- Class 1a
- Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.1a A sasquatch/bigfoot specimen has been collected (alive or dead).
- Class 1b
- Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.1b A report investigation results in a sasquatch observation or the documentation of clear tracks or other forms of physical evidence by an investigator.
- Class 1c
- Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.1c An investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot by a very reliable observer is a distinct possibility, tangible corroborating evidence is documented, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
- Class 1d
- Class 1, Corroboration: Reports involving a sighting, and accompanied by another form of support.1d A visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility involving two or more reliable observers, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
- Class 2
- Class 2, Competency: Reports involving sightings by professionally trained or highly skilled observers.2 Investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility, the observer is exceptionally trustworthy, professionally trained, and experienced in the outdoors and/or is accustomed to looking for and recording details (e.g., biologist, anthropologist/archaeologist, ranger, trapper/tracker/seasoned hunter, bird watcher, game warden, naturalist, law enforcement), and other explanations can be reasonably excluded.
- Class 3a
- Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.3a Investigator determines that a visual encounter with a sasquatch/bigfoot is a distinct possibility, the observer is credible, and all other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
- Class 3b
- Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.3b Unidentifiable vocalizations were reported and there is accompanying tangible evidence to possibly indicate the presence of a sasquatch/bigfoot, the observer is very reliable, and other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
- Class 3c
- Class 3, Credibility: Sightings or possible wood ape evidence reported by credible witnesses.3c No visual encounter occurred, but physical evidence was found to indicate the presence of a sasquatch/bigfoot (tracks, hair, scat, etc.), the observer is very reliable, and other sources can be reasonably ruled out.
Case: 01110080
Class 3cFishermen Have Late Night Visitor Emerge From Lake
Report Details
Occurrence date: Spring/1973
Location: Smith County, TX
Time / Conditions: 19:00 — slight overcast, very dark
# of Witnesses: 2
Location: Smith County, TX
Time / Conditions: 19:00 — slight overcast, very dark
# of Witnesses: 2
Witness Account:
My co-worker,and I had been fishing
on Lake Palestine most of the particular day this incident occurred (I can't recall the exact day....but it was a Saturday). The lake was still filling and relatively new...with no campgrounds or facilities, although there was a boat launching ramp. We weren't able to spend the night at the ramp area because (as I recall)...it was closed at night.
John had planned the whole trip and had decided that we would spend the night parked along side a dirt road that ran
below & behind the dam...through a flooded palmetto & tree filled swamp (both sides of the road).The palmetto and brush was so thick,...one could only see into swamp...maybe twenty feet,...in the few "open" areas. I was able to view the area since we had finished fishing and retrieved the boat while there was still sunlight,...in order to find a suitable spot to park and prepare our dinner before dark.We intended to rise early and begin fishing the next morning at around daylight....when we could launch the boat again.
We had brought all that we needed to prepare two grilled steaks and potatoes/onions...which we did, starting with the chunks of potato/onion wrapped in foil....cooked long enough to be near ready before grilling the steaks. We had parked on the side closest to the dam...and I remember the slight breeze was from the opposite side of the road....carrying the smoke into the swamp towards the dam. By this time there was no daylight but we were able to work/prepare by the light of the cook fire. The swamp was absolutely filled with the chorus of probably hundreds, if not thousands, of frogs. This was in the Spring,...we had had some significant rain earlier in the week, as I recall,..so the conditions were perfect for the mating of all types of amphibians. The noise was almost deafening,....very loud, indeed! It had been since it became dusk....maybe 35-45 minutes earlier. We were actually enjoying noise and just being in that unique moment in the natural setting.
At about the time everything was ready,....and we were preparing to eat,....almost every frog instantly became silent....as though we were in a movie....a moment later it was entirely quiet. It was then,....that we heard the sound of something moving through the swamp...seemed to be as much as 75 - 100 yards away....that was initially off to our right a little,...but eventually began coming straight towards us.
The most unsettling part of what we heard,...was that it was definitely on two legs....and sounded as if it was dragging it feet through the water.....with long strides. I still remember those sounds....with maybe a whole second passing between strides....
ssssslooooshhh......sssslooooshhh.
Now, John grew up near Caldwell, Texas,....in the country,...on a farm....been hunting & fishing all his life. He knew the animals, wild & domestic,...that were in those parts,...having encountered them in daylight & night.
I had been doing the same all my life,...hunting & fishing during all hours of the night & day. The study of natural sciences were a passion of mine. I was very familiar with the sounds of animals moving - day or night. Neither of us had ever heard such a sound as what we heard that night.
We don't believe it was a man....since it was coming through the swamp in pitch blackness....we were certain there were at least a few poisonous snakes out there....hunting the frogs, at least. There was no visible light whatsoever.
Occasionally, (especially when it got closer),...we could hear a limb break or a palmetto frond rustling across other fronds....all the while the slow, methodical slooshing of each stride....a movie script couldn't have made it more suspenseful.
By this time,...we were nervously wolfing our food down,...whispering to one another,...trying to figure out what this could be....neither having any certain idea to even speculate. All we had for any semblance of defense were two steak knives.
As whatever it was came to within 40-50 feet of us,...approaching more slowly and quieter....John asked me to reach into the cab of his truck (window was open)...and manuever the spotlight mounted on the driver side (the control handle was inside....the spotlight pivoted as you turned the handle....the on-off switch was positioned above the handle)....and to turn it on. I quietly eased up to the front of the truck and did just that.
When I thought I had the spot pointing toward the area I thought "it" was...I turned on the light. The moment that light came on.....the scariest moment of my life.....whatever "it" was,...immediately began crashing through the brush away from us....breaking large limbs in the process...a tremendous noise...a mixture of splashing water & crashing brush that lasted maybe 5 seconds.....and then....absolute silence.
I turned off the spotlight since we couldn't see into the swamp but maybe 4-5 feet, at best....a virtual wall of palmetto fronds & limbs with moss.
We were terribly frightened....I became more alarmed when I realized how frightened John was....(I had always looked up to him for his "woodsman" knowledge & experience....he was about 10 years my senior).
We never heard another sound again....except an occasional frog trill/croak. We then sought refuge within the camper on the back of his truck...clutching our steak knives the whole time. I still get goose bumps recalling this incident.
We discussed leaving ....at length....but it was a long drive from there to our homes in Houston....and we decided to wait and see what happened. After a few hours,....I guess we fell asleep....but it seemed like an eternity. We remained overnight with no further incident....our fishing the next morning was abbreviated.....the entire time we rehashed the whole event....discussing everything we knew or could imagine about it.....finally we both agreed it must have been a wild creature.....a Sasquatch.
We returned to work and told our story to whoever would listen....some believed,... some laughed.....but John & I know that what we experienced was something out of the ordinary.....even for a couple of country boys.
