Growing up, I loved summer evenings for many reasons, fireflies, sunset after 8 pm, cookouts, and hide-and-seek. There were a dozen kids close to my age, and we would have some of the most epic hide-and-seek games throughout the neighborhood. In most communities, there is always that one kid that can pick the best hiding places, ultimately becoming the hide-in-go-seek champion. It wasn't me.
Forty years later, I find myself in the middle of dark swampy woods searching for the world's champion in hide-and-seek, Sasquatch. Ironically we live 45-minutes south of the most reported Bigfoot in the world. Fouke, Arkansas, has been the home to Bigfoot since the native Americans lived here and has been seen by many ever since.
In 1972 a film called The Legend of Boggy Creek hit movie theaters about a creature called the Fouke Monster and the sightings reported over the years. One family reportedly was attacked one night in their home, creating the only violent Bigfoot story, boosting ticket sales to the film, and causing criticism of a clam creature.
We decided to film an episode in Fouke, Arkansas, because it was close, and Lyle Blackburn agreed to join us. Who is Lyle Blackburn? He is a Texan musician, actor, and author of eight books about Bigfoot. After years of investigations, he is the leading expert on the Fouke Monster.
We met Lyle at the Monster Mart, a store located in the heart of town and devoted to being the most extensive retail for the Fouke Monster paraphernalia. You can also buy any of Lyle's books at the store. We walked in to meet this rock-in-roller cryptozoologist and hear about his encounters with the creature, and after an hour of talking, he led us deep into the backwoods of southern Arkansas.
We boarded a boat and headed upriver on the Sulphur River toward Boggy Creek with a local behind the wheel. I spotted a flat bank on the riverside, and I suggested stopping, but our boat captain insisted we continue to Boggy Creek. My suspicious flag went up. He had known for days we were coming, and the locals wanted to keep the legend going for tourism. Were we being set up? I insisted we stop and investigate the area. After I won the decision, we pulled over and, within minutes, found ourselves somewhere we probably shouldn't have been. You'll have to watch the show to find out.
After a great time with Lyle and all involved, we said goodbye to everyone and the film crew. Then, we staggered home, tired and muddy, to meet with our youngest son and tell him everything we had seen. I commented that I wasn't happy with the night shots, and he suggested that the three of us go back and investigate a different area.
No one knew we were coming back, and after a quick stop by the store for a t-shirt, we ran into another film crew. They asked if they could go with us, and I explained we wanted to be incognito. They understood and agreed not to say anything and followed us for another night's investigation. We were not in the woods for a few minutes before Alicia found fresh tracks. Again, no one knew we were there or where we were, and we found tracks, crazy!
Watch the episode below, and please let me know what you think. I was skeptical until we visited Fouke, Arkansas. Now I don't know what I believe. Also, is it; Hide and Seek or Hide and go Seek?