Bigfoot Encounters SASQUATCH REPORTS STIR UP RESERVATION |
Lummi Indian Reserve, Bellingham, Washington Sgt. Ken Cooper of the Lummi Law and Order Department was directing his anger over the telephone at a Times reporter, inquiring about a trip Cooper made to Hollywood last summer to be interviewed about an earlier Sasquatch investigation. "That doesn't have anything to do with this, "Cooper snapped before slamming the phone in the reporter's ear! Cooper says he saw a giant hair creature - supposedly the legendary half man half ape Sasquatch - on the Lummi Reservation near Bellingham early October 24 then again a few days later. Cooper said the creature also was seen by his wife, his cousin, Marvin Cooper, and his brother Lee Cooper and by a Lummi police officer. Intrigue over the Sasquatch, or Bigfoot as it is called in some areas, has been widespread for years and has been the subject of numerous books and movies - some of which have been good money makers. Wolper Productions, a Hollywood Producer of documentary films has been big on sasquatches. It produced "Monsters, Mysteries or Myth" which was shown nationally on CBS TV. It has just released a new Sasquatch film, "Bigfoot - The Mysterious Monster." In the production of the latest film, Wolper paid the flight and travel expenses for Cooper and 6 other Indians to visit Hollywood for interviews about a 1967 Sasquatch sighting on the Lummi Reservation. Robert Guenette, head of Wolper Productions said only one of the Indian interviews was used in the movies," he said. "I think they were paid for their flight, meals, lodging and whatever actors' scale is - I don't know - maybe $100.00" Cooper said he is not a "Sasquatch buff or expert." He told the United Press International that he didn't want any publicity but the news leaked out anyway. Cooper said he was called to a home the night of October 23rd. There had been numerous reports of Sasquatch sightings within recent weeks, he said. He investigated, saw no animal but found a plastic storm door torn and it's frame splintered. He also found two boards ripped from a fish smokehouse behind the residence. He said he returned to the residence again about 2:30 a.m. October 24th with his wife and cousin and turned the patrol-car spotlight on a huge hair creature standing in the brush. Cooper said he had his shotgun aimed at the creature and his cousin had a pistol. He said he decided to leave because the only way he could take it would be to kill it. He said huge tracks found on the (Lummi) reservation indicated three creatures of different sizes have been roaming the area. Cooper said he has a tape recording of the creatures hollering. A call to Cooper's home yesterday was answered by Rene Dahinden, Canadian Sasquatch author and investigator, who once threatened to sue Wolper Productions over the use of the late Roger Patterson's film showing a huge, hairy creature walking along a creek bed in Northern California. There has been much debate on whether the Patterson film was real or rigged. Various full-time Sasquatch experts over the years have been at odds trying to discredit each other's claims and making charges and counter charges over "evidence." Of the Cooper sighting, Dahinden said, "This looks like a good one." Captain Guardipee said: "I've checked the incidents and I have not seen why I should call in any investigators." Portions of this website are reprinted and sometimes edited to fit the standards of this website |