Strange noises in the woods are simply that, strange noises in the woods – unless you saw what made them.  Too often researchers, and the public in general, assume they are Sasquatch-related for no other reason than they just failed to recognize them.  Or they make their skin crawl.

Now we have a fair number of researchers who spend almost all of their time howling at the moon, or call-blasting over loud speakers; assuming that whatever is out there is calling back, or simply responding to the activities in alarm, must be Sasquatch?  To my thinking, this is wishful thinking gone amok.  Just because you cannot fathom what else may be out there making some strange call, does not mean a Sasquatch is responsible.  You will be surprised by what strange, and even frightening, animal vocalizations turn out to be from the most mundane and common wildlife.

In 2006, I was deeply involved in the investigation which has become known as the Chehalis Sounds; a collection of audio recordings by frightened residents in an area known as the Chehalis Flats.   This area lies just south and outside the Chehalis First Nation Reserve on the Harrison River, in the lower mainland of British Columbia.  These recordings were amazing, to say the least, and were identical to a number of well-known recordings from Washington and northern California, which many – including myself – were sure in the end would turn out to be Sasquatch in origin.

Many hours were spent, by myself and in company with others, trying to find an answer to the cause of these incredible cries.  On April 5th 2006, in the early morning hours, myself and Gerry Mathews were out on the Chehalis Flats again. This time, we personally heard the vocalizations ourselves and witnessed what made them.  Coyotes.  I was shocked as I thought I knew every sound a coyote made having lived with them all around me most of my life.  This was something different.

But when we publicly announced our findings, I was surprised at the reaction, and at times hostile reaction, from other researchers who simply did not want to admit that these sounds, as well as other famous ones which were the same, could be anything other than Sasquatch in origin.  They just didn’t want to hear it. This revealed a good deal more as to the mentality of many researchers than whether or not a Sasquatch was responsible for these recordings, in my view.  Sounds in the woods are simply that – sounds in the woods – unless you see what is making them; as evidence they are useless, even if it was a Sasquatch.

Thomas Steenburg