Hominid or Supernatural? Current and past researchers, and their views on Bigfoot

Loren Coleman Paranormalist in hiding (Source: wikipedia)

Loren Coleman is also internationally recognized for his research and writings on popular culture, animal mysteries, folklore, and fantastical species, known as the study of cryptozoology. He appears frequently on television and the radio in interviews about Bigfoot, Yeti, Skunk apes, Panthera atrox, Loch Ness Monster, Lake monsters, Mothman, Dover Demon, Orang Mawas, and other cryptids. He has written numerous articles and books on cryptozoology and other Fortean topics, of which the first was published in 1969.

Some of his frequent radio and TV appearances are on the "Documentary Channels", such as the Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel (TLC), Jeff Rense's radio show, The Paracast podcast, the Coast to Coast AM radio show, the History Channel, the Sci-Fi Channel, the Travel Channel, Japanese television, as well as the mainstream American broadcast channels. The subject matter presented when he is on these are most often about Bigfoot, Nessie, Mothman, Dover Demon, and related cryptids and cryptozoology. He is often asked to speak on college campus, for example giving the keynote lecture on cryptozoology at the opening of the "Cryptozoology" exhibition at Bates College in 2005 and at the American Museum of Natural History in 2007, during their exhibition, "Mythic Beasts."

Loren Coleman has also co-authored a book on the paranormal with Jerome Clark, and has had experiences with the "men in black" phenomenon. Though having admitted in the past that he is a staunch "Fortean," he denies that Bigfoot is a supernatural being in public. Partly due to the fact that his book sales may suffer, and his followers are largely of the hominid camp.

Loren's Blog can be found here: The Cryptozoologist

Ivan Terrance Sanderson Paranormalist (Source: wikipedia)

(January 30, 1911 – February 19, 1973) was a naturalist and writer born in Edinburgh, Scotland, who later became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Sanderson is remembered for his nature writing and his interest in cryptozoology and paranormal events.

Sanderson published three classics of nature writing: Animal Treasure (a report of an expedition to the jungles of then-British West Africa); Caribbean Treasure (an account of an expedition to Trinidad, Haiti, and Dutch Guyana (now Suriname), begun in late 1936 and ending in late 1938); and Living Treasure (an account of an expedition to Jamaica, the British Honduras (now Belize) and the Yucatan). Illustrated with Sanderson's drawings, they are well-written and humorous accounts of his scientific expeditions, and anticipate later works by writer-naturalists such as Gerald Durrell. Unlike Durrell, who collected animals for zoos, Sanderson collected animals for museums and scientific institutions, and including detailed studies of their behaviors and environments. However, he also killed some for study. Sanderson's behavioral observations in the animals' natural environments were invaluable: much of what was known at that time concerning "exotic" species was based solely upon the examination of dead and preserved specimens.

Sanderson later in his career went on to believing that all Cryptids were denizens of another realm.

Jon Erik Beckjord Paranormalist (Source: wikipedia)

Bigfoot's Bad boy (1939- 6\26\2008 ) Obituary

Jon-Erik Beckjord is a San Francisco-based paranormal investigator and photographer known for his far-reaching ideas regarding such phenomena as UFOs, crop circles, the Loch Ness Monster, and, his "specialty," Bigfoot, which he believes to be an extra dimensional ghost-like entity that lives in mountains, forests and even farmers' fields. Because of his speculation that creatures such as the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot may be interdimensional aliens, he is considered a fringe theorist, not only by skeptics, but also by the vast majority of his fellow cryptozoologists. He is the founder of the International Cryptozoological Society (1975) which largely follows the defunct NIDS group. Beckjord attended the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, CO for two years. He then moved on to Tulane University, where he graduated with honors in sociology,1961. He studied law for one year at Boalt Hall at UC Berkeley, and later received an MBA from UC Berkeley,1966. He has appeared on several nationwide radio and television shows, such as Coast to Coast AM and Good Morning America, as well as Late Night with David Letterman.^[1] He claims that he captured the Loch Ness Monster on film in 1983; this film aired on the BBC and on NBC in 1987. Beckjord has briefly owned three UFO/Bigfoot/Nessie museums in Los Angeles, Malibu and San Francisco.Beckjord himself has characterized his theories as being "no more bizarre than those of Einstein, Dr. Michio Kaku or Dr. Fred Alan Wolf," and considers many to be continuations or expansions upon Einstein's work.Beckjord believes that Bigfoot and similar cryptids may be "inter-dimensional" beings that can occasionally take physical form for brief periods of time, but that, like the famed Cheshire cat, can "fade out" and pass through "wormholes", possibly to other

dimensions or parallel universes. He reports to have had one of the creatures speak to him using telepathy, communicating the words "We're here, but we're not real, like what you think is real". Beckjord says that such entities may be able to actually disappear into thin air, or even shapeshift. "He disappeared right in front of me", he replied to one poster on his message board. He notes that other persons have had this also happen to them (see The Locals by Thom Powell, 2004).Beckjord went on to become a staunch Paranormalist back in the late 1970's due to his research and experiences. I knew the man casually via telephone and E-mail conversations throughout the years, and once donated a pc to him, and can only say that he had a heart larger than life in spite of some of his faults, of which each and everyone of us including myself has. He was very intelligent, and volunteered his time for larger than life causes. My only prayer is that he is at rest in the Lords presence. Godspeed Jon.

John Keel Paranormalist (Source: wikipedia)

(March 25, 1930 - )

John Alva Keel (born Alva John Kiehle March 25, 1930) is a Fortean author and professional journalist currently residing in New York City, New York, USA.John Keel's first published story was in a magician's magazine at the age of 12. He later moved to Greenwich Village and wrote for various magazines. ^[1] His first published book was Jadoo in 1957 that was serialized in a men's adventure magazine. The book is his account of travelling to India to investigate the alleged activities of fakirs and holy men such as the Indian rope trick and being surviving being buried alive. John Keel is arguably one of the most widely read and influential ufologist since the early 1970s.^[2] Although his own thoughts about UFOs and associated anomalous phenomena have gradually evolved since the mid 1960s, Keel remains one of ufology's most original and controversial researchers. It was Keel's second book, UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse (1970), that alerted the general public that many aspects of contemporary UFO reports, including humanoid encounters, often paralleled certain ancient folklore and religious encounters. Keel also argues that there is a direct relationship between UFOs and psychic phenomena. He says he does not call himself a ufologist and prefers the term Fortean which encompasses a wide range of paranormal subjects. Keel always was and remains a Paranormalist.

Henry Franzoni Paranormalist

Henry started out as a believer that Bigfoot was a yet undiscovered Hominid but had eventually come to his senses by his own direct experiences. He has seen Bigfoot exit a landed unidentified craft as well as had a direct experience with the Men in Black as told in Thom Powells,"The Locals." Henry has been gone from the scene for quite some time due to the internal strife prevalent in many Bigfoot research groups.

Peter Gutilla Paranormalist

A true giant and accomplished journalist Peter is in the Paranormal camp. His career spands many decades and is one of the few true original field researchers.

Peter Byrne Hominid

Known for his quick Irish temper ,Peter is another of the few original field researchers.Peter has never had a sighting of his own in spite of having appeared on the scene minutes after a sighting report.Sadly he discounts all Paranormal reports.

Peter Byrne

Grover Krantz Hominid

Dr. Krantz attempted to bring validity, and science to the field but unfortunately failed. His methodology of approaching a phenomenon from within the realm of known science was the primary contributor to his failure. He is revered by many but unfortunately has never had his own personal sighting.

Dr. Jeff Meldrum Hominid [wiki]

Dr. Meldrum is an Anthropologist at Idaho State University, and has been involved in research for some years now. A few of his Scientific validity calls have been bad hoaxes perpetrated by others(Snowalker video) yet Dr. Meldrum keeps forging ahead. Unfortunately once to reiterate again, to approach a supernatural subject from within the hallowed halls of science will yields no results every time and no matter how many times. Bigfoot is a phenomenon of which we may not even have a science or vocabulary for as of yet.

John Green Hominid

Another giant in the field, and one of the few originals left, John is an amazing collector of data and an accomplished journalist. For decades now he has been cataloging thousands of sightings, and his data is unsurpassed in sheer volume.

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