Guest host Connie Willis (info) welcomed Bigfoot researcher Thom "Cat" Cantrall, who talked about his encounters with Sasquatch and what he has learned from a lifetime of investigating the hairy cryptids. He recounted growing up in Northern California and joining the Navy, serving nine years in submarine duty before relocating to Bremerton, Washington. Cantrall described his early fascination with Bigfoot, tracing it back to his teenage years in the late 1950s when his father showed him a newspaper article about large footprints found in Northern California. Although skeptical at first, his curiosity deepened after reading about the event in national magazines and learning of credible scientific interest in it, particularly from paleontologist Dr. Ivan T. Sanderson.
After leaving the Navy, Cantrall settled in the Pacific Northwest, where his forestry consulting work took him deep into old-growth forests, noting it as prime Bigfoot territory. He recounted frequent encounters with the creatures while surveying remote bridge sites, often noticing them watching from behind trees. These solitary expeditions led to years of research and personal interactions with what he refers to as Sasquatch People. He spoke about having a teacher among them—one who treated his physical ailments and guided his understanding of their ways. Cantrall's encounters grew into a five-year study in British Columbia, where he and his research partner documented glyphs, which he explains as Bigfoot's written language composed of twig or stick structures that convey meaning.
Cantrall has become convinced of Bigfoot's intelligence and spiritual depth. He recalled emotional and profound experiences within their communities, including witnessing the birth of twins and a funeral ceremony on Prince of Wales Island. Though he did not reveal all details, citing promises of secrecy, he described the event as deeply moving and sacred, involving song, ritual, and burial without coffins. Cantrall explained he has come to view Sasquatch not as a myth but as a sentient and complex people with language, culture, and emotional expression.
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Open Lines followed in the latter half of the program. Eric from Nevada City, California, shared his experiences with a Sasquatch crossing his property at night. He described the telepathic communication he feels with the Sasquatch and his primitive lifestyle without electricity. Eric recounted a specific incident where he saw a werewolf-like creature with a coyote's head and a hyena's body. He also mentioned an invisible entity that his dog spotted, which he described as cloaked and similar to the Predator.
Ted in Yuma, Arizona, called to present his main theory: Bigfoot may have originated from a nuclear event in the Himalayas that altered an Asiatic bear’s DNA, creating a species that then spread globally. Though Ted has never seen Bigfoot, he described experiencing a distinctive foul smell in the Appalachian Mountains, which he links to reports of Bigfoot.
Mark from Kentucky called to inquire about Connie's Bigfoot experiences, expressing curiosity about encountering one himself. Connie focused on her pivotal first experience: meeting a group in Alabama whose stories shifted her from skepticism to interest. She noted that recording their discussions marked her introduction to the paranormal.