Lakota Family Bigfoot Encounters That Spanned Generations | Pine Ridge, South Dakota

You're listening to Bigfoot Society and I'm Jeremiah Byron. In this show we go beyond the campfire stories to bring you first-hand encounters from people who say they've seen something impossible. From backwoods trails and remote mountain haulers to quiet farms and crowded highways. The stories come from everywhere and each one leaves us with more questions than answers. These are the voices of the people who've lived it, so settle in because today you'll hear another account that just might change the way you see the woods forever. So stay with us. All right, Bigfoot Society, welcome back to another episode. We've got the privilege of talking to Summer today. Summer is from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, specifically from the Ogallala tribe, also sometimes referred to as Lakota. But welcome to the show, Summer. How are you doing today? I am doing well. Thank you. Absolutely. I know a little bit about what we are going to be talking about. There's a lot of information that's going to be shared through this, but is there anything else that the listeners would need to know about you for context before we start chatting? Just that I'm part of the Oglala Sioux tribe. And like you said, we refer to ourselves also as Lakota. I grew up with a traditional family. we spoke Lakota, we understood Lakota, and we understood the value of nature and being in balance with nature. What do you think it means to be in balance with nature? How does one do that? To know that we aren't the only thing in this world, to know that we need to respect everything that we come across. Like if we go out to harvest the berries during the fall or late summer, that we lay down an offering also. So knowing that there are other beings in this world, then it also is like a respect for them also. Sure. Are there certain things that you've found are best to put forward as an offering when you're giving those? Growing up, we would offer up what we had gathered. Not everything, but like a handful. We would offer some water. And as I grew up, tobacco was a part of it. So we'd just offer like a pinch of tobacco. And one key thing was a match. I don't know why it was a match, but it would always be a match. And would that be an unlit match or a lit and spent match? Unlit. Unlit match. That's very interesting. I was just actually out in the woods of Tennessee for a campout, Randy's Cryptid Campout. And there's an individual there. I don't think he would probably want his name mentioned. And apologies if he does, but I'm going to leave it as not. And we were out in the woods, and he was actually from a tribe in Oklahoma. and I was able to see what an offering of tobacco, what that actually entails. And it was a fascinating thing to watch and to be part of just by being in the area. It's just a beautiful, beautiful thing that happens. It is. so Summer can you take us back to what was the first time and sorry before we get started is it okay are we okay to reference as to what we're talking about as Bigfoot or would you prefer that it be referred to as something else we would call them Seatrunka Yeah. And that basically translates to Bigfoot because of the print in the grounds that we would find. And it would be bigger than your average, I guess, regular foot size, according to us here. So, Si Tonka, some people refer to many other names in their languages. but basically that would be for us. Very good. So can you think of, you know, think back when you're growing up and what are some of the first memories of either hearing about Satanka or having an interaction with that? The first time I remember having any sort of interaction or feeling or anyone else pointing it out was when I was about six years old. And that would be back in 1976. And we were out, I think it was, we were out picking. And we were gathering. We have like a, I guess it would be called a gooseberry. But for us, it's just like a yellow berry. And I'm not too sure what the plant name for it would be officially, but we call it a Mastincha Laputa. Or it's like a rabbit berry. Because I guess there's a lot of rabbits towards the bottom of the bush. So it's just describing what's happening with that bush. They're little red berries. So when we'd go out to gather things or we would harvest the turnips in the ground, again, I don't know what the American plant name would be for it, but we call them team sila in our language. So we'd gather them. And my grandmother, who was very, I guess you would say, inclined or connected with things, she would, all of a sudden, she would tell us to, and we weren't loud, like screaming or anything. All the kids would go along, do what we were supposed to gather, but we would talk. And then she would tell us, she would tell us in our language, ininda, which is quiet. And she wouldn't yell it. She'd just say, So then all the kids would just stop. And then she would say, She'd say, They're here now. And then she would refer to either them as Lakshi, which is uncle, or Tunkashila, which is grandfather. And then she would tell us to gather up some of the berries, like a handful of each, and she would take them to a spot. and she would say prayers and she would take, at that time I didn't notice or anything if she took the tobacco or the match, but that's what she would take off her and then she would tell us that it's time to go. So it wouldn't be like a scary thing, but it would be known that someone else is there. So we would gather and then we'd get all our things together and then we'd make our way home. And that was the first time I didn't see, but I knew that there was a presence that she knew of. And later she would describe it as the Siddhanka. And she would say that she would tell them, tell us that it was like our relative that was our uncle or our grandfather. And that they were here and we just don't bother them. so I mean that's what I grew up with knowing at that time do you have any excuse me do you have any ideas of or did you ever learn how your grandmother knew that they were there she had learned it from her grandfather and this was this is an interesting story because he would tell and he would say dreams but he would have these dreams where he was in a cave and there were like little orbs sometimes and he said there were like squares sometimes but in those orbs or squares there was like moments of people's lives or people where they were still doing what they were doing in their you know how you would have a person washing dishes I think there might have been some twilight zone things like this later on in life that I had seen and remembered but a lady washing dishes so in this orb would show this person doing what they were doing but not knowing that they were an orb or a square. So in this cave, he would see these things, and he would walk along them, and he said it was very, some things he couldn't describe, but he would say that like a bicycle, and then like just describing moments in life. Like me right now, doing what I'm doing right now. this could be in an orb or a square in one of those moments. And that's what he would see. And some of them he couldn't really describe because this is back in, and he spoke Lakota fluently and he didn't speak very much English. So that's where it came from. And he would tell us, well, through stories through her, he would tell my grandmother that there are other beings in this world and beyond, and that we aren't the only ones. And that was what she learned. And then she would pass it on to us that we aren't the only beings in this world, where there are many other things. And not just describing human beings or the fish or anything, but like coming from somewhere else. So that's where she became familiar with a lot of the Bigfoot. And he would describe them as tall, very hairy men. They come around and they just come through. And he would say, well, she would tell us what he would say is that they're related. Like they have a link to us and that we shouldn't be scared because they just come through. So, I mean, that's the first. And so she became, I guess, sensitized. I wouldn't say sensitized, but she became familiar. When she would have that feeling that they're close or they're here, and then she would just go outside and make an opera. I would say that would be where it came from. That is fascinating. Do orbs show up in the Lakota culture quite often, or is that a kind of rare thing to see those? Um, I wouldn't, I can't really say for everyone, but our, one of the symbols we have in our culture is a circle. And it's, um, I guess it would be like, they would talk about the circle of life. Um, things go around, um, I guess go around, come around type of thing. so they would always talk about don't do bad things because it'll come back and get you so I guess in that sense it would be an orb as far as like a symbol like a sun or I'm not too sure if all of our people or just certain people would recognize that. It's really interesting. It's one of those, you know, I know the community tries to figure that out because it seems that when there's an area with Bigfoot activity, usually you're going to have some sort of orb or light activity in the same area. And I don't think we know the answer to that question yet. But is Summer, when you're growing up in this area was, how was Satanka viewed by those that you would talk to in the community, maybe elders or people your age? It wasn't really talked about. I mean, we had people who would experience things, but they just didn't really talk about it because it wasn't like something like, I guess, common, very common. So it was, it wasn't, but it was known. And so it it just wasn totally talked about I guess you would say like um oh yeah I saw one over there or anything It was like, you would try to find out why you saw it, what you were doing to you cause this, I guess. Were you doing something you weren't supposed to be? because they're referred to as part of nature, kind of like a guardian maybe. That's interesting, yeah. You were talking about the orbs of light. And I do remember when I was growing up that when these things would happen and there would always be a flash of light or like a light zooming off into the sky or the light just being there and then just, you know, how it engulfs or it goes within itself. And when you said that, that's what reminded me that I would see those, but we wouldn't really question because it's like, okay, that does happen. sure is in you know you're growing up in that area and and that culture is satanica looked at as a like a physical creature or sometimes like you know in our community there's some individuals where it's like you know it's going through portals it's you sometimes you just see the silhouette wet of it you see kind of like a shimmery look to it instead of the actual creature are those things that you experience as well or growing up i saw shadows and i i saw the um the bigfoot the Sitrancain and it it wasn't scary like I said I wanted to leave or anything it was kind of like hmm you know you kind of like okay it's there and maybe it was because my grandmother told us about them maybe it was because we experienced it so often when we would go out and go hunting or go picking, gathering before winter came. But it was just one of those. And I don't know, and I can't say it was for everyone, that experience or that feeling. I know there are some people in our area, in our reservation, who have seen it, and they were scared. It was like, it scared me so bad. But for our family, being told about them, it's, I guess, normal for our family to see them, to see lights. So it is a scary experience. Sure. I would see, I guess, him hunching down, just watching us. I can't say him or her, but because watching us as we do things and us knowing they're there, but it's just, it wasn't scary. How old were you, sorry, how old were you, Summer, when that sighting happened? The first one was six. And I can say that throughout the years, so as I became older, we would see them so, I guess I would say, like in the falls of every year that I can remember. Okay. Yeah. And sometimes, and this is crazy because I don't know if it's just our family, but sometimes our family would wake up and we would have sort of the same dream. Like, oh yeah, I dream. And it wouldn't be like rushing out and telling, I dreamed or anything, but throughout the day or something. I said, you know, the other night I dreamed about Bigfoot. And we were walking along this creek and he was on the other side just walking along with us. So it was, and for myself, I had dreams also. And in my dreams, I would have the Bigfoot on the other. It was either on the other side of the creek or like up in the Badlands. There's little plateaus. So they wouldn't be right beside us, but they'd be across. And it was like they would talk, I guess telepathically. But they would tell us, like, don't go over here or don't do this. And then the ones I would have would always be with one that would have like a little one with them. And we wouldn't always talk about them in our family. We wouldn't like constantly tell each other, this is going to happen. Or did you know? It was kind of like each experience that we had in our family. There are many of us in our family, I would say about 12. but we would keep it to ourselves until someone brought something up and they're oh yeah i had that dream or or um if they were out doing something they would say yep i did i saw one over here or i felt one so it in our family it's just like a a normal thing i guess you would say Is there anything specific about your family that might explain why they have that type of back and forth with the satanka? I would say, I can't really say it's this or that. my mother when she was born and I think I'm not too sure about the research of it but when she was born she had like the veil over her head and then she had mittens you know the I don't know what they call it but it's like the they still had she still had I don't know if you know or maybe you can but it's like a thin lining that would cover her my grandmother said that she looked like an astronaut when she came when she was born because she had still a covering over her head and they called it a veil and it was connected to around her shoulders and chest and everything, but there was still fluid in that veil. And then her hands had like mittens. They said they were covered in this film. So I'm not too sure exactly what that went, like what it was caused by or anything. So when she was born, they had to take that and she had that. They put it in a bag. They kept it for her for, I think up until she was about 14 and she said then it was lost she couldn't find it anymore the the little and by then she said it turned almost into powder but when she was growing up and this is pretty interesting because she would tell me well she was growing up they lived in wangley and this is the northern part of our reservation and they had um this was back in the um I would say late 50s, early 60s, 1950, 1960. And she would hear this tune, but she wouldn't sing the tune for us. She said, no, I can't share what the tune is, because she said, I can hear it, but I can't with us. She said, I can't sing it or I can't hum it for some reason. But she said, I can still hear it in my head, my memories. So she would hear this. And when she was younger, she said, I could hum it and I can hum the tune that she would hear. and when she would start humming it, my grandmother would, again, would say, because, see, this is a part where I think it's so normal in our home, our family, but she would start humming this tune, my mother, and then my grandmother would say, oh, are they coming again? So my mother would, and they spoke Lakota, so she would answer, huh, which was yes. So my grandmother would make like a little lunch for my mother because she said she knew that she wouldn't be here or come back for a bit, that she would be visiting with them. So my mother would take her lunch with her and they would meet. At that time, they had like these combines and they would go there. and she said that they were like really white beings and they had really, she said, really white hair and they looked like people. But she said they had a little larger eyes and they wouldn't move their mouths. But she said they would talk to her. They would call her by her name and when she was younger, it was Teresa. So they would talk to her as Teresa and they would walk along and they would ask her questions about what is this. And they would ask her to reply in Lakota what it was, not English. And she said the crazy thing is that when they spoke, she said she doesn't know how she understood them because she said it would just be in her mind, the questions they were asking. So she would be with them and then they would tell her that they needed to go home now. And so she would have, I mean, while she was visiting with them, she'd eat her lunch, but they wouldn't eat. And so it's kind of like, I guess, things intertwining with each other. and my mother growing up, my grandmother, and my grandfather on my mother's side would just like, he would nod and yes, they're here, yes, that happens. And it wouldn't be like, oh my gosh, it's just like a normal thing. That is absolutely fascinating. I'm trying to wrap my mind around it. So do you think then your mother had experiences meeting with Satanka or, you know, thinking of that description, it almost sounds like, I mean, it could be some kind of alien or I don't know. It's just such a fascinating description of what she experienced. Yes. And she would try to find out where they came from, but they wouldn't tell her where they came from. Did your family have a certain role within the tribe? I would say no, not really. Because my grandmother, her grandfather was one of the survivors of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. And also one of the survivors of the battle here at Wounded Knee. I don't know if you're very familiar with those but he was one of the survivors so it isn't like he would go off learn of these things and come back like go somewhere and they would talk about aliens and Bigfoot openly to him and he had these experiences and he wouldn't really talk to anybody but he would talk to my grandmother because he felt that connection with her. And then my grandmother would talk with my mother and a few of her sons about what was going on and what was happening. So our family would always experience lights. We would have Bigfoot encounters. I mean, it was, again, I would say for our family, it was a normal thing. Right. Okay. So you have experienced telepathic communication yourself with the satanka is that correct Yes through the dreams I would have Okay Can you remember when that started Was there something going on, maybe an interaction? Do you think that kicked that off? Sometimes people will have a certain experience or go to a certain area and then they'll start having dreams like this. Do you think there could be anything that started causing this or any thoughts about that? Mm, because growing up it wasn't like taught to us or these experiences will happen or sort of subliminally or given that thought. So then we become, we start having that thought. It was, the adults would talk with adults and the children would be with the children. So it wasn't like the adults telling us, this will happen to you or this is going to happen to you. All of us would have our own experiences. And I think what we would go into the creeks where we lived when growing up, maybe about half a mile away, there was a big creek. There was a creek going through, tall trees, dead trees falling over the creek, so we could go across them. I mean, all of us children would just go out and play. At that time, it was so safe to just go, like six or seven of us, and go play in the creek and not worry about anything else. And then we would come home. and during those times all of us would just kind of like stop and we'd all look at the same direction but not really know why and then we would start playing again and during after those times then I recall that I would have a dream and that dream would just tell me to be safe to watch out this part of the creek or, I mean, and not knowing exactly why. And I would later on tell my mom, and she said, well, you better listen to your dream. Don't go in that area. So we wouldn't, or I wouldn't go in that area. So I guess it wasn't a, how would you say, the adults wouldn't push it on us, that we would have these experiences. They would keep those experiences they had amongst themselves to not influence, I guess, us as children that this is going to happen to you until we would start telling them about our dreams. And they would say, oh. And it wasn't like, oh my gosh, or what are you talking about? It was just, oh, kind of like an accepting it's starting with you now type of, I guess, response. That is really fascinating. um do you have so the interesting thing is that even in i would say cultures outside of like the lakota people are starting to have and i guess have for a while are starting to have dreams like this and communication and telepathic communication do you have any advice for individuals that are starting to have those type of communications? I'm not sure if I would say advice, but it's just like accepting. Accept what the message is. Don't try to go deeper than what they're telling you because then you start to doubt. I think, in my opinion, that when they tell you a message, like me growing up, telling me not to come over in this area, in that creek, and I see it, and it would be a Bigfoot with a smaller Bigfoot, like a child, telling me that you shouldn't go in this area, don't come and play in this area, it's not safe. And me not knowing that area, or going there prior to, playing there or exploring down there. So it would be don't try to make it more than what they're telling you. If they're telling you to just be safe, whatever you're doing, then take that and tell yourself or just be safe. Yeah, take it at face value. Yes, and don't try to go deeper and analyze it more and more because then that message they told you isn't worth what they told you. Sure, sure. Summer, can you think of any other times where you've had an interaction or sighting of some kind with Satanka over the years? There is one, and I did write to you about it. We went up and further back into our area here, and it's called towards Grass Creek. And it's in the middle of like Oglala and Manderson area. If you look on a map, there's like Oklahoma is Southern, I guess Southern would be. And then Manderson, there's an area that's sort of have like bluffs, these pieces of earth that have come up like a butte, single buttes. So we were back there and this was maybe about when I was nine, maybe. I think I might have, I don't know if I dated it. But we were back there, and again, we were gathering. We were looking for turnips, and we do this as a family. It isn't just like one or two of us. It's like maybe about seven to ten of us, and it's usually just our families. So we were doing this, and suddenly, I can't remember who it was, but told us, oh, look, there's a, why would someone put up a circus tent out here? And we were like, circus tent. And me, I didn't, I was like, circus tent, because being a child, getting excited, we all gathered, and we looked, and there was this multicolored, it did look like a circus tent, just rotating. and this was maybe about a mile. I'm not too sure lengthwise, but to me there was this, we were up on this hill. You go into the ravine and then there was a small hill and then another hill. So maybe, I would say maybe about a mile from where we were. A mile or so. No, that would be two. I'd say about three miles, thinking about it, about three miles from us. But it was big enough for us to see the colors. And I remember red, yellow, blue, and they would be rotating. And it was really shiny. And outside of it, it looked like there was a person standing outside of it, kind of like looking around and just looking. and just about then my grandmother said in Lakota it would be there they are and she would say that and we looked and it was like in our brains it was like oh and it wasn't like a oh no or anything it was like oh so we watched it so we watched it and we were this person or this being outside then it turned and it looked at us and when it turned and looked at us I don't remember anything after that I only remember driving we were all in the our vehicle and we were going home was it when I remember So there's a lot of, I guess, for us, lights, beings, Bigfoot, all interact in our family's life. It isn't just one thing. and I can't say that going back culturally that it's a thing that happens I think it has to be an individual experience or a family experience like ours and my uncle would come down from Canada he was raised in British Columbia and he would come down and he would do the same thing and he would refer to them as brothers or grandfathers. And it was crazy because he said he learned that you do these offerings for them where he was in Canada and British Columbia. And when he would come down here, he would, we would, and it wasn't like, oh, did you see a Bigfoot or anything? It would come into play, I guess, as everyone spoke in their offerings. And they would do the same with the match, the unlit match. So it was, I mean, I don't know how to describe that it was normal for everyone, for our family. It was normal. It was part of, I guess, our lives. do you do you think those encounters and experiences are still happening in your family today i do i do think they are still happening it's just because of now everyone sort of uh i saw Bigfoot and sort of making it into a joke and that they don't really share anymore. I know my last time I ever, like I saw him or her face right in front of me, right? And this was back when 1991. and it was here in Pine Ridge and we were crossing, I was driving to a church function. It was kind of evening and I had this feeling but the crazy thing was this time this feeling I had was sort of an eerie feeling so I kind of slowed down, I was looking around Because if you look on a map of Pine Ridge, there's this certain road towards the high school. We call it just the high school. It's Pine Ridge High School. But there's a row of cottonwood that were planted along this road. And back then there were more. But this being came out and it just looked at... I was in the car. It was a smaller car, like a Toyota, a small car. and it just looked at me. And I just had this really eerie, like, I don't want to be here feeling. As opposed to usually, they're like, oh, like a, hi, how are you as I'm going by? But this was like, ah, and I just sped up and I laughed. And as I looked in my rearview mirror, it walked across like one, two steps, and it went into the other side of the road. But that one just stuck with me, that feeling of, it was a different feeling. So I'm not too sure exactly what that meant. What it, if anything, I don't remember anything horrible happening afterwards or, but it was just that one moment that just didn't feel right as the normal, the usual encounters. This one just didn't feel right. Do you remember anything about the way it looked? It was more sleek. And that's one of the things that made me think about it. Was it really him or was it something else? And it was just more sleek and darker. and they don't have like the big, you know, have the gorilla type of face they describe. Usually when we see them, they're more gentle faced. And I guess I don't know how you would say, how you would describe more gentle faced. More not so, I don't know how you would say that. or how I could describe that as the normal, when we would see them as a more gentle. And this one that I saw was sleek, looked meaner, and it just didn't feel right. That's all I can say. It didn't feel right. Okay. And ever since then, so there been no communication at all since that time Dreams Dreams and when we go out into the the crazy thing is is growing up growing my children up i didn really um express to them what i had experienced or what was uh their grandmother or it was just okay if they have an experience They'll have an experience. And then we can help them type of thing. And we would go out again because that's what we did during this late summer and fall was go pick herbs, the little fruits to dry them for the winter. And they would have these feelings. They said, I had this feeling I was being watched, Mom. And I said, well, was it scary or was it? They said, no, I just thought that behind that tree, there was someone watching me. So I said, oh. And I would just ask, did it scare you? What do you think would happen? And they said, nothing. Just like there was someone there. so I mean it was so with my children it isn't a scary thing it's just like oh okay and not me influencing them either right right it would excuse me it would make me I'm trying to think of you know being a parent in that situation I think I think it would make me feel good that my children are experiencing the same thing but I did not influence them to experience it. I think that would be pretty cool. Exactly. Because you want it to be individualized, I guess, to make sure that it is true to them. And my parents didn't influence me either. So it was a, I mean, I guess, how would you say that? Be more of a spiritual, maybe, experience? Yeah, more spiritual, personal experience. Yes. Summer, it is really a fascinating story when you step back and you look at the entire picture and you see that, you know, really it is a, almost a circular, a circular repeating experience that keeps happening through these generations of this one family in the, the Ogallala tribe. And just thank you so much for sharing that with us, those that have an outsider's view. And I think there are many different things that people can take away from this conversation. But before we do go, I want to make sure that you were able to share everything that you had wanted to share on the show today about your experiences or thoughts about them. I do believe that in our tribe, we do believe in beings other than ourselves. And I know that there are other people in our tribe who have also had experiences. and some do have made a YouTube channel but really haven't come across with like solid evidence of a sighting or so it makes me wonder if like the Bigfoot really want to be seen by them or if there was Luke, knowing me, knowing how my experience are. And it's just, I guess, a way of opening up your mind and your feelings towards them. And for me, they're more of a kindred, more of a family than making them different. And that's learning from family experiences from past. And I guess that's how I would say it, just for our family, for my family. They're more kindred. And it's crazy because my husband, we don't talk about these things constantly. And one day we were talking, and he was coming up from New Mexico. And there's this pass that they were going through, and he said there was a car on the side of the road, and they were pointing towards the, like the, I guess the lower part of the mountains. There's this, what do they call them, where you can park on the side of the road. I forget what the name is. But there was a car standing there and he said the man was kind of like waving his hands and pointing towards the trees. And so he slowed down and he just as they were going through, he said he slowed down just to make sure they were OK. And where they were pointing, he looked and he said there was a Bigfoot just walking like the lower part is walking through daytime, just walking. And this man was like, there it is, there it is. And they just watched him. and he said he just went behind a tree and he was gone. So he's had one or two experiences of his own seeing Bigfoot. And he said he just had that feeling, not a scared feeling, but like a, wow. And kind of not like, oh my gosh, I should have had my camera or anything. He just watched him. and he said they're such awesome beings. I think what it comes down to, this is something I'm learning myself, is just from the people I talk to, the people that have a certain type of experience, they seem to have gone from having a spirit of fear to a spirit of awe or respect and just being present. So I think there is something to that, making sure you're in the right mindset and the right intention when you are having or maybe even trying to have interactions. Make sure you're doing it for the right reason. Exactly. And I think that if you look for it constantly, You're wanting to see it. You're wanting to see it. Sometimes you don't because I think that they can feel, you know, how babies and animals can feel your vibe, your intention. I think that sometimes they can feel that and they don't show themselves to certain people. is my feeling because I didn't grow afraid of them. I just grew up knowing that they're there. They're part of this world and they have their ways of doing things and we have ours. So it's just learning to live with each other for some reason. I don't know. I think that is a great way to say it. learning to live with each other. And who knows what the future will bring with things, but we will definitely need to learn how to live with each other for sure. But Summer, thank you for coming on the show and for sharing what you've learned over the years. And it's very special that we're able to hear your voice and viewpoint. And thank you for teaching us that. but I do also and I'll probably edit this out a little bit are there ways that people can reach out to you or is just a deal where you've agreed to come on the show and to share and we'll leave things at that well if they'd like to reach out I don't know should I give like an email or I'm not too sure Well, yeah, I can be emailed at foxbelly, F-O-X-B-E-L-L-Y dot gypsy, G-Y-P-S-Y dot moon, M-O-O-N at gmail.com. fantastic well thank you so much for coming on the show today summer it has been a uh a pleasure talking to you today same here i i have followed you for a while and i just had the notion to like you know i need to share what i've gone through and what my family has gone through and not in a like horrible way but just this is what our family this is like a generational thing and it isn't bad i mean i guess have you ever heard all the accounts of bigfoot activity around oakridge oregon and you think to yourself man i would love to get out in those woods and experience it for myself well guess what this year you can if this is interesting to you stay tuned because it's pretty cool sasquatch summer fest is coming up july 10th through the 11th, 2026. It's going to be even better than the previous year's reason number one. I'll be one of the speakers. It's going to be wild. I'll probably, I'll say this, there may be stuff you haven't heard anywhere else because let's just say sometimes it's, well, you just got to be there. We'll leave it at that. More about looking for Bigfoot in the Oak Ridge woods. Now check this out. you may know Jason Kenzie from his documentary series, Searching for Sasquatch. Well, this year you can not only go to the festival, but you can also sign up for a trek deep in the wild forest outside of Oak Ridge with Jason Kenzie to the Bigfoot spots to look for Bigfoot. There's only eight spots to sign up for this. And yes, this will also be filmed for the next chapter in his documentary series, which is Searching for Sasquatch. This is a once-in-a-lifetime deal. It's just, trust me, it's going to be a wild, wild experience. To get a ticket, head on over to SasquatchSummerFest.com. And listeners can use the code BSP, like Bigfoot Society Podcast, in order to get a two-day pass for the price of a one-day pass. So, thanks to Priscilla for giving me that code so that you guys can get a little help with the cost there. Appreciate that, Priscilla. I hope to see you at the booth in Oak Ridge this year. We can talk about your encounter. I was able to talk to so many people last year and the year before. It is an incredible time. You're not going to want to miss it. And I'll see you there. Before we wrap this episode, I want to say something directly to a very specific group of listeners. If you're in the military, any branch or forces, and if you've seen something that no one can explain, or if you're a national park ranger or forestry worker who's been told to stay quiet, if you're a pilot who's seen something strange down on the ground, or if you're with the FBI, a federal agency, or working intelligence, and you've stumbled upon something you're not allowed to talk about, And if you're a firefighter, paramedic, or search and rescue responder who's heard screams or found tracks that didn't make sense, if you're in the logging industry on a remote oil field or a trucker with government contracts and you've had something happen that you've never told a soul, and if you're a biologist, a wildlife specialist, or a field researcher under contract who has found evidence you're not allowed to report, if you're a pastor, a missionary, or someone on a spiritual retreat and you saw something that shook your faith, or if you work in the shadows, CIA, NSA, or anything with clearance and you've seen what the public hasn't, then I want to talk to you. Even if it's anonymous, you can reach me at bigfootsociety at gmail.com. The world needs to hear what you've been forced to carry alone and you're not alone. you've got the story, we've got the mic. See you in the woods. to us on Spotify or Apple podcast, please follow the show there and leave us a five-star positive review because all that helps more people discover the show. And remember, if you or someone you know has had a Bigfoot sighting, please, I'd love to hear from you. So email me at bigfootsociety at gmail.com and let's start the conversation. If you haven't gotten a chance yet, check out our membership community over at www.bigfootsocietypodcast.com. And that's where you can hear tomorrow's episode today early and ad free and members only episodes every week. Also, it's a place to connect with other people that are into the Bigfoot subject as much as you are. Thanks again for following along with the Bigfoot Society. Until next time, keep your eyes open, trust your gut, and never stop asking what else might be out there and see you in the woods.