There is a new sighting of Bigfoot in Nebraska.
Paul Hammel writes for the Omaha World Herald, and says in part:
Before July, Saunders County Sheriff Kevin Stukenholtz had never fielded a call about Bigfoot over a lifetime in law enforcement.
Now he has a big mystery on his hands.
Stukenholtz, along with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, investigated a reported sighting of an unidentified “hairy” creature in late July on a country road that parallels the Platte River. A hair sample found at the site was still being analyzed.
A 15-year-old reported seeing the creature, which he said stood about 7 feet tall on two legs as it ran in front of the vehicle the youth was driving about 5:30 a.m. The creature then disappeared into the trees along the river.
Stukenholtz, who became county sheriff six years ago after a long career with the Nebraska State Patrol, said he has no reason to believe the report was a hoax. His office is awaiting a report about hair gathered from the scene, between Morse Bluff and Linwood, about 60 miles west of Omaha.
The sheriff said that even though he thinks it’s highly unlikely that Sasquatch has shown up in Saunders County, his office has an obligation to check out credible reports.
“We aren’t sure what it was, but we’re looking into it,” Stukenholtz said.
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Meanwhile, rumors are flying in the Linwood-Morse Bluff area that tracks were found and that people have heard unexplained screams. No tracks were found, according to Conservation Officer Mark Luben of Game and Parks, who investigated the Bigfoot report. The officer said he turned over the matter to the Sheriff’s Office once he determined the report did not involve a game or nongame animal under the agency’s jurisdiction. Luben said he has fielded two previous reports of Bigfoot sightings in his nearly 24 years with Game and Parks. One, he said, turned out to be a rabbit that had left big tracks in the snow. The tracks were misidentified by a Dwight-area resident who had recently moved to the area from Chicago. Luben and Stukenholtz both said the teen who reported the creature sighting does not want to be identified or interviewed.
“When anyone ever says the term (Bigfoot), it’s immediately followed up by a joke,” Stukenholtz said. “They’re certainly not looking for any public ridicule.”Source.
Dr. Jeff Meldrum told the local authorities he was skeptical of the reports “from Nebraska because the state doesn’t have the expansive wilderness necessary for a large primate.”
But Meldrum has not thought expansively or historically about these recent incidents and has not placed them in context.
First off, the location of years of accounts is nearby. The Pine Ridge Reservation is in southern South Dakota, just north of Nebraska. Interlopers would not be out-of-the-question.
There have been more than half a dozen reported sightings of a Bigfoot-type creature in Nebraska since the mid-1970s.
The history of sightings in the state are so old they even link to a well-known criminal.
Mass murder Charlie Starkweather, who was put to death in 1959, said in a journal he kept in prison, while awaiting death in the electric chair, told of how as a boy, he would see a strange upright, hairy creature outside his window in the mornings. I detail the incident in my book, Bigfoot: The True Story of Apes in America.
Other accounts from the area in the last ten years certainly reinforce the notion that parts of Nebraska are just a continued part of the range from the Native reservations farther north.
Janet and Colin Bord looked at the 1977 Bigfoot sightings, which occurred among the Sioux at Little Eagle, South Dakota.
Over the space of a few months, 28 sightings of Bigfoot were reported, and the Bords reference the accounts in their 2006 edition of Bigfoot Casebook Updated. They looked to the work of Mark A. Hall, noted in his “Contemporary Stories of Taku-He‚ or Bigfoot‚ in South Dakota as Drawn from Newspaper Accounts,” The Minnesota Archaeologist, 37(2): 63-78 (May 1978), and his The Yeti, Bigfoot & True Giants, to organize their data in a helpful timeline.
Hall and the Bords have shared with us a good overview of this First Nation’s interaction with Bigfoot over thirty years ago via the following chronology:
9 Aug. 1977 / Green Grass, SD / Three policemen / At 3 am saw by spotlight 6-7-ft hairy ape-like creature moving in creek bottom. / Eagle Butte News 18 Aug. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.65.
Mid Aug. 1977 / Nr Grand River, nr Little Eagle, SD / Todd Alexander (12), Chad Alexander (9) / Saw ‘long hairy legs’ in bushes / Mobridge, SD, Tribune, 3 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.65.
Mid Aug. 1977 / Along Grand River at Little Eagle, SD / Craig Two Hearts (16) / Saw Bigfoot / Richard Boeth & Elaine Sciolino, ‘Bigfoot is Back,’ Newsweek 31 Oct. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.65.
Summer 1977 / Around Spearfish, SD / Betty Johnson & daughters Brenda, Bonnie & Becky / Saw two Bigfeet in cornfield eating corn, one 7-8 ft tall and black, the other smaller with brownish-red body and black face; whistled / Letter to editor of Eagle Butte, SD, News 20 Oct. 1977 from Pauline Johnson, noted Hall(l) p.65.
Summer 1977 / Red Scaffold, SD / Young girl / While at home alone, was frightened by ‘foul-smelling, hairy creature’ / Eagle Butte, SD, News 18 Aug. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.65.
Mid Sept. 1977 / Nr Little Eagle, SD / Chris Howiatow & others /’Big ape’ watched them from hillside as they checked cattle; then ran into brush as they approached / McLaughlin, SD, Messenger 20 Oct. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.66; see also Bonnie Lake,’Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.28.
Mid Sept. 1977 / Nr Cannonball River, ND / Paul Monzelowsky & son / Chased 8-9-ft Bigfoot in pickup truck. It ran ‘as fast as a horse’ and leapt across creek / Richard Boeth & Elaine Sciolino,’Bigfoot is Back,’ Newsweek 31 Oct. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.66; see also Bonnie Lake,’Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.29.
28 Sept. 1977 / E of Little Eagle, SD / Nancy Chasing Hawk, Esther Thundershield, Myron Fast Horse / After hearing howling outside, turned on truck lights and saw tall, hairy animal with green eyes run into brush / Worthington, MN, Globe 4 Oct. 1977 & Pierre, SD, Capital Journal 6 Oct. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.66.
Sept. 1977 / Little Eagle, SD / LeMar Chasing Hawk / Saw eft Bigfoot in bushes; ran home / Bismarck, ND, Tribune 26 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.71; see also Bonnie Lake, ‘Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.28.
6 Oct. 1977 / N of Little Eagle, SD / Phoebe Little Dog / Saw Bigfoot / Pierre, SD, Capital Journal 17 Oct. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.66.
13 Oct. 1977 / SE of Little Eagle, SD / Cecilia Thundershield, Dan Uses Anew, Albert Dog / First two witnesses saw Bigfoot come from woods, and they fetched Dog who saw it re-enter woods. It had long arms almost to knees and walked slouched over / Sioux Falls, SD, Argus-Leader 15 Oct. 1977 & McLaughlin, SD, Messenger 20 Oct. 1977, noted Hall(l) pp.66-7; see also Bonnie Lake, ‘Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.31.
13 Oct. 1977 / N of Little Eagle, SD / Phoebe Little Dog / Saw Bigfoot in cattle pasture, same place as her c.6 Oct. sighting / Pierre, SD, Capital Journal 17 Oct. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.67; see also Bonnie Lake, ‘Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.31.
22 Oct. 1977 / Along the Grand River, Corson County, SD / Four men on horseback / Saw Bigfoot basking in sun; it ran away and they could not find it / Timber Lake, SD, Topic 27 Oct. 1977 & 10 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.67.
25 Oct. 1977 / Nr Grand River Bridge, Little Eagle, SD / Alwin Ducheneaux / Saw Bigfoot in his headlights around midnight / Bonnie Lake, ‘Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.31.
29 Oct. 1977 / Elkhorn Buttes, N-E of Little Eagle, SD / Verdell Veo (police officer), Jeff Veo (15), another teenage son & officers Bobby Gates & Selvin Arlen / Saw Bigfoot by moonlight and men followed it. Pursuit ended as they had no weapons against Bigfeet 8-9 ft tall (see ch.8)/ Timber Lake, SD, Topic 3 Nov. 1977, & Worthington, MN, Globe 8 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.67; see also Bonnie Lake, ‘Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.69.
Late Oct. 1977 / Little Eagle, SD / Irene Village Center / Saw Bigfoot in marshy brush / Bonnie Lake, ‘Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.72.
Autumn 1977 / Nr La Plant, SD / Melvin Garreaux / Saw Bigfoot; tracks found / McLaughlin, SD, Messenger 6 Oct. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.69.
Autumn 1977 / Little Eagle, SD / Hanna Shooting Bear / At night, saw Bigfoot near a mobile home (see ch.8) / Mobridge, SD, Tribune
3 Nov. 1977, noted Hall (/) pp.69-71; see also BAOTC p.93.
Autumn 1977 / Standing Rock Reservation, SD / Mr. & Mrs. Waiter Chasing Hawk / While driving at night, saw green eyes in lights. Thinking it was a deer, Chasing Hawk got out with rifle, but saw 8-ft Bigfoot. Police found nothing when they searched / Worthington, MN, Globe 8 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.71.
Autumn 1977 / Grand River, Little Eagle, SD / Mrs. Angus Long Elk / Saw Bigfoot by river / Bismarck, ND, Tribune 26 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.71.
5 Nov. 1977 / Nr Little Eagle, SD / Verdell Veo (police officer), Gary Alexander & others / Surrounded Bigfoot, but it escaped after chase of several hours (see ch.8) / Timber Lake, SD, Topic
10 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.67; see also Bonnie Lake ‘Bigfoot on the Buttes; The Invasion of Little Eagle,’ UFO Report vo1.5 no.6 p.71.
13 Nov. 1977 / N of Little Eagle, SD / Male driver / Saw Bigfoot on road and drove into ditch / Timber Lake, SD, Topic 10 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.69.
23 Nov. 1977 / Little Eagle, SD / About 12 women & children / Held campfire party to lure Bigfoot; two seen crouching in brush / Bismarck, ND, Tribune 26 Nov. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.69.
3 Dec. 1977 / Elkhorn Buttes, N-E of Little Eagle, SD / Gary Alexander, Lowell Olson, Keith Olson / Watched two Bigfeet for 3 mins; one was 8-8 1/2 ft tall and dark, the other a foot shorter / Timber Lake, SD, Topic 15 Dec. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.69.
5 Dec. 1977 / Elkhorn Buttes, N-E of Little Eagle, SD / Verdell Veo (police officer)/ Saw 2 Bigfeet / Timber Lake, SD, Topic 15 Dec. 1977, noted Hall(l) p.69.
Winter 1977 / N-W of Little Eagle, SD / Gary Alexander & others / Saw two Bigfeet while snowmobiling; they looked but did not run / Bismarck, ND, Tribune 7 Jan. 1978, noted Hall(l) p.71.
To learn more about any regional Sasquatch interactions, look to the history surrounding them in the nearby states.
I’m rarely upset at Jeff Meldrum. I am here.
Jeff, what good is it to “be skeptical of reports from Nebraska because the state doesn’t have the expansive wilderness necessary for a large primate”?
How much such territory does this animal truly need? The Great Plains were once crawling with grizzly bears – just ask Lewis and Clark – and they’d be there still if we just denied their existence and didn’t bother them.
When the numbers are smaller, which seems likely with this animal, and no one’s bothering it, well, just how doubtful is it, given that there is lots of food?
When the local authority treats the kid’s report seriously, it seems wise not to shoot a potential breakthrough in the foot right off the bat. I really wish scientists, even Meldrum, would stop issuing all these “informed” opinions about things we just don’t know for sure yet.
Nebraska is not the Great American Desert. The bluffs along the Missouri River are covered in trees. Buffer areas of trees follow all the state’s rivers and surround the lakes. The Worlds Largest Man-Made Forest is in North Central Nebraska. Nebraska is also known as The Tree Planter’s State where J. Sterling Morton founded Arbor Day in 1872. Yes, there’s plenty of farmland, but farmers also plant “shelter belts,” wide borders of trees, to cut wind and prevent soil erosion.
All this tree cover offers beltways for animals to move through and around the state. That is shown by the multiple sightings and the movements of mountain lions seen throughout the state in the past 10 to 15 years.
Thanks, Loren, for your counterpoint comments.