HERALD AND NEWS

Klamath Falls, Oregon, Thursday, Jan. 8, 1998

Search for Sasquatches is being organized by Dorris true believer

By Lee Juillerat

(H&N Regional Editor)

DORRIS - Doubters, beware.

Beyond a doubt, Ryan Emerson and other members of his Dorris-based U.S. Expedition and Exploration Society believe Sasquatch-actually several Sasquatch-live in the forests of far Northern California, Oregon, and Washington.

And, if things move along as planned, more than 200 society members will gather this spring to comb the forests south of the Oregon-California state line, on Bly Mountain and in other areas around the Pacific Northwest to prove Sasquatch, or Bigfoot, exists.

"If we can get 10 or 15 people to take a picture, there's no way anyone can deny there's a Sasquatch," said Emerson.

As to disbelievers and skeptics, he replies, "Since 1860 there have been 5,000 sightings of Bigfoot in North America by all kinds of people-police officers, scientists, military personnel. Five thousand people can't be wrong."

Emerson, 65, is among the 5,000

His initial viewing was about 25 years ago, while camped with his Doberman pincher named Max near the U.S.-Canada border.

"Max started whining and crying and I looked across the lake and there was the 'thing.' It must have been eight-feet tall. I didn't know what it was. I had never heard of Sasquatch."

Sighting No.2 was a few months ago, at a high elevation location on the Klamath national Forest south of the Oregon-California state line. Emerson said residents in the sparsely populated region, which he declined to identify, have known about the Sasquatch and his family for years.

"You could see the three of them in the trees. They didn't come out where (I) could take a photograph," Emerson said. "There's no doubt what they were because they were huge ...It looked like they were picking things from the trees."

In early December, Emerson send a letter to President Clinton Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and Rep. Wally Herger, R-Calif., reporting the Sasquatch family sighting and seeking approval to capture, tranquilize and hold the creature two or three days for scientific testing.

"The real fear, if we capture and tranquilize the creature, is that any government agency could come in and take custody and take the creature away and we'd never see it again. god knows, what they might do with it," Emerson said. Emerson has not received any responses to his letters.

This morning, however, a researcher from the FBI crime lab in Washington, D.C., told Emerson that suspected Sasquatch hairs found at the Klamath National Forest location are those of a Kodiak brown bear. Kodiak bears typically live in Alaska.

Emerson and society members have scaled back their capture plans. They now envision holding the creature only as long as it remains tranquilized.

"I think the main thing is to photograph it so we can verify it, have a veterinarian examine it, draw some blood samples and take measurements. We don't want any harm to come to the creature."

Society members will arrive May 15 then spend about three days attending workshops in Klamath Falls before setting up camp. Emerson's Museum of the Unexplained in Dorris will be the expedition headquarters.

Word of the local Sasquatch sightings have spread quickly. A tabloid newspaper offered a "large amount of money " for exclusive rights.

"I turned them down because I don't want a lot of crazy stuff. We really are approaching this on a scientific basis."

Although Sasquatch, or Bigfoot, is steeped in doubt and mythology, Emerson said a recent herald and News photo and story about his museum stirred significant interest, including five people from the Bly Mountain area who separately reported sightings.

"People who have see the Sasquatch fresh prints are very serious. They are relieved there is someone who takes the creature seriously enough to create a museum."

Many people, he said, tell him they kept quiet because they fear they will be ridiculed.

Emerson expects many of those believers will participate in the May expedition. For $25.00 society membership, he says people will be sent informational materials and become eligible for the expedition. Money is needed he said, to buy equipment, such as tranquilizing rifles, night vision scopes and parabolic microphones.

Information is available by contacting Emerson at :

U.S.E.E.S.

P.O. Box 149

Dorris CA, 96023

Telephone (530) 397-2259

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