Boggy Bottom Monster
Posted by: Craig Woolheater on July 31st, 2006
The Oklahoman published an article regarding the Atoka County, OK sightings of late. It doesn’t mention the awful photos that we posted here on Cryptomundo last Friday. I don’t think that those photos had anything to do with the sightings from the area.
Sighting of creature terrifies Caney woman
By Penny Cockerell
The Oklahoman
CANEY – If you live in Atoka County and haven’t seen the elusive, long-legged creature, you’ve probably heard about it, maybe as a child around a campfire on a dark night
The legend of the Boggy Bottom Monster, a swamp-dwelling, Bigfoot-like being, has been around southeastern Oklahoma for generations. Every now and then, locals catch a glimpse of the reddish-brown creature and tales of the sighting bounce around like dandelion fluff.
And while plenty of nonbelievers scoff at the sightings, others are convinced they saw the real deal. That was the case for Caney resident Jackie Marlow, whose sighting frightened her so badly she had to be taken away by ambulance.
"You can laugh if you want to, but I saw what I saw and that’s exactly what I’d seen," Marlow said of her July 18 ordeal. "I don’t know what it was, but it was a tall creature. I’m not gonna tell you I saw Bigfoot, but it was a tall, huge thing that walked."
Hospitalized with panic attack
Marlow, 52, was sitting on her porch about 7:50 a.m., smoking a cigarette and gazing at the wooded area past the road on her 2 acres of land.
Her home is near Clear Boggy Creek, which, legend has it, is where the creature resides.
Suddenly the dogs next door started barking up a storm, Marlow said. Then, out of the blue, Marlow spotted the reddish-brown stranger. Stunned, she recalled standing up and hollering "Oh, my God" a couple times. Her little dog huddled next to her, paralyzed with fear or curiosity or both.
Marlow stepped off her porch to get a better look.
"It had very long legs, and it had a head," she said. "People asked, ‘Does it have hair?’ and I don’t know. I just know that it was a big reddish-brown tall thing, and it scared the fire out of me."
Some who heard Marlow’s story suggested she saw a bear or a cow. The area has plenty of turkeys, hogs, bobcats and assorted wild animals.
"It was not no animal, it was not no cow, it had two legs," Marlow stressed. "It had the longest legs, and it walked, it took two or three steps and that’s how I could see how long the legs were."
Marlow estimated her encounter lasted a full three minutes. She recalled the creature snorting loudly before it vanished.
Marlow immediately started calling folks, and the more she talked, the more excited she got. Finally she had a panic attack and called an ambulance for help.
Police officers also arrived and rode the area on four-wheelers in search of the creature. They found nothing, but later Marlow said part of a chain-link fence was bent in a way that no human hand could have done.
Atoka County Emergency Management Director Traci Walker recalled the ordeal and said Marlow was treated and released. Walker said she’s heard of the Boggy Bottom Monster since she was a child but never heard of it sending someone to the hospital, until now.
"We pick up a lot of people for different things, some more unusual than others," Walker said. "But that’s the first for a Bigfoot sighting."
Still, Marlow isn’t the first in recent weeks to see the creature. A few days before Marlow’s sighting, two teens riding four-wheelers along Clear Boggy Creek also saw a similar "monster" lurking about.
Morgan Whatley, 13, was the first to see the fleeting furry freak. Like Marlow’s description, she said it had reddish-brown hair, with long legs and arms.
"Everybody’s calling it a Bigfoot and some people think it’s a bear. I think it was too tall to be a bear," Morgan said. "I’ve heard a bunch of stories. When we first moved here people would say, ‘Watch out for the Boggy Bottom Monster,’ and stuff like that. I thought they was just messing around trying to scare us."
By the time Morgan turned to her 12-year-old brother to point out the creature, it was gone.
Garrett Whatley didn’t believe his sister’s sighting — until he saw it himself.
"We heard more noises, so we both got scared and started to leave," Garrett Whatley said. "We started pulling off where we were parked, and off to the side was a little clearing trail and it was off running over there."
The siblings ran home scared and reported the drama. Their father didn’t believe their story, but their mother believed them.
"I don’t believe it’s a Bigfoot, but I believe there’s something out there," Tracy Whatley said. "My kids were pretty scared when they came home."
Marlow and the Whatleys are far from alone in their beliefs. Hundreds of Bigfoot-type believers have organized online to track and investigate sightings. An East Texas group known as the Texas Bigfoot Society meets annually in Jefferson, Texas, near the Oklahoma state line, and hundreds attend.
Southeastern Oklahoma and northern Texas are heavily wooded and prone to low-lying fog and swampland. It all fits the Bigfoot habitat known nationwide, from the densely wooded Washington state to places like Caney and Jefferson.
Atoka County has even capitalized on its Bigfoot legacy. Walker recalls one weekend last year when locals brought a tour bus through and had a man dressed in a Bigfoot costume appear at various stops.
"It’s a legend here like it is anywhere else. People occasionally see things that they can’t explain and a lot of times that’s what it gets chalked up to," Walker said. "Whether you thought it was true or not, if you were sitting out in the woods, it was enough to scare you."
Co-founder of Cryptomundo in 2005.
I have appeared in or contributed to the following TV programs, documentaries and films:
OLN's Mysterious Encounters: "Caddo Critter", Southern Fried Bigfoot, Travel Channel's Weird Travels: "Bigfoot", History Channel's MonsterQuest: "Swamp Stalker", The Wild Man of the Navidad, Destination America's Monsters and Mysteries in America: Texas Terror - Lake Worth Monster, Animal Planet's Finding Bigfoot: Return to Boggy Creek and Beast of the Bayou.
Every time I read of a Boggy Creek sighting, I am reminded of that old movie – “The Legend of Boggy Creek II.” Perhaps ol’ man Crenshaw is on the loose again?
Anyhow, this is a great site and I really enjoy the updates. Wish we had some crypto activity here in Delaware, excluding the occasional phantom cougar that pops up now and then.
It’s amazing how elusive these creatures are, makes you wonder where they go, and what they do. I’d like to see that legend of boggy creek movie.
Harley: I don’t think their elusiveness is that amazing. Remember, tons of people have seen them! (You can extrapolate from the known reports a large number of “I’ll never tell anyone about THIS” sightings.)
I think that one thing that contributes to it, though, is the nomadism of the species. I don’t think (and I’m not alone) that Bigfoot has a fixed home range. I think they’re always moving, and that concentrations of sightings occur where (relative) human population density coincides with excellent habitat.
It seems logical that evolutionary pressure on an animal like this would select for features and behaviors that (1) feed a huge body with the variety of food it needs and (2) minimize the potential for encounters with humans.
If, of course, they exist.
😉
The mentioned color does not match the photos reputed to be of it.
I remembered something a few days ago that makes we wonder if there would be more sightings if people just knew how to look. I am originally from Tampa, Florida – no not the bay we don’t normally go around on errands and to jobs in scuba gear. Several years ago I got a chance to go to Busch Gardens, just after their ape exibit opened. At one point there was a large window you could look through to see any gorillas there. The viewers were excited because a gorilla was in view. Well I could not see it for several minutes. Tried and tried, My sister was telling me “Right there.’ but all I saw was a bunch of trees.
Finally, just before we moved on it was like everything focused and I saw it beside a tree a little ways apart from the others. I should have seen it right away, but did not. I find that interesting.
Harley,
The movie is pretty bad – but the Mystery Science Theater version with the smart aleck commentary makes it a whole lot more watchable.
I saw the movies as a kid on TV. I remember seeing the self-titled Bigfoot movie in theaters though. Now for some reason, that movie scared me.
I have come to observe that the average american is so out of touch with nature that they don’t know how to look for anything. I have a friend here in california that takes people on tours of a wildland preserve. She makes them mark down the number of animals (any kind, size or anything) and some way for them to remember what they saw. At the end they tally up and it is amazing. Even those who fancy themselves as nature people miss well over half the animals. There have been several times hunting for deer that my dad pointed out a large buck and I had no clue, until he shot it. That is just the way we are. I would say that area sounds perfect for any large creature. Swamps are abundant with potential food (depending of what they eat).
hey craig this is definetly a very interesting new update article about the boggy bottom sasquatch. im glad that woman who was in the hospital after her bigfoot encounter is doing great now. thank you bill green 🙂
With all the talk of long legs I just can’t get the image of a Homestar Runner bigfoot out of my head.
You never know when the Big Guy will show himself.
“Atoka County has even capitalized on its Bigfoot legacy. Walker recalls one weekend last year when locals brought a tour bus through and had a man dressed in a Bigfoot costume appear at various stops.”
I sure hope it’s a better costume than the ones them hoaxers used! They’d have to pass out Depends on the bus beforehand – people would be peeing themselves with laughter and derision.
Interesting. Those pics were pitiful.
I’m guessing the lady and the teenagers did indeed see something and then someone else decided to try hoaxing the situation for their own reasons.
I grew up in Antlers a small town east of the Boggy River. Folks there have oodles of stories but most won’t talk to “outsiders”.
I agree with one eyed cat, I had an ex- perience years ago, and I was almost on top of a bigfoot (5-7 ft) sitting in the middle of a blackberry bush eating berries before I saw him. His hair had moss, algae(?), and brambles stuck in it and he blended in perfectly where he was sitting. If he hadn’t turned his head to look at me, I would have hiked on by him, I had assumed the bad smell was from jerks dumping garbage and peeing. So, I learned to ALWAYS look a little closer!
last night i caught a short news segment on eyewittness news channel 3 in connecticut about those oklahoma sasquatch encounters it was very interesting. even the sheriff of that oklahoma town made a nice statement about bigfoot.
I can tell you the sightings are not a joke they are very real. I believe my kids I have never seen them that scared of anything in my life. And I can tell you the pictures are fake they came from some local people that thought it would be funny. All I want to know is Tom Biscardi a fake? He says he will be at my house tonight or tomorrow morning to investigate. Should I let him or not, somebody please let me know. I have had a few people call me and I don’t know who is telling me the truth and who I should let look or who I shouldn’t. I just don’t want a bunch of idiots running around my woods.
I was born and raised in Atoka County. The “legend” of Bigfoot has been around for many, many years. Whether it is real or not, it gave and probably still gives teenagers something to do. I spent many nights, many years ago, in a parked vehicle looking down a road that boggy creek crossed hoping for a Bigfoot sighting. It gave us something to do. Something with a little edge to it. After all, this is Atoka, Oklahoma we are talking about.
If you never have been there let me explain. When I was a teenager there was absolutely nothing to do but “cruise” town. That was it. I think the Sonic may have stayed open until 11:00 P.M. and it was one of the main gathering places. Atoka has indulged a little in the distasteful with “48 Hours in Atoka” in the 60’s and “Another 48 Hours in Atoka” just last year and a marvelous marijuana scandal in 1988-1980. Atoka has no claim to fame, although, Reba McEntire grew up a few miles North.
The Bigfoot story or Boggy Bottom Creature story has been around for many years and hopefully for many years to come. I marvelled at the idea that something like that could be out there right where I lived. Gave me a better imagination and, hopefully, someday my children will hear the Bigfoot story as well. These poor saps that came up with these pictures are probably just trying to keep the myth alive. Maybe next time, they will have a better costume!
My dad just told me this story was in the Atoka County Times and not living there anymore I had to google it. Thanks for reading.
OK, all of you Biscardi fans, speak up. Tracey needs some advice.
Hello, Tracy. Yes, Tom Biscardi has proven to be a fake. Last year (Aug. 19th, 2005) Biscardi claimed on George Noory’s Coast to Coast radio show that his team had captured an 8 foot tall, 800 pound, 17 year old male bigfoot. Of course, the whole story was completely untrue.
Here’s a link to a page on Loren’s “The Cryptozoologist” website that gives an excellant overview of the whole fiasco and also gives some backround on Biscardi’s previous escapades.
No, Tracy, I wouldn’t let Biscardi into your home or have anything to do with him. Unfortunately, Biscardi runs around the country sticking his nose, seemingly, into every reported Bigfoot sighting, representing himself as some kind of great Bigfoot hunter & researcher. He gets way too much press from unsuspecting reporters that just aren’t familiar with his history.
Anyway, hope this helps. Good luck to you with keeping the idiots (Biscardi) from running around your woods.
Tracy,
I’d have to agree with Megalodon. If you want news cameras in your face and for your family to deal with the fall-out from that, then by all means, allow Biscardi into your home.
He will spend a couple hours in the woods, turn your lawn into a media cirucs (as much as the local media will allow) then move on and leave you dealing with the derisive snickers.
I can only imagine how traumatic this has been for your kids and I hope for all the best for you and your family.
Well you were right he showed up about noon today along with channel 12 news and his bigfoot bounty hunters. They stayed long enough to put on a show and then left town. The whole thing took about 2 hours they never even looked where this thing was seen or even asked about it. The whole thing was a joke. All it was, was a promotion for his website.
Born and raised in the Atoka county area where this latest sighting happened, and would like to clear up a few things.
1) the movie “legend of Boggy Creek”, is not refering to Clear Boggy in Atoka Oklahoma, but instead to the Fouke monster on a different Boggy creek in Fouke, arkansas. this area has had many sightings in the past 50 or so years.
2) the photos were recognized as fakes here locally right away, and the story has already circulated about the people responsible. Just good ole’ boys having fun. Heard that they even have some convincing footage of ET, and Elvis.
3) Another local celebrity who grew up in the Boggy bottoms, is Jerry Cantrell of “Alice in Chains”. He has a homesite built not far from Clear Boggy, and the photos on his solo album “Boggy Depot” show pics of him in and around the creek itself. He is an avid outdoorsman, and likes to spend time in the bottoms when he can.
Finally, I have hunted around, fished on, and even boated down, Clear Boggy in Atoka during my life, and I have never seen anything resembling bigfoot. Not denying it exists, just never have seen one. Have seen many other wild critters including deer, turkey, bobcat, fox, coyote, and even an early morning encounter with a panther while deer hunting, but no Bigfoot. Did have something scare the dickens out of several of us while predator calling when we were young, but have always felt it was a panther.
I have no doubt the Whatley children, and Marlow lady saw something. These bottoms are big (no pun intended), and cover several hundred square miles. There are many places that are accessed by atv’s, and then only during hunting season, so the possibility of something being out there exists.
I hunted and camped and fished as a youth, with my great uncle who was full blood Choctaw, and he used to keep us entertained with stories of a monkey man that lived in the bottoms, that would peel and eat squirrels like a banana. I may not believe his stories today, but still you have to wonder where they began, and how.
I grew up in Atoka, Ok and have heard all kinda stories about the Boggy Monster. The only thing I have to say is this (I grew up around Jackie Marlow and she is a good friend of mine) If she says she saw the Boggy Bottom Monster then by god she saw the Boggy Bottom Monster and the son of a gun has long legs arms and red hair. (aint that right Ester?)
Just this in response to “tushkataylor”s comment that said “Atoka has indulged a little in the distasteful with “48 Hours in Atoka” in the 60’s”.
FYI, the original “48 Hours in Atoka” concert took place over two days, August 30-31, 1975, not in the ’60’s.
Yes, I was there.