Have you ever heard of a "Hoop Snake"? This is one of many frontier legends that were popularized throughout the 19th century, but Micah leads off with a recollection by a family member who claimed, as a child, to have seen such a creature. Also on the subject of myth and folklore, we look at the claims that a large creature might have been discovered by NOAA in the 1990s, which turned out to have a simpler explanation.  Then getting to the heart of the discussion, we are joined by author Lyle Blackburn, a native Texan known for his work in writing, music, and film. He is the author of several acclaimed books, including “The Beast of Boggy Creek” and “Lizard Man,” whose subject matter reflects his life-long fascination with legends and sighting reports of unknown creatures. Lyle is also the founder of the rock band, Ghoultown, and narrator/producer of documentary films such as “The Mothman of Point Pleasant” and “Boggy Creek Monster.” We discuss Lyle's projects, as well as his latest book "Sinister Swamps" on this edition of Sasquatch Tracks.  Stories and other links discussed in this episode:   The official web page of Lyle Blackburn The Beast of Boggy Creek and other books by Lyle Blackburn Lyle's "Monstro Bizarro" Online Store  Follow Sasquatch Tracks on Twitter. Got a news tip or story to share? Send us an Email. Have you seen an animal you can't identify? Submit a report here.

Lyle Blackburn: Search for the Southern Sasquatch | ST 007

Sasquatch Tracks takes a scientific look at whether there are large animal species that remain undiscovered. With special emphasis on the Sasquatch in North America, the show looks at claims of apelike “relict hominoids” and other animals purported to exist in various parts of the world.

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In the summer of 1978, a strange series of events began to unfold for rural residents of northeastern Ohio. While enjoying a quiet evening at their rural home near Minerva, the Cayton family and their grandchildren witnessed a large, hairy, bipedal creature peering through their kitchen window. This creature, described as standing over 7 feet tall with glowing red eyes, sparked fear and curiosity, prompting the family to report their sightings to local authorities. Following the Cayton family's report, the Minerva area became a hotbed of Bigfoot research and investigation. Numerous additional sightings were reported in the surrounding woods and hills, with various tracks and other physical evidence purportedly found. However, that isn't all that this "classic" case appears to have entailed, as a deeper look into the story reveals sightings of mysterious large cats alongside "gorillas" in Ohio's history, as well as alleged connections to UFO sightings made by some area residents, and much more. In this special installment of Sasquatch Tracks, the team takes a deep dive into the story of the Minverva Monsters, which we affectionately refer to in the plural since, according to eyewitness reports, there appeared to be more than one of the creatures observed by the Caytons... but what were they, and what can we uncover about the case after all these years?  Stories and other links discussed in this episode:    The Akron Beacon Journal: Thu, Aug 24, 1978 ·Page 1  What was it? Man talks about ‘Minerva Monster’ mystery 40 years later  Follow Sasquatch Tracks on Twitter. Got a news tip or story to share? Send us an Email. Have you seen an animal you can’t identify? Submit a report here.

The Minerva Monsters: An Odd Tale of Hairy Bipeds and Big Cats | ST 054

In this installment of Sasquatch Tracks, the after opening news that focuses on tales of "swamp beasts" in rural America and also massive reptiles invading the Florida Everglades, the team is joined by John Hickenbottom, the naturalist at Ohio's Salt Fork State Park.  A longtime outdoorsman whose interest in wildlife includes snakes and reptiles indigenous to his home state, as well as Ohio's archaeology and much more, Hickenbottom has worked professionally as a park naturalist for many years. John was born in southeast Ohio, where he also has heard several personal accounts of alleged sightings of Sasquatch in the Buckeye State, as well as having studied the early history of such reports in the region.  John joins the Sasquatch Tracks team to discuss his own interest in the topic and his efforts in educating the public, as well as the unique story of how he came to know the team resulting from a Public Records Act Request his department received one day a few years ago.  Stories and other links discussed in this episode:    Salt Fork State Park Official Website Salt Fork State Park on YouTube  Follow Sasquatch Tracks on Twitter. Got a news tip or story to share? Send us an Email. Have you seen an animal you can’t identify? Submit a report here.

John Hickenbottom: Sasquatch at Salt Fork State Park | ST 053

'Tis the season... and so joining the Sasquatch Tracks team for their 2023 holiday installment of the program is Mister Sam Shearon, artist extraordinaire and dealer in knowledge of all things esoteric and hominological. Along with his impressive horror art, Sam Shearon is known for his work in the field of cryptozoology, most notably for cryptozoology book covers, film posters and compiling artists impressions of cryptids from eyewitness accounts. His work can be found in publications of the Fortean Times, Paranormality Magazine as well as the cover artwork for Vesuvian Media, IDW publishing, Boom Studios, Stan Lee’s Pow! Entertainment, Clive Barker’s Seraphim, and also for horror magazine Fangoria’s ‘Trinity of Terrors’. He has created album artwork and merchandise for bands including: Slayer, Ministry, Rob Zombie, Rammstein, Filter, KISS, Iron Maiden, Jason Charles Miller, American Head Charge, Powerman 5000, HIM and many more. Sam spends some time in this episode discussing everything from Sasquatch, to mysterious wolflike cryptids, and much more in a conversation curated especially for the Halloween season. Stories and other links discussed in this episode:   Mister Sam Shearon – Official Website  Follow Sasquatch Tracks on Twitter. Got a news tip or story to share? Send us an Email. Have you seen an animal you can’t identify? Submit a report here.

Sam Shearon: In Search of Yuletide Hominoids | ST 052

During the summer of 1924, a team of gold seekers alleged that they were attacked by giant, ape-like creatures, measuring about 7 feet tall, who hurled boulders at them. Their story recounts an encounter with these beings in a remote area, where a member of their group shot at one of the creatures, hitting it thrice, resulting in it falling off a cliff into an unreachable canyon. Allegedly, these ape-like entities retaliated later by pelting their cabin with sizable rocks and leaving behind enormous footprints, in a series of events now remembered as the Ape Canyon incident.  The story of the Ape Canyon incident remains  one of the most well known stories in the history of Sasquatch studies, as well as one of its most controversial... but now, additional evidence may help corroborate it. Joining us in this episode is a return guest, researcher Marc Myrsell, along with Braden and Jared  Mitchell, two of the descendants of one of the miners who lived through the incredible experience on Mt. Saint Helens in 1924 who also managed to rediscover the long-lost Vanderwhite mine their ancestor and his friends had been mining when the incident occurred.  Stories and other links discussed in this episode:   Marc Myrsell on Facebook  Follow Sasquatch Tracks on Twitter. Got a news tip or story to share? Send us an Email. Have you seen an animal you can't identify? Submit a report here.  

Return to Ape Canyon: Rediscovery of the Vanderwhite Mine | ST 051

In this second part in a special two-part installment of Sasquatch Tracks, veteran researcher Matt Pruitt returns to the podcast to discuss his new book The Phenomenal Sasquatch: Seeking the Natural Origins of a Cultural Icon, a tour-de-force of intellectual exploration in the study of the relict hominoid mystery,  In the new book, Pruitt explores the possibility that sasquatches are simply large, rare primates, and delves into the psychological factors that may be at play during people’s encounters with these creatures. Alternatively, he considers the hypothesis that the sasquatch is merely a construct of the human mind that exists only in stories and art. In this thought-provoking work, Pruitt presents a balanced and rigorous analysis, providing readers with an in-depth look into the search for the natural origins of this cultural icon.  Along with his own written works and other contributions, Matt is the producer and editor of the podcast Bigfoot & Beyond with Cliff and Bobo. For more detailed information about previous research, affiliations, public outreach, and production work, visit the links below where you can find his new book on Amazon.com, and visit his personal website.  Stories and other links discussed in this episode:   Matt Pruitt's personal website  The Phenomenal Sasquatch: Seeking the Natural Origins of a Cultural Icon  Follow Sasquatch Tracks on Twitter. Got a news tip or story to share? Send us an Email. Have you seen an animal you can't identify? Submit a report here.

Lyle Blackburn: Search for the Southern Sasquatch | ST 007

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