Good news for lifelong Sasquatch fans came from Sacramento recently — California might soon recognize Bigfoot as the state cryptid. California’s Legislative Information webpage confirms this report, though the proposal is still in its infancy.
The aptly-named AB-666 State Cryptid bill’s status has been printed and “may be heard in committee [sic] March 17.” While some fans might be calling for Bigfoot to appear on the state’s flag, we may at least see Sasquatch become an official part of Californian culture.
King of the Cryptids
Perhaps another reason for Sasquatch’s place in West Coast imaginations lies in the world-famous Patterson Gimlin film, taken at Northern California’s Bluff Creek. The “footage” shows an apparent ape-like creature walking through a forest clearing.
For generations, the brief 1967 film has been the go-to stock footage for anything related to Sasquatch. Unsurprisingly, advances in image-stabilizing technology mean a number of HD versions are now online. Bigfoot groupies can now marvel at the alleged creature making his famous camera-ward glance before stomping into the brush at 60 frames per second.
A Widespread Population
A longtime researcher and alumnus of Animal Planet’s hit show Finding Bigfoot, Matt Moneymaker, welcomes the move. In an SFGate interview, he reveals that he was initially skeptical. “I first thought it was a joke,” he says.
His theory is that Bigfoot isn’t some lone wanderer who makes the occasional cameo in different places. The sightings are more common in California’s Northern Central Valley and Mendocino County near the coast. “It’s a population of animals,” Moneymaker says, further pushing California’s rightful connection to the mythical species.
Moneymaker remains adamant that the species is real, claiming he has had several close-quarter meetings with the cryptid. “I had a face-to-face encounter one time, after which I was absolutely sure they existed,” he says. “I had one about 20 feet in front of me, growling at me.”
Where to Find Bigfoot
The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) lists every American state where the cryptid has allegedly been sighted. Almost every state in the Union is there, though Sasquatch’s lack of swimming skills is evident — Hawaii doesn’t make the list.
The database lists the exact number of reported Bigfoot sightings, alongside the last and most recently reported dates. It lists the five most prominent U.S. States for Bigfoot as follows:
- Washington: 724 sightings;
- California: 463 sightings;
- Florida: 344 sightings;
- Ohio: 326 sightings;
- Illinois: 304 sightings.
Washington and California are the top two states, which comes as no surprise, considering Sasquatch’s supposed preference for remote areas. California’s reported 15,346,666 acres of wild space make up 14% of its total land, while Washington’s 4,485,137 acres may reflect the two states’ size difference.
Ohio’s Surprising Bigfoot Community
However, some might find surprise in the latter three entries, especially Ohio, which sits at the very bottom of America’s wild space index. Only 77 acres — less than 1% of Ohio’s land — are considered wild, according to Wilderness.
Notably, the Buckeye State’s 326 incidents dwarf those of Alaska, which has recorded 22 Bigfoot sightings. Presumably, the state’s lack of wilderness means there are fewer hiding spots for the elusive cryptid. Clearly, if Sasquatch were real, the deserted forests and mountains of the Last Frontier would make for a safer retreat.
In May 2024, Ohio’s Lorain County School District went into lockdown following an apparent Bigfoot sighting on a school campus. However, the alarm turned out to be false. “Officials believe the person in the Bigfoot costume was a parent who came to the school as part of a ‘prom prank’,” states the report.
From State Cryptids to Betting Odds
The Bigfoot legend came into play recently with another spinoff — gambling. Sports betting website BetOhio now gives high-rollers a chance for a Sasquatch jackpot. Following the BFRO’s data collection, the website now gives odds on the most likely state for a sighting.
There is good news for some gamblers. Oklahoma is at the bottom of the pile. The Sooner State’s remote 3.5% chance of a Bigfoot encounter means the betting odds will yield +2750 odds for customers. These odds mean a $100 bet on seeing America’s mystical, bipedal primate would win a healthy $2,750 return. Bigfoot hunters might want to start visiting Oklahoma soon.
Even at the top end of the odds, the returns are decent. A $100 bet on Washington’s 13.3% chance still offers a 650% return. It might pay to carry some recording equipment the next time you hit the local forest — whether anyone believes the story is another matter.
