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Capturing the fleeting sight of a seven-foot apelike creature retreating into the Northern California wilderness, the controversial Patterson Bigfoot film is among the most renowned artefacts in the field of paranormal study. The footage has achieved iconic status even among the public at large, and forms the foundation of many Bigfoot hunters' beliefs.
Roger Patterson, a former rodeo rider had become deeply fascinated with Bigfoot after reading press reports about the creature in 1957. He and his friend Bob Gimlin had gone into different wilderness areas in Washington many times to search for the creature. Often, they would be following-up reports of sightings or footprints. Highly influenced by the writings of Dr. Ivan T. Sanderson, Patterson compiled his own book entitled Do Abominable Snowmen of America Really Exist? He published this book in 1966. At some point early in the following year, Patterson decided to make a film documentary on Bigfoot.
During late August and early September 1967, Patterson and Gimlin were exploring the Mt. St. Helen's area. While they were away, Al Hodgson and Syl McCoy, friends in Willow Creek, California, phoned Patterson's home to report footprints found in the Bluff Creek area. Patrica Patterson, Roger’s wife, took the message and gave it to her husband when he returned. The tracks, which were said to be of three different sizes, had been found on new logging roads being built in the Bluff Creek region. This same area was the scene of considerable Bigfoot activity nine years earlier. It was here in 1958 that Jerry Crew found large human-like footprints. A subsequent press release on Crew’s find made the word "Bigfoot" the American name for the creature.
As soon as he got the news, Patterson contacted Gimlin and the two men made plans to investigate Bluff Creek. They wished to find and film fresh footprints as evidence of the creature’s existence in and around Willow Creek, a frontier town that sits near the Oregon border, right in the center of the Klamath and Six Rivers National Forests. Patterson subsequently rented a 16mm movie camera and purchased two 100-foot rolls of color movie film for the expedition. Patterson and Gimlin traveled to the Bluff Creek area in a truck, taking with them three horses. By the time the men arrived at their destination, rain had all but destroyed the tracks. After setting up camp near Bluff Creek itself, the men set out on horseback to explore the area. Patterson was intrigued with the scenery and autumn colors. He used 76-feet of the first film roll for general filming and shots of both himself and Gimlin.
According to Patterson’s account, for seven days they saw nothing. All that changed on October 20. On that day he and Gimlin were riding on horseback in the wilds of California's Bluff Creek valley, due north of Willow Creek, when they were thrown off their horses. Sensing a movement on the other side of the river, they pointed their camera in that direction. The creature rose to a full height that Patterson estimated at seven feet, four inches, and began walking toward the woods. Patterson took 24-feet of color film footage which expired the film roll in the camera. During this time, the creature crossed the creek and walked along the opposite sandbar heading upstream. At one point, the creature turned and looked towards Patterson. The creature then hastened its pace somewhat as it continued its passage into a sparsely wooded area directly ahead. The footage taken by Patterson shows the creature as it disappeared and reappeared between trees in the distance.
The two men followed the creature during more than 30’ until they loose the tracks in the mountains. In that part of Bluff Creek, there is a sandy clay soil with a blue-gray tinge. This type of soil holds footprints remarkably well for a long period of time. The footprints measured 14.5-inches long by 6-inches wide. Patterson also took movie footage of this experiment and made plaster casts of the creature's prints. The following days, heavy showers removed any opportunity to come closer to Bigfoot.
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