While Bigfoot enthusiasts have long warned that hunting the beloved cryptid for sport is a reprehensible thought, a few monster hunters have openly stated their intentions to hunt the hairy hominid no matter the moral repercussions to put a lid on the mystery and solve it once and for all. And according to a letter from Texas Wildlife Officials in the Texas Parks and Wildlife District, there may be no law against it.
The letter recently came to the attention of famed cryptozoologist Loren Coleman on Cryptomundo where he is a frequent contributor. The letter itself is bureaucratic in the style one would typically expect, but with a conclusion that touches on one of the greatest mysteries of cryptozoology and a simple fact that will not sit well with many fans of Bigfoot. In it, the letter refers to statutes pertaining to game animals and potentially endangered wildlife and raises the possibility that Bigfoot itself may not be protected.
But what are the chances of Bigfoot finding itself in the scopes of a particular hunter? Not extremely high, if photographic evidence is anything to go by. But even so, many fans of the creature are calling foul on the part of game authorities for not protecting a piece of cryptozoological history of cultural -if not scientific- importance. And if news of Bigfoot being shot did reach the headlines, it wouldn’t be the first time.
Several monster hunters have claimed stories in the past where they ran across Bigfoot in the wild and hunted it down. Aside from being stomach churning in the event that the creature may actually be intelligent, there are those who would rather put the creature – and the mystery – at rest rather than leave it to enjoy its freedom and its wild anonymity.
In 2008 a high profile case arose where hunters claimed to have shot Bigfoot and then stuffed it in a freezer for later analysis. As several news outlets were contacted, photographs of the alleged killed cryptid were uploaded to the Internet and spread like wildfire. Later, the duo – two hunters from California – stated that they would be providing DNA evidence of the creature at a press conference alongside video of the creature. While experts declared the creature in the freezer was more likely a costume than an actual Bigfoot, the case gathered more than a few believers – and for the astounding level of evidence the duo were offering it was no surprise.
Their story soon fell apart, however, when they came forward and revealed that the photographs were a simple costume they had filled with road kill. After coming out with the story, the two insisted they had intended it as nothing more than a joke and never intended it to receive as much media attention as it did.
Others have come forward claiming to have shot the legendary creature as well. In 2011 in Nevada a story began circulating on various cryptozoology websites suggesting that two men had once again shot two Bigfoot and samples were collected and sent to Dr. Melba Ketchum’s lab. The tests from that case are still under peer review.
There are other cases as well. Previous to that the radio show Coast to Coast hosted a segment where caller “Bugs” claimed to have shot a Bigfoot and buried it in the woods.
If even one of these accounts were to be absolutely verified, then the world is a dangerous place for the mysterious giant.