Believe in Bigfoot? These guys do ... local research team seeking volunteers

Saturday, November 26, 2011
Tyler Vance and Austin Hutchison have been researching Bigfoot for the past seven years. They say they have found various forms of evidence, including hairs, footprints and sound recordings.

A local Bigfoot research team, the Sasquatch/Bigfoot Research Unit, has been together for seven years and is now seeking volunteers to participate and help with its findings after the new year.

Putnam County residents Tyler Vance and Austin Hutchison started researching the legendary Bigfoot mystery after meeting in the eighth grade. The boys quickly became friends after being assigned to sit next to each other in a science class.

After many hours of research the group officially formed in October 2004. There have been countless volunteers, but Vance and Hutchison have been the only two permanent members.

"We're the only two members," explained Vance. "We've done 90 percent of the research."

Although there are many discrepancies on whether Bigfoot is in fact real or just a myth, the pair believe 100 percent that he is real and that there are in fact 3,000 or more all over the United States.

"You don't have room to judge when you haven't stepped foot in our shoes or attempted to learn anything about it," Vance said.

Although, their efforts have been subject to much disapproval, they stand by their beliefs.

"They haven't sat down and researched it at all," Hutchison said. "I'm still kind of confused as to why people are constantly joking around about it."

According to Vance and Hutchison many people do not understand what exactly Bigfoot is or what he looks like. However, the pair have spent hours researching the species. They believe the species came to America from Central Asia via a land bridge shortly after the dinosaurs. They are also believed to be around 8 feet tall and to migrate during the winter months.

"Most people think it's half-man, half-ape," said Hutchison. "They have behavior of both humans and apes."

The behavior of this half-man, half-ape is not said to be dangerous. In fact it is due to their shy nature that they are rarely seen, only becoming aggressive when their territory is compromised.

"You mess with it or go into its territory it may become aggressive," explained Vance. "It wants to ignore you and stay in cover."

After many weekends of spending nights in the woods in hopes of finding anything that could lead them to Bigfoot, the two have found hairs, footprints, and even a sound recording of tree knocks, which is believed to be how the species communicates between one another.

"We have pretty much all the evidence you could want except a body," Hutchison said.

The two may not agree on what works and what doesn't to lure Bigfoot in. They do however, set out bait traps as well as participate in wood knocks.

"We try and have those lucky encounters," said Vance. "It's pretty much like a camping trip for us."

Shooting down the idea that because no body has been found it must not exist, they explain that like many other species Bigfoot is said to bury their dead. As with anything in the forest nothing sticks around for long.

"We've been out in the woods a ton and we've never found a full body of anything," Vance said. "A lot of people think that bigger animals, if they're sick or dying, will go to a certain place to die."

The team will be featured in an upcoming Animal Planet television show, "Finding Bigfoot." They hope to take on more members after the new year, which is when they will begin researching again.

For more information or to join their team, email sasquatch_bigfoot_research_@yahoo.com.

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  • Really? Really? ......... Really???

    -- Posted by 1stamendrights. on Sat, Nov 26, 2011, at 10:35 AM
  • *

    Yes 1stamendrights "really"!!! Now go back and get in your mobil meth lab and drive around.

    -- Posted by ridgerunner54 on Sat, Nov 26, 2011, at 2:53 PM
  • Sorry Ridgerunner

    I also believe in bigfoot as I have witnessed very large foot prints in our woods (in Reelsville) during heavy snow last winter.

    So dont rule it out just yet.

    oh by the way - no drugs or alcohol being used here.

    -- Posted by dbltrbl on Sat, Nov 26, 2011, at 5:50 PM
  • I believe he is real. I saw Yeti on a commercial the other day punching a guy in the gut to make him spit out his gum so he would chew more. Go ask Shaun White where Yeti is and then I bet you can find Bigfoot from that information. You will waste a lot less time that way.

    -- Posted by CdaleResident on Sat, Nov 26, 2011, at 7:14 PM
  • I heard Bigfoor hangs out with Goatman.

    -- Posted by LangdonUlger on Sat, Nov 26, 2011, at 8:14 PM
  • I don't discount the idea of Bigfoot. It's possible, but unlikely, that there are large semi-humanoid creatures living unseen among us. However, until there's undeniable proof, I'll retain my skepticism.

    -- Posted by Clovertucky on Sat, Nov 26, 2011, at 10:31 PM
  • Is there such things as gorillas? People used to say there were these great big monkeys in the forest. No one believed these researchers until 1847. Thats not really that long ago. You would think a huge gorilla would have been discovered before 1847, right? So maybe there are other creatures out there. Not so sure if they would be around here but I've heard a lot of claims so who knows. But there are stil many remote locations in the US where they could be. I've been watching Finding Bigfoot and love it! Good luck guys! Maybe you will be the ones to finally find another creature in the world! I really think people need to quit giving you a hard time. If they don't want to imagine something out in the woods they don't have to. No one is forcing them to believe it. They should just be happy that you are having fun doing research and not getting into trouble or doing drugs. Happy hunting boys!

    -- Posted by JoeysMomma on Sun, Nov 27, 2011, at 10:01 AM
  • Ok rather then debate the "are they crazy" or "really" group of people in the world I pose one question. Can you prove me wrong? Are you willing to get out in the woods, set and research what we say as fact? If you are not willing to PROVE ME WRONG then I respectfully decline to enter a intelligent conversation with you about them.

    -- Posted by Wolfin on Sun, Nov 27, 2011, at 7:11 PM
  • I didn't think anyone on here is debating that they are crazy. Better wear your hunter orange so you don't get shot.

    -- Posted by CdaleResident on Mon, Nov 28, 2011, at 4:28 AM
  • We always make sure to take all the right steps toward safety while conducting our field research. :)

    -- Posted by SBRUtyler on Mon, Nov 28, 2011, at 12:40 PM
  • No one needs to prove them wrong .. until they find more evidence than a footprint and grainy photo, they can say what they want. It's like any other obsession .. once you get it in your head it's true, you'll do whatever it takes to prove you're right. Doesn't mean it'll happen in your lifetime, or mine, or ever.

    Carry on though. If you enjoy doing it, and it doesn't hurt anyone else .. knock yourselves out.

    -- Posted by Emmes on Tue, Nov 29, 2011, at 11:47 AM
  • I too have also been involved in cryptozoology research since a very young age. I've researched anything from ghosts, demons, big foot, aliens...etc. If you ask anyone in the country "do you believe in life on other planets" the response is usually "yah i think it's possible". But when you start talking about a giant creature that lives on the woods and has been seen by thousands of people all of the sudden you're crazy. The one thing that is PROBABLY the most likely to actually be real people shoot down as fake.

    I know a lot of people around here are hunters and spend a lot of time in the woods, how often has anyone found dear carcuss (naturally killed) just there. It's not going to happen unless it has just died. The other animals are going to eat it, drag it away and not to mention the body eventually will decompose likely in a few weeks depending on the temperature.

    Stay open minded people, there is way more weird stuff going on in this world than a giant, hairy, blurry creature running around in your back yard.

    -- Posted by Cnlien on Tue, Nov 29, 2011, at 12:43 PM
  • Yes, we do love doing it. Also, we don't have a blurry photo, yet. We do however have a few unknown primate hairs, 2 plaster casts of footprints we found in the woods, and recordings of vocalizations that we (as well as many people we have consulted with) have never heard before. Like joeysmomma said, apes were not discovered until the 1800's, and before they were discovered, this same cycle was going on. Open-minded believers were saying they were seeing big apes running around the forests, and other people called them crazy. This same thing is repeating in front of our eyes. If we said apes didn't exist today, we'd be crazy, so we are saying they do. :) Thanks for the support everyone, all the best, Tyler.

    -- Posted by SBRUtyler on Tue, Nov 29, 2011, at 2:16 PM
  • I have seen a track 23 inches in length from toe to heel and 11 inches wide across the toes. Also seen the creature that made these tracks.

    -- Posted by firebreathinglocomotive on Wed, Nov 30, 2011, at 8:21 PM
  • Where was the 23 inch track found?

    -- Posted by SBRUtyler on Thu, Dec 1, 2011, at 11:24 AM
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