The Locals: A Contemporary Investigation of the Bigfoot/Sasquatch Phenomenon

by Thom Powell

Bigfoots ARE The Locals. They live here. They were here before we humans showed up on the continent and they will likely outlast us. This is a bigfoot book yet it probes much deeper than a simple treatment of the hackneyed question of Does Bigfoot Exist? This book delves into such questions as why bigfoots exist, why they behave as they do, and why they have not yet been, and may never be dragged into the spotlight of science and the media. And don't look to science for answers, because science is currently unequipped to shed any light on this profound anthropological mystery. The author's personal experiences in investigation and experimentation of the bigfoot hypothesis are chronicled. Frightening and humorous personal experiences are detailed in the manner of the genre we know of as the bigfoot book. We have a lot to learn about The Locals and there is even more we could learn from The Locals.

Genres: Bigfoot, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2003

Reviews

[Marie Silk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I thought I had read all of the bigfoot stories out there, I found this book. The sightings and eyewitness accounts are fantastic and the reading is easy. I have about a dozen books on bigfoot and this might be my favorite as far as content and writing style. Not written sensationally, but rather thoughtfully with down-to-earth approach.

[Sharon A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good guide to all the issues involved in cryptozoology in general. The author is a science teacher but woefully misunderstands Occam's Razor that he misuses throughout. Too loaded with anecdotes that are not helpful for this problematic subject of Sasquatch. Fairly well written but slightly padded with unnecessary personal opinions, speculation, and tangents about astronomy and physics. The author gives a huge amount of agency to Sasquatch which is unwarranted as there is not enough evidence that it even is a real creature. But, to his credit, Powell acknowledges many problems in the field. This book is several years old and the field has just not gotten better but has devolved into a giant mess with no scientific progress. Some think that's because bigfoots are smarter than us. That's not how Occam's Razor works. The simplest answer, the one with the least amount of assumptions, is that no giant ape exists and lumping all the claims of sightings and experiences together is a mistake. I did get a lot of insight into serious bigfoot research from this book. Powell is truly open-minded but I believe the phenomenon is more complicated than concluding bigfoots are real, common, and good at remaining undetected for centuries.

[Chrissy Bartelme · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, I’m just dipping my feet in the subject and this was my first bigfoot read. Great stories from many different people that kept it interesting from the many perspectives. An easy read too! I am definitely interested in reading more on the subject now as well as Thom Powell’s other books.

[Kat Starwolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could Bigfoot Be Real After All?

Because the subject of Bigfoot has historically been treated with such derision and nay-sayed by the majority of those who are aware of it, I have been hesitant to even take a cursory literary glance at what the world of Bigfoot might entail. That is, until I was reminded recently by a YouTube video snippet of a camping incident I experienced about 20 years ago in Southern Colorado and then in Santa Fe, New Mexico which caused me to wonder if what I experienced was, after all, a Bigfoot, a.k.a. Sasquatch encounter. While I didn’t actually see the Big Guy, I did experience – with another camper – extremely strange vocalizations (Bigfoot?) and tree knocks, not only at the campsite, but when I returned home several hours and a full state away later. Yes, they ARE known to follow experiencers home! And, yes, I’m aware that the noises and knocks could potentially have been anything. But it didn’t feel that way. It wasn’t ‘just anything.’ These were … much different and made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

One of the attractive points of this book was/is the fact that it was recommended by David Paulides, retired police detective as well as currently, a private and MUFON investigator who has written several books on Missing 411 disappearances (some, possibly involving Bigfoot) around the country and is a frequent guest on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory (Art Bell’s old show).

As Paulides points out in his Bigfoot 101 series on YouTube, because the author of this book, Thom Powell, is a Middle School Science teacher in Oregon, he’s steeped in scientific investigation, i.e.: empirical methods, and therefore makes a perfect Bigfoot investigator.

Powell admits that he has yet to actually see Bigfoot, a.k.a. Sasquatch. However, the interviews he’s conducted with numerous individuals for BFRO (= Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) who HAVE actually seen Bigfoot or experienced other Bigfoot phenomenon such as vocalizations (totally different sounds than any other animal or sound) and tree knocks, as well as collected huge track casts (bare human-like, but NOT human footprints) typically measuring from 12 inches to 20 inches in length, have convinced him that people are seeing and experiencing something out of the ordinary.

Additionally, just as with UFOs/ETs, too many people are having some form of Bigfoot/Sasquatch experience all around the world and they are – for the most part – describing the same creature as well as reporting pretty much the same type of experiences along with the creatures demonstrating very similar if not the same behavior. And in most cases, these individuals do not know each other. Also, many of the experiencers are policemen, military/ex-military and other respected professionals.

And if you’re still not convinced, try checking out the Sasquatch Genome Project dot org, which may or may not be back online (not sure why it was taken down) soon. In the meantime, if you’re wanting more content on Sasquatch, check out the SASQUATCH GENOME REVISITED| THE SASQUATCH OUTPOST #15 interview and 2.5 hour radio show (on the Untold Radio Network YouTube channel) who is interviewing Dr. Melba Ketchum, et al, of the Sasquatch Genome Project. In my opinion, the format and overall interview does leave a bit to be desired, but they ARE talking about what has actually been occurring with the Sasquatch Genome Project, which – believe it or not – IS a thang.

So, is Bigfoot, a.k.a. Sasquatch real? In my opinion – and even though I’ve ‘only’ had experiences with vocalizations and the knocking – based on the various bits of evidence and experiential data collected up to this point (some from several anthropologists, primatologists, a geneticist or two and other scientific professionals), I would have to say that I’m leaning towards possibly being convinced that Sasquatch (my preferred name for this creature) actually does exist, again, based on the current conclusion of these professional individuals. So, yes, I’d say that Bigfoot is likely all too real. In fact, primatologist/anthropologist, Jane Goodall, has stated that she believes – based on the evidence and testimony – that Bigfoot/Sasquatch DOES exist.

If you’re still not convinced, do the research yourself. Being an arm-chair nay-sayer does not bolster the ‘belief’ that Bigfoot isn’t real. It only illustrates possible laziness and a fear of reality. While it isn’t necessary that you also beat the bushes in the various forests, at least reading about it and watching videos on YouTube or elsewhere will educate you on what is REALLY likely going on in the Bigfoot world.

Finally, note that recently deceased author and Bigfoot Investigator, Scott Carpenter, has also generously included a link to the website for one of his books, Sasquatch Awareness Project at sasawareproject dot blogspot dot com.

Informative book. Highly recommended.

[Christine Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

A down to earth look at the Bigfoot phenomenon. The author has interviewed many witnesses and visited where sightings have taken place. He is not afraid to consider there may be paranormal aspects to Bigfoot, while also giving full respect to the flesh and blood hypothesis.

[Nick Haile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting points and examination of the big foot phenomenon. Interesting read for sure.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book because it didn't waste time trying to prove the existence of bigfoot, but instead delved into the whys of its existence and behavior.

[Shanna Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book but some parts get a little long in the tooth and takes a bit to get through. I enjoyed the book overall and would recommend reading.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Thom Powell speak recently at a conference, and as I had heard good things about his books, picked this one up there. The Locals is a wide-ranging overview of Bigfoot phenomena, including some of the "high strangeness" aspects which surround it -- UFOs, government coverups, cloaking, etc. Powell avoids the trap of including all those well-known historical bigfoot accounts in this book (really, Bigfoot authors, how many times do you have to tell us that T. Roosevelt story?), but does include some interesting, very detailed encounters reported to him during his years as a Bigfoot Field Research Organization (BFRO) investigator. I particularly enjoyed his grounded, scientific approach. Yes, some of the theories get a little out-there, but Powell always brings us back. Considering the existence of Bigfoot has yet to be proven and we don't really know a thing about them (if they're there), all theories are more or less fair game anyway. Highly recommended for those who want to delve a little bit further into Sasquatchery. Next up: Powell's Edges of Science.

[Christiane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't resist picking this up at a used bookstore on Orcas Island. Mr. Powell is a science teacher and by no means a stupid man; he is also a firm believer in the existence of bigfoot/sasquatch and this book shares numerous accounts of other believers as well as attempting to answer questions like why we have never actually captured a bigfoot. The answers start to get just a little far out there for me...but still, an interesting read.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thom walks the reader through the common misconceptions and offers alternative ways to think about Sasquatch. The end result of his presentation is it is very hard to deny the existence of Sasquatch. He logically describes why not every reported sighting is a lie and not every footprint is a hoax. He has a finely tuned sense of who is lying and who is not. He also answers the questions "why no bigfoot bones?" or "why hasn't somebody shot one yet?". Well worth reading!

[Sheila K · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best bigfoot books available. The author has spent years, studying the bigfoot and is very knowledgable and sincere about the subject, he recounts his own encounters and detailed sightings by others. If you are curious about bigfoot, and would like to learn more make this book the first you buy.

[Dow Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powell provides a wealth of information in this short book. There are a lot of great stories about sightings and habitations and a ton of tips for newcomers to the field of Bigfoot research. Powell's background cannot be understated and his firsthand investigations and accounts make for a compelling read. I highly recommend this book for anyone new or seasoned in the bigfoot field.

[Desiree Smelcer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book on habituation.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thom is as interesting in his writing as he is in person. A wonderful book to start any budding Bigfoot library. I learned a lot from this book.