One local organization that focuses on Bigfoot sightings will meet Thursday (July 21). The flyer for the event has gone viral around Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley.
The Bigfoot Organization for Investigating Tracks and Sightings, or B.O.I.T.S., is meeting at Merle's Steakhouse in Alma at 6 p.m.. The motto for the organization is "Bigfoots Are Our Business."
This group of friends investigates tracks and sightings of the creature all across Arkansas and Oklahoma and share their findings with other Bigfoot enthusiasts.
At the meeting, the group told Bigfoot stories as well as what you should look for if you're out in the woods.
"Just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it can't exist," said President of B.O.I.T.S. Joe Christenberry.
Believers tell us that Bigfoot is around seven or eight feet tall and is usually seen in packs of two or three out in the woods or mountains. Folks from across the nation have said they have found evidence of Bigfoot. According to Christenberry, the most sightings in the area occur in LeFlore County. But when it comes to the most state sightings, "I think Washington has the most," he added.
"There's been three different sightings in Mountainburg that I know of, and a couple in Cedarville and several around Mulberry" Christenberry said.
He also told us that a friend of his has seen a Bigfoot two different times near Twin Bridges in Alma. "He was just driving down the highway and happened to look over in that direction and saw it squatted down in the water fishing," Christenberry continued, "My friend turned the truck around and it was still there in the water."
According to Christenberry, Bigfoot usually hunts at night, but many sightings happen during the day. "They've lived their life out in the woods and know how to get around without being seen or heard," said Christenberry. "If anybody does see one out there, most of the time it's going to see you before you see it."
There will be Bigfoot pictures, casts of footprints found in the area, and additional evidence displayed at the meeting. Bigfoot t-shirts, hats and bumper stickers will also be available for purchase. All believers and non-believers are welcome to attend.
"I don't have any doubt at all that they're real. My goal in this organization is to come up with as much evidence I can find to prove to people that they are real," Christenberry said.
At only twelve, Aiden Firestine has been Bigfoot hunting.
"I have gone Bigfoot hunting, and we've done calls and knocks on trees for him," Firestine said. "We knocked on a tree, and we actually got a [response] back."
Firestine said he was impressed with the amount of people at the meeting.
"All these people are here, and there's so many here, and it's pretty cool because their stories have been passed down generations, so it's really awesome," Firestine said.
And 5NEWS asked Christenberry the question everyone wonders, "Why are all the photos and videos of Bigfoot so blurry?"
"Nine times out of ten, the film and the pictures that people have of it [are] by accident," Christenberry said.
Christenberry said he was very happy with the meeting's turnout and he plans to have Bigfoot meetings once or twice a week in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
