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Bigfoot: Exploring the Myth & Discovering the Truth
Our committed search to uncover the truth about Bigfoot
Join investigators Tom Burnette and Rob Riggs on their amazing adventure into the wild where the mysterious creature known as Bigfoot dwells. Over the past twenty years, these two men have dedicated themselves to the search for Bigfoot in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and the swamplands of Southeast Texas.
Drawing on forty-plus years of combined field study, Tom and Rob present their personal stories, ethnographic research, and educated theories surrounding Bigfoot. Revealing a substantial collection of evidence supporting Bigfoot' existence, this book provides details of the creature's history, habitats, and behaviors. With thought-provoking discussions on Bigfoot's elusiveness and potential psychic powers, Bigfoot goes beyond the myth to the reality of this enigmatic ape-man.
"If you think that monsters aren't real, it's time to think again. Tom Burnette and Rob Riggs take us on a roller-coaster ride into a world where the wild things lurk!"—Nick Redfern, author of Three Men Seeking Monsters
"The speculations will provide Bigfoot enthusiasts with plenty to contemplate, as will Burnette's assertion that he's captured 'the best Bigfoot picture bar none in the world.'"—Publishers Weekly
"[A] well-written and thrilling account of their work. The stories in this book will raise the hair on the back of one's neck and cause sleepless nights, especially if one lives near a big woods." — San Francisco Book Review
Join investigators Tom Burnette and Rob Riggs on their amazing adventure into the wild where the mysterious creature known as Bigfoot dwells. Over the past twenty years, these two men have dedicated themselves to the search for Bigfoot in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and the swamplands of Southeast Texas.
Drawing on forty-plus years of combined field study, Tom and Rob present their personal stories, ethnographic research, and educated theories surrounding Bigfoot. Revealing a substantial collection of evidence supporting Bigfoot' existence, this book provides details of the creature's history, habitats, and behaviors. With thought-provoking discussions on Bigfoot's elusiveness and potential psychic powers, Bigfoot goes beyond the myth to the reality of this enigmatic ape-man.
"If you think that monsters aren't real, it's time to think again. Tom Burnette and Rob Riggs take us on a roller-coaster ride into a world where the wild things lurk!"—Nick Redfern, author of Three Men Seeking Monsters
"The speculations will provide Bigfoot enthusiasts with plenty to contemplate, as will Burnette's assertion that he's captured 'the best Bigfoot picture bar none in the world.'"—Publishers Weekly
"[A] well-written and thrilling account of their work. The stories in this book will raise the hair on the back of one's neck and cause sleepless nights, especially if one lives near a big woods." — San Francisco Book Review
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 20, 2021
Over the past few years, I have become obsessed with Bigfoot. Not to the point of prowling the woods looking for him, but I have definitely become more interested in the existence of this creature, and possible proof of it being a real, flesh-and-blood creature.
Tom Burnette & Rob Riggs' BIGFOOT: EXPLORING THE MYTH & DISCOVERING THE TRUTH is a fascinating book, and Burnette and Riggs have some interesting stories to relate, both first-and-second-hand accounts. Burnette, in particular, is on to something that I have always thought would be the only way to find any kind of concrete evidence that Bigfoot exists: He lives on the edge of a massive piece of forested land that is supposedly home to a group of the creatures, and he has been working for years to befriend them, or at least acclimate them to his presence. Getting them used to humans, or one human in particular, would surely be a better way to finally capture indisputable proof than some of these dopey shows where large groups of researchers clodhop around the woods yelling and whooping and using walkie-talkies and huge spotlights.
Riggs and Burnette have some fascinating theories, such as the sightings and encounters being long-hidden Native American tribes that have become almost feral, or Bigfoot being psychic or perhaps some kind of interdimensional being. Some are easier to swallow than others, but I appreciate them laying these theories and speculations out. After all, as they point out in the book, they are not experts. In fact, who is? (I love seeing Cliff and Bobo from FINDING BIGFOOT talk about how "Everyone knows that 'squatches love apples!", or "We know for a fact what a Bigfoot howl sounds like." Until one is found and captured or killed, no one really knows anything about them for sure...)
The publisher provided a review copy to me years ago, and I'm finally getting to it almost seven years later. Sorry...That said, the intervening years have provided some interesting context to the book. Both Riggs and Burnette seem to have dropped off the face of the Earth. (As far as I can tell....I didn't hire a detective to find them, and I am not on any form of social media myself...) No new books have been written, a brief search has not yielded any new information about either man, and the website that they point to in the book was taken down for non-payment. (The internet wayback machine points to an archived homepage but you can't scroll around or click on anything because of the huge nonpayment pop-up from their old web host.) Also, they speak repeatedly about what they refer to as the best photographic evidence of Bigfoot ever captured, which is supposedly a trail-cam pic that Burnette took, of a startled-looking Bigfoot staring at the camera while sporting a visible erection (!). They print a strange-looking picture in the book of what appears to be a black-haired Cousin Itt, but not this one, which I would think to be a huge selling point for a book. The picture is supposed to be available on their site, which is now gone. I was unable to find this picture anywhere on the internet. (If someone has a link to this, I would appreciate it.)
Were Riggs and Burnette discredited? Was the picture a hoax? Was Burnette, as he feared, kidnapped and consumed by these creatures? The world may never know....
Tom Burnette & Rob Riggs' BIGFOOT: EXPLORING THE MYTH & DISCOVERING THE TRUTH is a fascinating book, and Burnette and Riggs have some interesting stories to relate, both first-and-second-hand accounts. Burnette, in particular, is on to something that I have always thought would be the only way to find any kind of concrete evidence that Bigfoot exists: He lives on the edge of a massive piece of forested land that is supposedly home to a group of the creatures, and he has been working for years to befriend them, or at least acclimate them to his presence. Getting them used to humans, or one human in particular, would surely be a better way to finally capture indisputable proof than some of these dopey shows where large groups of researchers clodhop around the woods yelling and whooping and using walkie-talkies and huge spotlights.
Riggs and Burnette have some fascinating theories, such as the sightings and encounters being long-hidden Native American tribes that have become almost feral, or Bigfoot being psychic or perhaps some kind of interdimensional being. Some are easier to swallow than others, but I appreciate them laying these theories and speculations out. After all, as they point out in the book, they are not experts. In fact, who is? (I love seeing Cliff and Bobo from FINDING BIGFOOT talk about how "Everyone knows that 'squatches love apples!", or "We know for a fact what a Bigfoot howl sounds like." Until one is found and captured or killed, no one really knows anything about them for sure...)
The publisher provided a review copy to me years ago, and I'm finally getting to it almost seven years later. Sorry...That said, the intervening years have provided some interesting context to the book. Both Riggs and Burnette seem to have dropped off the face of the Earth. (As far as I can tell....I didn't hire a detective to find them, and I am not on any form of social media myself...) No new books have been written, a brief search has not yielded any new information about either man, and the website that they point to in the book was taken down for non-payment. (The internet wayback machine points to an archived homepage but you can't scroll around or click on anything because of the huge nonpayment pop-up from their old web host.) Also, they speak repeatedly about what they refer to as the best photographic evidence of Bigfoot ever captured, which is supposedly a trail-cam pic that Burnette took, of a startled-looking Bigfoot staring at the camera while sporting a visible erection (!). They print a strange-looking picture in the book of what appears to be a black-haired Cousin Itt, but not this one, which I would think to be a huge selling point for a book. The picture is supposed to be available on their site, which is now gone. I was unable to find this picture anywhere on the internet. (If someone has a link to this, I would appreciate it.)
Were Riggs and Burnette discredited? Was the picture a hoax? Was Burnette, as he feared, kidnapped and consumed by these creatures? The world may never know....
December 10, 2021
I wasn't too sure what to expect from this book as I had never read a nonfiction book about Bigfoot before but to my surprise this was a very fast read as well as truly fascinating. I think one thing that made it so interesting was the fact the two authors, Tom and Rob, were giving their own personal accounts. And some of those accounts, especially Tom's, were frightening! I mean some large unknown creature loudly banging on trees, tearing apart his dogs and leaving handprints seven feet up his house not to mention peering in the window at him? I can easily see why most people wouldn't want to live anywhere near there! These things could kill you (wether it's a Bigfoot or something else). And who wants that? It's far easier to stay out of those mountains.
So I loved these personal stories as I just found them very riveting. Page turning. Also very fascinating was Tom's attempts to communicate with the ones on his land in a very clumsy way. It's akin to training an animal. He would bang on a tree with a stick three times when leaving food out for them. After awhile they learned to do that too...but there is another problem with feeding wild animals. I bet you can guess what it is. And yeah, it lead to lots of problems for him. Sleepless nights. Horrible sounds outside. His writing makes it clear how frightening these experiences are.
I do think he was being very irresponsible with his dogs. Who leaves a helpless puppy outside when you know there is some creature in the area eating dogs? Keep your pets inside! That part of the book did annoy me! I mean isn't that common sense? It doesn't matter if it's a Bigfoot or a bear: keep your pets inside!
Another bit of the book I liked was ideas of how Bigfoot hides. There are some fascinating ideas in here on that, everything from an ability to camouflage to shafeshift into these weird glowing lights. The book also looks at what the various Native American & Canadian tribes believe. They have various names for Bigfoot too.
And Rob tells his personal accounts of living in Texas and seeing strange glowing lights, seeing this other unusual shimmering wall that sort of resembled a force field and of seeing Bigfoot in that area. Until I read this I didn't even know Texas had such swampy, forested areas.
A very interesting book well worth the read. It makes me glad there are no deep woods around here because these accounts sound terrifying.
So I loved these personal stories as I just found them very riveting. Page turning. Also very fascinating was Tom's attempts to communicate with the ones on his land in a very clumsy way. It's akin to training an animal. He would bang on a tree with a stick three times when leaving food out for them. After awhile they learned to do that too...but there is another problem with feeding wild animals. I bet you can guess what it is. And yeah, it lead to lots of problems for him. Sleepless nights. Horrible sounds outside. His writing makes it clear how frightening these experiences are.
I do think he was being very irresponsible with his dogs. Who leaves a helpless puppy outside when you know there is some creature in the area eating dogs? Keep your pets inside! That part of the book did annoy me! I mean isn't that common sense? It doesn't matter if it's a Bigfoot or a bear: keep your pets inside!
Another bit of the book I liked was ideas of how Bigfoot hides. There are some fascinating ideas in here on that, everything from an ability to camouflage to shafeshift into these weird glowing lights. The book also looks at what the various Native American & Canadian tribes believe. They have various names for Bigfoot too.
And Rob tells his personal accounts of living in Texas and seeing strange glowing lights, seeing this other unusual shimmering wall that sort of resembled a force field and of seeing Bigfoot in that area. Until I read this I didn't even know Texas had such swampy, forested areas.
A very interesting book well worth the read. It makes me glad there are no deep woods around here because these accounts sound terrifying.
December 21, 2016
Why did I give this book only one star? Perhaps I am flooded with just one more damned positive ion than I can stand. The book started out O.K. but started to get a bit odd. Around page 150 this book quickly spiraled out of control and crashed into What The Fuck town. When we started to discuss the creatures telepathic qualities and interdimensional time travel that helps hide the creatures I began vomiting some serious quarks. What really got me was the one author looking for energy fields because the bigfoots have something to do with electro magnetic disruptions as well. So why did I give it one star? I still do not know why I graced this with such a glowing review of one star. Now let me just go sit in an energy field and crap out some positive ions and wipe my butt with some negative ions and maybe I will feel better.
February 29, 2016
I was going to give this a joking 5/5 stars...but then it did something surprising and actually got pretty good. I didn't go into this book thinking, "Yeah, you know what, this is gonna be some real thought-provoking literature." Also, I almost lost it when they started talking about Bigfoot having psychic abilities and ghost powers (which is basically the entire second half of the book). But there are some parts that actually redeem it, especially when one of the guys starts telling stories about how a tribe of Bigfoot kept eating his dogs and trying to break his house with a sofa. It's great if you read it with a grain of salt.
I mean, in the end, it's a Bigfoot book. And fuck it, it's not bad.
I mean, in the end, it's a Bigfoot book. And fuck it, it's not bad.
March 10, 2017
If this book was just Tom telling stories of the bigfoot messing with him and his hillbilly friends it would be an all time great read. Unfortunately, you also have to hear Rob's boring stories and wild theories. Full review at: https://soundcloud.com/dumbguybookclu...
June 15, 2015
I grew up hearing Sasquatch stories so was interested to read what these two authors had to say. Well, they are total fabulists, trying to tell us that Bigfoot visits a cabin one of them lives in and leaves acorns as 'presents'. Also killing his dogs. None of their research is credible, none of their stories is even remotely believable. I recommend not wasting time with this book. I, myself couldn't be bothered to finish it.
November 20, 2025
Although the authors share about their own experiences and the amount of time they have been looking into this subject, a few points were of concern. First, who leaves behind their dog to run to their mothers house??????? Second, who rents out a cabin to people without telling them that there is the potential for danger and some unknown creature lurking close by?????? The answer to both is Tom Burnette - to me both equally despicable choices. He shares both of those facts in the book, along with others that truly make me wonder about the morals and ethics involved and what would you do or sacrifice to get answers.
Thankfully, I borrowed this book from the library, so not funding their "research." I do understand their point of staying in one area and collecting data over time. As for leaving out food to entice the creatures to come close and gain trust and have the creatures stay in the area, really????? Does this truly make sense when you have no idea what you are dealing with? Is it any wonder people who have rented the cabin, leave in terror during the night, traumatized by who knows what? Again, examples are described in the book.
Yes I do agree answers to the question about what are people seeing is important. I agree, better to learn about the creatures in their habitat, at a distance, rather than kill one and drag it into a lab. I have also from my other reading on the subject, realized that there are a few individuals who are noticing how often these sightings are related to other events like bright lights, changes in the atmosphere etc. But based on reading this book, I also understand why some of the people looking into this topic do not associate with these two authors.
Thankfully, I borrowed this book from the library, so not funding their "research." I do understand their point of staying in one area and collecting data over time. As for leaving out food to entice the creatures to come close and gain trust and have the creatures stay in the area, really????? Does this truly make sense when you have no idea what you are dealing with? Is it any wonder people who have rented the cabin, leave in terror during the night, traumatized by who knows what? Again, examples are described in the book.
Yes I do agree answers to the question about what are people seeing is important. I agree, better to learn about the creatures in their habitat, at a distance, rather than kill one and drag it into a lab. I have also from my other reading on the subject, realized that there are a few individuals who are noticing how often these sightings are related to other events like bright lights, changes in the atmosphere etc. But based on reading this book, I also understand why some of the people looking into this topic do not associate with these two authors.
August 19, 2021
Gather Around the Campfire
Bigfoot: Exploring the Myth & Discovering the Truth by Tom Barnette and Rob Riggs
It is difficult to tell who is spinning these stories. Barnette and Riggs for sure but are they the men brandishing their bravado, or the ones frightened (“Scared Shitless”) in a cabin or in the wilds? The dance card is full of both. I don’t sense they are researching the existence of Sasquatch as opposed to writers who just want to tell their stories. When Burnette finds, according to his account, Sasquatch scat up and down the road, but he neglects to take a sample to be analyzed may leave readers scratching their heads. The lack of awareness as to the importance scat in research leaves the reader wondering, what evidence does he need to make a case? The lack of Sasquatch scat is one of the raps against researchers. Why can’t they find a pile of Wild Man crap? That Barnette and Riggs poke their fingers in the eyes of other researchers does little to move their anecdotal tales forward. These are fair campfire stories. Except for the ones where Barnette continually puts dogs outside his cabin or on the trail to be ripped apart and eaten by the local creatures. The idea of so many dogs killed takes away from the research and calls into question, why doesn’t he use an alarm of some sort to warn of the creature’s approach instead of Peanut (and others)? The organization of the book makes the segue between some stories difficult. I don’t recommend this book for those interested in research about Sasquatch. I do recommend it for those who need campfire stories to spin.
Bigfoot: Exploring the Myth & Discovering the Truth by Tom Barnette and Rob Riggs
It is difficult to tell who is spinning these stories. Barnette and Riggs for sure but are they the men brandishing their bravado, or the ones frightened (“Scared Shitless”) in a cabin or in the wilds? The dance card is full of both. I don’t sense they are researching the existence of Sasquatch as opposed to writers who just want to tell their stories. When Burnette finds, according to his account, Sasquatch scat up and down the road, but he neglects to take a sample to be analyzed may leave readers scratching their heads. The lack of awareness as to the importance scat in research leaves the reader wondering, what evidence does he need to make a case? The lack of Sasquatch scat is one of the raps against researchers. Why can’t they find a pile of Wild Man crap? That Barnette and Riggs poke their fingers in the eyes of other researchers does little to move their anecdotal tales forward. These are fair campfire stories. Except for the ones where Barnette continually puts dogs outside his cabin or on the trail to be ripped apart and eaten by the local creatures. The idea of so many dogs killed takes away from the research and calls into question, why doesn’t he use an alarm of some sort to warn of the creature’s approach instead of Peanut (and others)? The organization of the book makes the segue between some stories difficult. I don’t recommend this book for those interested in research about Sasquatch. I do recommend it for those who need campfire stories to spin.
March 10, 2021
This was a hot mess and I'm angry I spent money on it. This was a collection of stories that Tom and Bill allegedly experienced or heard from others. Listen, I'm a Squatcher but not even that seasoned of one and even I knew this was all fake and kind of read as mockery. Apparently Tom and Bill have had MANY Bigfoot encounters and all their stories contradict the one previous and that of other researchers. You know, actual researchers...not men who just bought a cabin in the woods. Tom and Bill claim Bigfoot, which they literally refer to as the primate, the booger, or the ape-man interchangeably, sometimes has red glowing eyes, will steal horses off a farm, eat your pet dog, or come knocking on your window to play a prank. Also apparently eat an entire row of corn from a field?
Get out. This was insulting in it's mediocrity. I'd rather read actual theories exploring the myth of Sasquatch with a decent debate on if he's true or just a story...not this garbage.
Get out. This was insulting in it's mediocrity. I'd rather read actual theories exploring the myth of Sasquatch with a decent debate on if he's true or just a story...not this garbage.
November 30, 2024
This book started out pretty good, with reasonable methodology and believable hypotheses on what the Bigfoot is. There is so much eyewitness testimony that I agree that there has to be something out there that fits the description, I believe people really did see something out of the ordinary.
With that being said, the author goes into strange territory with assuming telepathic abilities, positive and negative ion digressions and supernatural abilities of the Bigfoot species. I am more inclined to think that the Bigfoot if it exists is a near extinct primate, though I do not rule out the possibility of the supernatural. I think after 20 years of genuinely trying and not coming up with satisfactory answers has lead these researchers to come up with wild conclusions as to why they weren’t successful.
The book itself was kinda tedious to read, I found myself getting impatient at times with the formatting. Overall, it’s okay, if you’re into this kind of stuff, you might like it.
With that being said, the author goes into strange territory with assuming telepathic abilities, positive and negative ion digressions and supernatural abilities of the Bigfoot species. I am more inclined to think that the Bigfoot if it exists is a near extinct primate, though I do not rule out the possibility of the supernatural. I think after 20 years of genuinely trying and not coming up with satisfactory answers has lead these researchers to come up with wild conclusions as to why they weren’t successful.
The book itself was kinda tedious to read, I found myself getting impatient at times with the formatting. Overall, it’s okay, if you’re into this kind of stuff, you might like it.
October 30, 2018
It is an ok book. Not much of a particular topic overall. I did somewhat enjoy the book, but due to my interest in more fictional, tell-tale fantasy books, I did not enjoy it as much as other would. Great book if you enjoy reading realistic-fiction or history type books. Very related in this category.
June 5, 2019
Two different perspectives of one creature in two different parts of the country. One of those locations is not far from where I live. In-depth stories of personal encounters from both authors. I highly recommend this read.
March 16, 2020
Interesting
There are a lot of interesting issues in this book. It brings up a few different viewpoints. It was well worth reading
There are a lot of interesting issues in this book. It brings up a few different viewpoints. It was well worth reading
April 4, 2020
New perspective
New perspectives, this book gives slot of different perspectives on this subject. They may be onto something. I agree that any short excursions won't work.
New perspectives, this book gives slot of different perspectives on this subject. They may be onto something. I agree that any short excursions won't work.
January 5, 2023
first 2/3 are great. last 1/3 really dives into the weird....
July 9, 2023
As someone who has never witnessed the paranormal I was truly fascinated with this read. I was a bit put off by some of the personal opinions being a bit confrontational.
February 4, 2015
Very interesting. The authors describe personal, first-hand experience of "Hairy Creature" sightings in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and the swamplands of the Big Thicket in Southeast Texas. It all seems so credible until they start speculating about psychic powers and mystical creatures. Obviously, something is out there killing dogs and hauling wild hogs off into the woods. There is a consensus that the creatures are hairy, human-like, smell awful and are fast and strong. But no one has ever found a skeleton or other concrete evidence of the creature. The few photographs that capture the creature are generally out of focus or difficult to make out because the creature is so dark and hairy. I started reading the book with an open mind. After reading the book I am not convinced that the creature exists or does not exist.
January 24, 2016
I have always had a weird fascination with Bigfoot. This book has its moments however I really felt that it was mostly their own personal accounts and not much research. I was hoping that they would include maybe more information about how the myth in concept of Bigfoot has come in and become such a big part of literature and now these reality TV shows. As a result I felt good most of the book was pretty much the same thing is the animal planet show that they have of looking for Sasquatch.
March 28, 2014
Some very interesting situations
The two authors give some excellent perspectives on their own experiences as well as those of other people. Some of the ideas they speculate on are in my view quite bizarre, but worth considering for anyone open minded. Overall though I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in learning all they can about this enigma.
The two authors give some excellent perspectives on their own experiences as well as those of other people. Some of the ideas they speculate on are in my view quite bizarre, but worth considering for anyone open minded. Overall though I enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in learning all they can about this enigma.
October 12, 2015
Perfect balance between Theory and solid accounts (eye witness stories)
Giving a realistic reality to the mystery that Don Jeffrey Meldrum leans too Scientific and John Keel (Too supernatural)
The best Bigfoot book I've ever read
Giving a realistic reality to the mystery that Don Jeffrey Meldrum leans too Scientific and John Keel (Too supernatural)
The best Bigfoot book I've ever read
May 27, 2015
Wonderful information and truly heartfelt connection from the authors to our natural world. I greatly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone curious on the subject as well anyone spiritually based in nature or seeking higher awareness to our beings .
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews