Suspected Bigfoot sighted in West Virgina woods. Pic credit: Samuel Polischuk via Bigfoot Believers/Facebook
A Facebook user from Texas believes he might have encountered a Bigfoot with a “weird skunk-like smell” skulking in West Virginia woods.
On Monday, August 21, Samuel Polischuk shared photos of the possible Sasquatch sighting on the Bigfoot Believers Facebook page.
Bigfoot hiding in the W. Virginia woods?
According to Polischuk, he and his girlfriend were exploring woods south of Blackwater Falls in Tucker County, West Virginia, when the alleged encounter occurred.
After they climbed to the top of a cliff, they noticed that their dog was acting strange. They also detected a “weird skunk-like smell” in the air.
Surveying the area from the cliff, they saw a dark Bigfoot-like shape half-concealed behind a veil of vegetation nearby.
Polischuk snapped zoomed-in and zoomed-out pictures of the strange figure and shared them with Facebook users on the Bigfoot Believers page.
“Not sure if this is what I thought it was. This was on top of a 40′ foot cliff,” he commented. “My dog was acting really strange and there was a weird skunk like smell. Was in the woods in West Virginia.”
Polischuk explained that he was not a Bigfoot hunter and that the sighting was only incidental.
Bigfoot gives off an offensive odor, witnesses said
Bigfoot have a reputation for giving off an offensive odor. However, they are not the only alleged humanoid cryptids that smell badly.
Skunk apes, another alleged cryptid similar to but smaller than Bigfoot, also reportedly give off a smelly odor.
Witnesses also reported that the Mogollon Monster, a Bigfoot-like creature allegedly native to the Arizona forests along the Mogollon Rim, also has a foul odor.
Photo shows a dark shape in the bush
The zoomed-in and zoomed-out photos show a dark form partially hidden form behind vegetation on a rocky outcrop.
Polischuk thought it might be the elusive Bigfoot. But he admitted he wasn’t sure what it was.
He and his girlfriend did not wait to investigate. They were so scared when their dog started acting weird that they left immediately.
“It freaked us all out and we got out of the area,” he wrote. “I don’t know if it was or wasnt.”
Reactions on Facebook
Viewers gave mixed reactions to the alleged evidence.
Some enthusiasts claimed the image convincingly showed a Bigfoot. A few believers scrutinizing the photo even spotted another Bigfoot.
Others were skeptical, while some offered suggestions about how to confirm the sighting.
Multiple viewers asked for more evidence. They wanted to know whether there were footprints and why he did not take photos from other angles for comparison.
“Folks, you can do better than this? Don’t expect us to do your work for you. Give us some data,” one viewer complained.
Another user said that if Polischuk returned to the location to snap another photo, it could be possible by comparison to tell whether the dark figure was a Bigfoot or something else.
“You need to go back and take another pic, I will say, I do see what you’re seeing but you need another pic from another day from same location,” the user suggested.
Polischuk responded to the suggestions and criticisms, saying he would return to the spot to explore and take more photos.
Skepticism
Skeptics proposed multiple explanations of the dark form, including the underside of a fallen tree’s root system, a rock covered with moss, a bear, and a stray dog in the woods.
Others posted sarcastic retorts.
“Yep, that’s a big foot all right. See how you look at the picture and you can’t tell what it is?” a viewer commented sarcastically. “That means it’s a real picture of Bigfoot whenever you can’t tell what it is.”
Some made jesting comments.
“Swampthing,” one user declared.
One person used the opportunity to share their cryptid sighting experience.
Viewers complained about the photo quality
Some Facebook users complained about the image quality.
“No one can take a good picture of a Sasquatch,” one Facebook user grumbled. “It’s so upsetting and disappointing! To me it looks like a cave with plants and brushes overhead.”
Responding to the complaint, Polischuk said he didn’t wait to get a better picture because his girlfriend freaked out and wanted them to leave immediately.
“Sorry all, I will try to do better next time,” he apologized. “My girlfriend was freaked out and wanted to get out of there. My dog was acting all weird.”