Media Article # 384
Article submitted by Kevin Lee Henderson
Article prepared and posted by Kevin Withers

Saturday, November 17, 1979

Dallas County calls off its search for 'Bigfoot'

By Diane Graham
Des Moines Register

MINBURN, IA. - Dallas County officials Friday called off the investigation of a reported sighting of a Bigfoot-like creature near Minburn. But the director of the Iowa Bigfoot Information Center said early reports have convinced him the Thursday
sighting by Larry Wilson was "absolutely legitimate." Director Kevin Cook of Des Moines said he will be doing his own investigation later this week. But based on early discussions with Wilson and Dallas County authorities, this is "one of the most
legitimate sightings this year." The only previous "legitimate" sighting this year was near Webster City, he said. When sheriff's deputies responded Thursday night to Wilson's report of a strange creature strolling through his yard, they found a series
of 13-inch footprints in the frost-covered yard. But by Friday morning when Sheriff Jerry Tiedeman returned to the scene, heavy dew had made it difficult to spot the footprints.

Tire Tracks Sought

On the Theory that Wilson may have been the victim of a hoax, the deputies also combed the area looking for tire tracks. They figured that if the creature were part of a hoax, the participants would have had to drive to the location. What happens now?
Tiedeman said the investigation report is on file. "if we do get more reports...we'll pull the file right back out," he added. Staff limitations prevent the sheriff's office from providing any round-the-clock surveillance of the area, Tiedeman added. As
for Wilson, he was looking forward Friday to a quiet night's rest. Wilson emphasized that "I don't know what it was I saw," but based on what he has heard about Bigfoot "it was something just very doggone similar." Wilson, who is a sales representative
for Tension Envelope Corp., said his fellow employees on Friday said they believed his report because they know he wouldn't fabricate something like this. His family happened to attending a church meeting in Des Moines when the creature appeared.

"Man in Gorilla Suit"

Wilson described the creature as being about six feet tall and hunched over. He said it didn't really look like a gorilla, but rather like a "man in a gorilla suit." He had stepped outside the house to find out why his dogs were barking, but when he
heard a "heavy, rhythmic breathing" he headed back indoors. Wilson had no plans to stand guard Friday night in case of a repeat visit. "If I can sleep, I'll be in bed," he said. He's not afraid about his own or his family's safety, although he admitted
he is "concerned because it's an unknown to me." He also confessed that his shotgun is sitting in a corner with "shells in the loading tubes. They're not in the firing tubes, but could be kicked in there pretty quick. "But afraid? Nah!" said Wilson.

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