Black Bear or Bigfoot?

by
posted on November 5, 2012
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
wilder_ah2015_fs.jpg (2)

The forest can hide its share of surprises, and a group of hikers in Utah learned just that last week. In this video, posted to YouTube on Oct. 30, a hiker and his companion appear to be observing a bear in Provo Canyon. When the furry beast realizes its not alone, however, it stands up—revealing a form that's more than enough to scare the upstart camera crew away at a sprint.

Their footage went live with the title "Provo Canyon Bigfoot Encounter?" not long later. The video's owner later told Salt Lake City's FOX13 that no one in the group had ever believed in Bigfoot—until the encounter, I'd guess—and that they thought they'd be recording the far more common (and decidedly real) black bear. Later reports have said that the group left all their camping gear behind during the hasty departure, and returned for it the next day.

The most logical explanation is that our hikers were simply videoing a bear that popped up on its hind legs after it realized it wasn't alone. That happens. Even so, there are enough "Bigfoot" believers out there for the debate to remain open, and the video itself has amassed more than 2 million views in less than a week.

In reality, it looks like a bear. A lot like a bear. A glare from one of them will send most hikers scurrying away just as fast a hypothetical Bigfoot encounter would. And that's assuming this isn't some sort of elaborate hoax.

I personally can't bring myself believe that there are any Bigfoot like creatures wandering around the American Northwest—in large because if there were, some hunter would have dragged one out of the woods by now. That said, I leave it up to you to watch the video and decide.

Latest

True Shooting Doves
True Shooting Doves

A Shotgun for All Seasons: Savage Renegauge in Argentina

If you want to test a shotgun’s reliability and recoil control, you take it on a high-volume hunt. If you want that trial to more resemble torture than test, you make that a high-volume Argentina dove hunt. Read on to find out how the Savage Renegauge performed.

NRA Names Kyle Lamb as Brand Ambassador for America’s Rifle Challenge

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) proudly announces Sergeant Major (Ret.) Kyle Lamb as a Brand Ambassador for the NRA America’s Rifle Challenge (ARC), an innovative training and competition program built around the safe and effective use of the AR-15 platform.

#SundayGunday: Banish 46-V2

On this week's #SundayGunday, we're talking about suppressors, specifically the Banish 46-V2, capable of taming nearly every gun in your safe, up to and including the big boys like .338 Lapua.

KelTec Named Official Stage Sponsor for 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is proud to announce KelTec as an official sponsor of the 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship, returning to Camp Atterbury, Ind., from September 30 to October 4, 2025.

Thompson/Center Arms Celebrating 60th Anniversary

Thompson/Center Arms is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. Since 1965, T/C Arms has built a legacy rooted in the pioneering spirit of American hunters.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors: Lucy Evans from Georgia and John Bruner from Pennsylvania.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.