'BIGFOOT' ELUDES TEAM ON OVERNIGHT CAMPOUT
By MARY MIGLIORE Union Staff
AGAWAM, MASS. - "Bigfoot" remained at large Thursday in a wooded area off Moore Street, but a New York investigator says the 27-inch footprints left by the creature could be authentic.
"The prints look good - but "Bigfoot" tracks are a dime a dozen...we really need to see him," said Lee Frank, who reportedly travels all over the United States investigating sightings of the legendary animal.
Frank and other trackers spent Wednesday night camping in zero temperatures beside the footprints in the snow, but failed to spot a 7 to 12-foot monster on the prowl by Westfield River.
"Bigfoot" investigators also planned to spend Thursday camping in the woods in hopes of spotting the big fellow.
"Whatever the tracks are, they merit further investigation," Frank said, adding that it is impossible to determine at this point how the tracks were made.
Agawam Police have called off their "Bigfoot" team for the time being, but dozens of interested residents are continuing to visit the site of the huge tracks near Robinson State Park.
Marianna Cascio of Agawam, who asked Frank to conduct an investigation at the site, said she believes the tracks are authentic and belong to a 1,500-pound giant.
But no fresh tracks have been spotted since the first prints were discovered Monday evening, and she said the creature may have left the area.
Police, who say this is their first investigation into reports of a monster on the loose, still maintain they have no idea whether the five-toed tracks are that of a legendary ape- like mammal or the work of a prankster.
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BIGFOOT SORRY ABOUT STEPPING ON LAW
AGAWAM, Mass. (UPI) - A teen-agar says he's sorry his "big foot" joke was taken more seriously than he intended.
Police say they confiscated two, 28-inch-long plywood boards constructed to look like big feet from David Deschenes, 16, of Agawam. A police spokesman said Deschenes told authorities he spent two days shaping the boards and then wore them on a walk along the river Dec. 20.
Dozens of huge, five-toed prints were found in a wooded area along the Westfield River two weeks ago.
"I did it as a joke for the little kids around here, but it got out of hand. The next thing I knew the police were out at two in the morning looking around, taking it seriously. I didn't feel like going out to tell them I was 'bigfoot'", Deschenes said.
Deschenes said he hopes to get the feet back from police. If they are returned, he said, he's not going to take them on any more strolls through the woods.
"I want to have them mounted," he said.
Source: Kenosha (Wisconsin) News; January 6, 1977
Research Credit: George Early
From the files of Ron Schaffner (Ron@bfro.net)
Posted to the BFRR web site by Matt M.