, the man identified himself as an environmental scientist. He stated that after the fall of the Soviet Union, he was hired to do air quality studies at the museum in the University in Leningrad (later St. Petersburg). While taking air samples in a three-level basement beneath the museum in 1992, he said he made a startling find.

The American scientist stated that he came across an object in a glass case that, according to the label, was an animal that looked like a Bigfoot, taken near a Russian outpost in northern California. The outpost was near Mendocino, and the mounted hominid was collected in the late 1700s, from what he could tell on the museum label. The huge animal had several layers of skin, exhibited a foot 17 inches long, and was a 7' 1" tall, hair-covered upright Bigfoot-like figure.

Could the Bigfoot have been collected by one of the first surveying Russian exploration parties?

Then there is the case of the Minnesota Iceman, a purported man-like creature frozen in a block of ice and displayed at fairs and carnivals in Minnesota and Wisconsin in late 1968. Two trained scientists, Ivan Sanderson (who was also a naturalist) and Bernard Heuvelmans (also a researcher and the founder of cryptozoology), examined the "Iceman" and concluded it was a genuine creature, noting "putrefaction where some of the flesh had been exposed from the melted ice." Heuvelmans wrote a scientific paper about the Iceman and even named it as a new species with neanderthal affinities, Homo pongoides, and theorized it was killed in Vietnam during the war.

When the Smithsonian Institution was reportedly interested in the Iceman, Dr. John Napier was asked to investigate. He suggested the FBI investigate due to reports that the creature had been shot and killed. Shortly thereafter, the Iceman disappeared from public display, withdrawn, Hansen said, by the California-based owner. In a 1995 interview, Hansen reported that "I never did find out" if the Iceman was genuine.

Ivan Sanderson, who had examined the creature, wrote a article in Argosy Magazine describing the hominid. Heuvelmans also contributed to the article.

Over the years, many skeptics (especially creationists) have simply labeled the Minnesota Iceman as a hoax and a product of Hollywood and atheists.

Maybe the Iceman cadaver will turn up one day with enough tissue intact for proper forensic examination though, that seems unlikely. There were reports in 2004 that the Iceman was buried in an undisclosed and unmarked grave in a California forest.

The lack of tangible evidence for this cryptid's existence may also be due to a theory that has been gaining popularity over recent years, namely, that Bigfoot is a non-terrestrial being.

A few months ago, I posted a poll that posed the question ‘What is Bigfoot / Sasquatch?’ To my surprise, 26% of the 574 participants answered they believed this creature was an interdimensional or extraterrestrial being. Are we at a point where people are open minded enough to accept that a hominid species may very well not be of our time or planet?

Cryptozoologist Nick Redfern referenced a woman named Jenny Burrows, who had a remarkable tale about a creature she claimed to have encountered in a particularly dense area of Seattle woodland: nothing less than a fully-grown Saber-Tooth Tiger.

According to Jenny, she had been walking through the woods with her pet Labrador dog, Bobbie, when it suddenly stopped in its tracks, whined loudly, and dropped to the ground, shaking.

Thinking that it had possibly had a seizure, Jenny quickly bent down to comfort her pet, and could then see that the dog was staring intently to its left. Following the gaze of the dog, Jenny was horrified to see moving in the undergrowth what looked like a large cat – “like a mountain lion, but much bigger.”

That the creature was possibly a mountain lion filled Jenny with dread; however, that dread was amplified to stratospheric proportions when its face could clearly be seen; including the two huge teeth that were the absolute hallmark of the Saber-Tooth Tiger.

As Jenny said to me, with much justification: “You don’t have to work in a zoo or a museum to know what a Saber-Tooth Tiger looks like: everyone knows.”

It was then, however, that Jenny’s story became even more bizarre.

As the cat loomed fully into view and out of the confines of the bushes and undergrowth, she could see that its body seemed to be semi-transparent and that, “the bottom of its front paws were missing.”

Jenny concluded, she told me, that what she was seeing was not a still-living Saber-Tooth at all. Rather, she thought, it was “the ghost of a Saber-Tooth” that was haunting its old pathways and hunting grounds – thousands of years after its physical death. http://www.mania.com/lair-beasts-sabertooth-terror_article_110846.html

Could it be true? Are ghostly creatures really roaming our planet? Perhaps the idea is not as far-out as it might seem. Though it is likely that this may have been a residual spirit of a once living creature, it may also be a manifestation of a non-terrestrial or interdimensional being. Our world cultures possess thousands of cryptid and humanoid legends that have been told for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years. Is there a chance that we are chasing real entities that slip in and out of our plane of existence?

I was told of the experiences of a well known veteran Sasquatch investigator in the California Sierra Nevada Mountains who stated that he was watching one of these creatures walk away from him and then suddenly disappear. The terrain did not offer cover or camouflage and there was no direction that the creature could have taken without being seen. There were no caves or holes for the Sasquatch to duck into…it just vanished.

Rick Phillips posted an interesting reference in his blog recently. Jonathan Downes, of the Centre for Fortean Zoology, first coined the term Zooform in 1990 and maintains that many of these phenomena result from complex psychosocial and sociological phenomena, and suggests that to classify all such phenomena as ‘paranormal’ in origin is counterproductive. Thoughtform may be understood as a ‘psychospiritual’ complex of energy or consciousness manifested either consciously or unconsciously, by an individual or a group. Thoughtform are understood differently and take on different forms. Rick makes a reference that anomalies and paranormal entities might fall into the category of Temporary beings. Temporal characters that represent ideas, such as the Bigfoot type entities that were reported on the Skinwalker ranch or, for that matter, any type of Bigfoot, Mothman or Chupacabras. Could these entities be IDEAS? Could they be ideas that transform into temporal characters - like memes? Here’s is a link to the entire post - http://barfstew.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-what-bigfoot-is-theories-in-reply-to.html

S.A. Robinson, a self-described ‘armchair Bigfoot researcher’ states that it’s understandable that a subject as odd as this one, with the supposition that there is an enormous hairy creature that lives in forests around the country without being clearly photographed, videotaped or fully understood, should attract a good deal of divisiveness and even infighting. When proponents of the 'flesh and blood' camp mix with those who favor a 'magical' explanation, it can sour both sides from the real objective, which is to prove conclusively this entity's existence.

The principle of the simplest explanation, usually being the correct one, stands up in terms of building theories, but it should not be used as an arbiter between two opposing theories…and so we are left with the two camps.

He continues to explain that because of the similarities between our current understanding of the UFO phenomenon and that of Sasquatch, the fleeting visual aspect (most reports lasting less than a few seconds) the high strangeness (UFO’s and Bigfoot moving at extreme speed often with disregard to physics) and with lack of much physical evidence (some trace material like radioactive soil or some unusual hair), not to mention the seeming invulnerability of both phenoms to physical attack (no UFOs or BF downed by gunfire) the link between Bigfoot and UFO encounters must fall into a similar category.

Why, in these modern times, with so much technology, do we not have a full accounting of everything in our animal kingdom? Some will cite the case of the Coelacanth fish as evidence of an evolutionary throwback that, due to it’s extreme habitat, was thought to be extinct until it was brought to fresh, modern speculation in a fishing net. To suggest that Bigfoot falls into this same explanation is to say that we have not really looked deeply enough into the woods. I refute this suggestion, as we have the ability to see nearly every square foot of the planet in high detail from space through satellite technology. We have a military/industrial complex that can ferret out any heat-producing organism of human size (or larger) with FLIR equipped cameras, and despite the large tracts of uninhabited land on the North American continent, humans have traipsed on so much of it that over the past fifty to one hundred years we have compiled perhaps several thousand decent eyewitness reports of weird footprints, strange sounds and sightings of the giant hairy extra-human entity.

A reader stated that just because we don't understand how Bigfoot move in and out of another dimension or what their purpose is, doesn't rule out this possibility. He has questioned a variety of people that channel interdimensional beings and every time the answer turns out that Bigfoot are indeed interdimensional beings as well. There are many other beings that can move in and out of another dimension including fairies, gnomes, sprites, and others. Indigenous people worldwide will verify this as they have strived to maintain to keep their connection to earth and the natural beings while the ‘civilized’ world has nearly completely lost touch. Only young children and intuitive adults are able to see/feel these beings as they move in and out of other dimensions. It’s time for us to wake up to this possibility regardless of what conventional wisdom and science has to say about the matter. The evidence is there…time to become open to a broader perspective. Blog writer Sharon Lee (The Bigfoot Field Reporter) posted a reference to 'Mr. Mike' and his possible ability to see beyond the naked eye may be a very good example of this theory - http://bigfootlives.blogspot.com/2010/07/ghost-of-bigfoot-and-mr-mike.html

Well known paranormal investigator Jon-Eric Beckjord’s theories sum up much of the argument. He believed that Bigfoot and similar cryptids may be interdimensional beings that can occasionally take physical form for brief periods of time, but have the ability to ‘fade out’ and pass through ‘wormholes’, possibly to other dimensions or parallel universes. He reported to have had one of the creatures speak to him using telepathy, communicating the words ‘We're here, but we're not real, like what you think is real’. Beckjord claimed that such entities may be able to actually disappear into thin air, or even shapeshift.

Beckjord maintained that the interdimensional hypothesis may possibly, if proven, explain why there are thousands of alleged Bigfoot creature sightings each year, yet no dead zoological physical body is ever found. To evidence these ideas, Beckjord accumulated a large collection of enlarged photographs that he says show, among other things, ‘half-Bigfoots’ and ‘invisible Bigfoots’, or possible aliens. The forms are often found in situations where the camera picked up images not seen by the witnesses, often due to distance. According to Beckjord, the images show primates, carnivores and beings not readily identified within known zoological classifications that resemble descriptions of aliens submitted to investigators. He conducted much field work, such as camping out at ‘window sites’ where, he said, Bigfoot activity is frequently seen. He collected his own photographic evidence of what he believes to be a ‘tribe’ of either Bigfoots or aliens at El Dorado National Forest.

Beckjord's strong beliefs about Bigfoot and similar entities brought him into conflict not only with skeptics, who consider Bigfoot sightings to be a cultural phenomena purely resulting from wishful thinking or hoaxes, but also with those who believe Bigfoot to be an actual physical creature.

Researcher and author Kewaunee Lapseritis maintains that the Bigfoot race was brought to Earth by the ‘Star People’, long before human civilization. His evidence is the creature’s use of telepathic communications, alleged hundreds of joint Bigfoot-UFO sightings going back over a hundred years and theoretical physics. He also stated that conventional Bigfoot investigators have not found the creature because they are limited in their belief that Bigfoot is "simply a relic hominid that never became extinct." "That really may be true," Lapseritis said in an interview. "But in addition to that, (Bigfoot) may literally be, as I've discovered, a paraphysical, interdimensional native people that have told me and other people telepathically that they were brought here millions of years ago by their friends, the ‘Star People.’

I recently received a telephone call from a woman in British Columbia who said she was the daughter of a Kootenai shaman. She stated that most Native tribes seem to believe Sasquatch is a non-physical creature. Some tribal elders mention that they have seen the creature shapeshift into a wolf. She said her father thought that the creatures lived in another dimension from our physical plane, but can come here as it wishes. He also believed that Sasquatch has great psychic abilities and that the creature can be visible to some people, while at the same time remain invisible to others in the same group.

I recall a story that I bookmarked some time ago. I’m not sure who wrote it but I do know that is was told to a alternative author or researcher by one or two of the witnesses and demonstrates several facets pertaining to a paranormal Sasquatch.

On one warm summer’s night, three teenage girls had gone to visit another friend. Her parents were out of town, and so the girls planned to watch TV, play music, and have a fun and enjoyable evening. During the night, their discussion turned to horror-movies and the paranormal so the four girls decided to try out an old Ouija board.

None of them were frightened by the board or the possible implications...in fact, they had no real idea at all how to even use the board, apart from what they had seen on TV or read. However, what initially started out as nothing more than a bit of late-night fun quickly changed into something much darker and much more terrifying.

Using familiar television imagery, they removed a wine-glass from a kitchen-cupboard, placed the index-fingers of their right hands atop it, and were soon working the board. There were questions about boys, when they would marry, and attempts to contact dead relatives followed...all to no avail. However, something decidedly odd did occur: on two occasions, the electricity went off...which scared the living daylights out of the four friends.

One of girls explained later: “When that happened with the electricity, we all kind of looked at each other in a funny way and decided to stop.” It was all too late, the damage was done, and a doorway was unwittingly opened. Nothing further happened that evening.

The host girl, whose name was Laura, can't explained much of what happened as the next day progressed and afternoon became early evening. Once again the electricity failed, around 6.00 p.m., and the dark, foreboding feelings began to take an ever-stronger hold on Laura’s mind. She decided to retire to the comfort and (so she thought, at least) safety of her bedroom.

Later that night, Laura was woken from a deep sleep in the early hours, and heard what sounded very much like a loud, yet disturbing, animal-like “scream” emanating from the vicinity of a small, but densely-packed, area of woodland that was situated at the rear of the family home. Cautiously, but also curiously, Laura got out of bed, went to the window and peered out into the darkness and the shadows. Nothing out of the ordinary could be seen, so she returned to her bed and was soon asleep again...but not for long.

It was approximately 2:00 a.m. when Laura was jolted from her slumber by what she described as “the grossest smelling thing ever: like an old rotting cabbage.” Laura put out her hand to turn on the lamp that sat on a small bedside table, when she was horrified and panic-stricken by the sight of a silhouetted, large, black, hairy figure that was partially eclipsed by the shadows in the darkened room.

Laura said the creature was “hunched over and had huge, long arms and big, white eyes.” She added that at the very moment she tried to scream out loud she experienced a sudden feeling of paralysis: “I was sitting up, but couldn’t speak or move at all,” she stated.

The worse was still to come: the hairy giant slowly moved in Laura’s direction, stooped down over her, and brought its face within eight or nine inches of hers. The creature was, Laura explained, “just like Bigfoot: a big hairy thing that I couldn’t tell if it was a monkey or a hairy man.”

For several moments, the giant beast stared intently and deeply into her eyes, then slowly and carefully backed away, until the point came where its dark mass was almost indistinguishable from the shadows that dominated the room.

The strange form ultimately disappeared, Laura recalled: “like it had been sucked into the shadows.” Notably, Laura added that although the beast had certainly scared her out of her wits, she did not get the feeling that it was in any way directly hostile. Instead, it was her opinion that the creature had appeared to warn her “not to get mixed up with ghosts and Ouija boards again.” Unsurprisingly, since that day Laura has not.

The beast has never returned.

Now, I wonder what a traditional Bigfoot researcher would say about that story?

Maybe we’ll discover beyond a doubt where the truth lies in reference to Sasquatch. We may actually kill several birds with one stone if or when we do find the answers to our questions. There may be a grand connection between all the mysteries in our world...possibly involving other worlds or dimensions as well. Mankind may be the greatest mystery of all and the reason why Sasquatch, extraterrestrials, spirits, etc. seem to be as fascinated with us as we are with them.

“While many cryptozoologists and cryptozoology supporters find such theories ridiculous, and often laugh them off, we would all do well to remember that the so-called "mainstream" of science has much the same reaction when presented with the possibility of Sasquatch existing at all. If we hope for mainstream scientists to keep an open mind, we must lead by example and not waste time and energy, that would be better spent searching for evidence, fighting amongst ourselves.” – James R. Harnock