How a Childhood Fear Became a Lifelong Fascination With Bigfoot

My fascination with Sasquatch—better known to some as Bigfoot—started early. We lived on 400 acres tucked between a river and a creek in the remote southeast corner of Oklahoma. It was beautiful, wild country… and to my young mind, it was also home to something big, hairy, and watching from the woods.

My dad used to send us kids outside at night to fetch firewood for the wood heater. Every time, I would argue, convinced that Sasquatch was out there waiting in the dark. Of course, my dad would just laugh and tell me to go anyway.

So I did—but not without fear. I’d sprint to the woodpile and gather as much as I could carry, heart pounding the whole time. I never saw anything. I never heard tree knocks or strange calls. But the fear, the thrill—that stayed with me.

Years later, thanks to social media and the explosion of interest in all things unexplained, it turns out I wasn’t the only one. SE Oklahoma has become something of a Sasquatch hotspot. And to this day, I can’t drive through the Eastern Oklahoma mountains without glancing at the tree line, wondering if I’ll catch a glimpse of something unusual.

That lifelong obsession is what inspired me to start The Squatch Watch Shop—a place to celebrate the mystery, the stories, and the sense of community around this legendary creature. Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or just curious, I invite you to share your own stories, sightings, or photos. Who knows? Maybe you’ve had your own Squatch experience and just haven’t told anyone—yet.

Let’s keep watching the woods together.