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Bigfoot Cover Story
Bigfoot: The Story Behind The Picture
This photo was taken while I was on a wild hog hunt. The ranch I was hunting on belonged to a friend of a friend. They raised cattle, had a pecan orchard and grew crops. This ranch seemed to do almost anything to keep their operation going, including raising an experimental crop of grass for an agricultural college. This grass project consist of an estimated 5 acres that appeared to be growing so well that it was moving into the pecan grove.It was mid-morning; I was looking for sign of wild hogs that were plaguing this ranch at the edge of the pecan grove where the lush green grass project converged. There I came across two sets of tracks, one massive set consisting of six footprints and a second set of smaller footprints (although bigger than my feet) consisting of four footprints. Remembering back to an encounter I had at the age of ten, I wasn’t frightened but I did go on high alert.
I walked closer while inspecting these tracks and noticed they were at the most a few hours old. One was made in a damp area beside a pecan tree (the one pictured) it was deep and the most obvious. My excitement began to build and I wanted to document this unusual sight so I hurried back to the truck to get my camera. It already had a fresh roll of film and was ready to work.
After taking the entire roll of twelve pictures I measured the footprint on the cover. It is roughly 19-1/2 long x 8-3/4 inches wide x 1 inch deep. I also measured the distance between the front of the footstep and the rear of the next one in line, they averaged 44 inches. The smaller of the two I wasn’t able to measure the actual footprint as it didn’t leave a good impression, however the grass that was flattened measured approximately 13 inches long x 6 inches wide with an average distance between steps of 39 inches. It’s also important to note there didn’t seem to be any sliding of the steps or indication of running. Both appeared to be a long flatfooted walk for each set of tracks.
The boot in the photo is mine and is a size 11EE (US size); I tried to place my heel in line with the heel of the footprint. I also placed all my weight (an embarrassing 260 pounds) on this one foot and bounced on it but other than flattening the grass barely left an impression. What made the track was very heavy!
The footprint in the damp area was the only one that was truly documentable and I decided to go into town and buy some casting plaster and make an impression. I drove slowly along the ranch road so I wouldn’t kick up a lot of dust and never be invited back, but once I got to a paved road I made good time. I found a bag of plaster at the old ranch/hardware store at the far edge of town. After I asked several questions about the proper way to mix it up and purchasing everything I needed, I hurried back. Once there I again slowly drove toward the house so I wouldn’t stir up the dust.
Nobody was outside or around that I could see so I used the garden hose by the house and put about three gallons of water in one bucket and carried the bag of plaster in the second bucket. This would allow me to mix the plaster right on sight and hopefully make the best cast of the footprint possible.
As I was lugging the two five gallon buckets out to the pecan orchard the skies began turning very dark and ominous. I was only half way to the tracks when the lightning and thunder began quickly rolling in. There simple was no way I was going to get to the tracks before the storm blew in with a vengeance. I poured out the water in the bucket to make my load lighter and hustled back to my truck. I didn’t quite get there before the rain came pouring down.
It stormed for four hours and afterward I took a muddy walk out to where the tracks had been. The rain had come so hard and fast (it was still running out of the grass field toward the pecan grove) that all the tracks were washed away. There wasn’t anything left! All I had to show for the effort was a roll of undeveloped film and two five gallon buckets one with a very wet bag of plaster in it and muddy boots, and pants.
I hunted the ranch for the next two days and saw no further sign of these unknown creatures. Interestingly, I also didn’t see any sign of wild hog activity. Leading me to believe the arrival of the creatures that left these tracks instinctively moved the wild hogs out of the area.
Once home I had the roll of film developed and was thrilled I had captured these prints. But when I was looking for the photographs for my research for this book I could only locate this one. This single photo on the cover is the only evidence remaining that I was able to collect from that eventful trip. However, with that said I’m happy I wasn’t able to cast the footprint as I might have attempted to show-n-tell everyone about what I had seen.
Now after a long life with many diverse experiences, I can make this statement without any reservations.
“I will never divulge where these tracks were found, when they were discovered or any other information about them. I know what I have personally witnessed and firmly believe we all should live our lives in peace while allowing others to do the same.
I’m not asking anybody to believe or not believe the choice falls to each individual. But I must say be skeptical of possible fakes because there are practical jokers everywhere. Also to those people that are “in the outdoors all the time and haven’t seen any sign”. That comment only means you haven’t seen any sign of some unknown creature not that they do not exist. Judging others because of your lack of experience makes you look foolish at best.
With that said if you find yourself actually witnessing one of these creatures or simply finding tracks that are obviously not made by a person. Don’t be afraid but count yourself blessed as you have just witnessed nature like many others have. I liken the exhilarating experience to seeing a Mountain Lion, or Grizzly Bear in the wild or walking up on a 600 pound wild boar. They can all be very dangerous but if properly prepared (mindset and gear) the encounter will leave you with a great story to tell.”
Ken Foster
