Monster Quest’s Doug Hajicek Comments
Posted by: Loren Coleman on November 11th, 2007
Dear Loren,
I can assure you and your readers that fear did play a part of our decision to not be all running around in the woods at night. As you know also, just walking in this kind of terrain at night is dangerous. Being hit in the head with a heavy rock in the middle of nowhere was a big safety concern for me and everybody on my crew.
I doubt this thing would of confronted us anyhow as the rock throwing is most likely a safe way to try to intimidate us from a distance (and it worked). What was not in the show due to time was the fact that a huge explosion like sound coupled with a vibration shook the whole cabin after we all settled down to get a bit of shut eye. This got all of us up again.
The youngest member of our crew started to go into shock after the last huge cabin hit and I was concerned about his health at that point. It’s easy to say I would do this or that but when it happens you just deal with it by instinct.
I will also add that lack of sleep played a part in what we did. However, after the first smaller rock hit the side of the cabin Curt Nelson stationed himself alone a ways from the cabin in the woods with a thermal cam and waited, something that took courage in my opinion.
I can assure everybody the incident was very real and, yes, it catches one off guard entirely.
In the morning we could clearly see the huge bang on the side. [On the] roof of the steel sided cabin was a piece of cord wood that was thrown at the cabin very hard. We believe it was pulled from the log pile at the back of the cabin 80 ft away.
The DNA test can be done over and over as we have enough material. Funding should soon be available for that. It needs to be done at different labs in order to follow correct protocol. These type of tests are not inexpensive.Doug Hajicek, Producer/Monsterquest for The History Channel
About Loren Coleman
Loren Coleman is one of the world’s leading cryptozoologists, some say “the” leading living cryptozoologist. Certainly, he is acknowledged as the current living American researcher and writer who has most popularized cryptozoology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Starting his fieldwork and investigations in 1960, after traveling and trekking extensively in pursuit of cryptozoological mysteries, Coleman began writing to share his experiences in 1969. An honorary member of Ivan T. Sanderson’s Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained in the 1970s, Coleman has been bestowed with similar honorary memberships of the North Idaho College Cryptozoology Club in 1983, and in subsequent years, that of the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club, CryptoSafari International, and other international organizations. He was also a Life Member and Benefactor of the International Society of Cryptozoology (now-defunct).
Loren Coleman’s daily blog, as a member of the Cryptomundo Team, served as an ongoing avenue of communication for the ever-growing body of cryptozoo news from 2005 through 2013. He returned as an infrequent contributor beginning Halloween week of 2015.
Coleman is the founder in 2003, and current director of the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine.
Follow correct protocol. It does ones heart good to hear talk like that. Keep up the good work. This show is a breath of fresh air in a sea of exploitation.
Hopefully you’ll get to go back. Bring the whole board back this time. Thanks for a well done show that will possibly be more.
I agree that another venture into the area would be good. I agree safety is number one priority in something like this no need for someone to get hurt or worse.
That is pretty much what I thought was the case. It would be a bit foolhardy to go out with a possibly dangerous large animal throwing rocks hard enough to shake the whole cabin. Even if it is a nonviolent gesture, there is no way to know that for sure. Catching a glimpse of a sasquatch as it walks through the woods, and having your cabin pelted to that degree by stones are two different things and I think it is hard to imagine how anyone would react under the circumstances. That fact that one crewmember actually went into shock is testament to how terrifying it was for a crew who were likely not prepared for that scenario.
I am leaning toward that this rock throwing incident really happened. Whether it was a sasquatch or a trick played on the crew is up for debate, but I do think the crew actually perceived that they were in possible danger and witness to an inexplicable event. Coupled with the DNA samples, I just don’t know what to think. SOMETHING stepped on that nail board and left tissue and hair behind, and if it was a bear we would have been able to tell that. Curiouser and curiouser.
C’mon fellas were you not Armed with a sidearm or rifle? If you are looking for Sasquatch go out and confront him, No Footprints in the woods? The next time you return to the lake be more prepared and take some big guys who are fearless.
hey everyone wow these are very interesting above new comments by doug hajicek of monsterquest. i realy like the other researchers above opinions regarding this segment on monsterquest. bill green 🙂
I’m quite impressed by the attitude expressed here. It would take a lot of guts to “hide” in the woods to get an image of a wood-tossing animal. To admit fear is an indication of the truthfulness being spoken!
I can’t wait to see the outcome of this exposition.
I am sensing three camps here:
1. Job well done, given the extraordinary circumstances that were beyond your control, camp
2. Still living in denial of sasquatch so somebody else must have either hiked or flown in those 200 miles to civilization, camp
3. Armchair quarterbacking w/ 20-100 hindsight and sour grapes that they were not invited, camp
Myself? I am in the job well done camp. I also prefer to make friends with the Bigfoot, right off the bat. Things will go much smoother and be safer after that, even though the Sasquatch tend to not make loud enough noises to be considered for an Oscar.
Thanks for the clarifications, Doug. I don’t blame you guys a bit for staying inside. I agree that taking a camera out there took courage.
Big talk Bob!
Babies have more courage than that. Crude way of putting it but it sounds like your where all a bunch of cowards.
I would have been all over that place, and I’m not just spewin hooo.Great opportunity shot to hell again.They are more scared of us,well at least some of us,than we are of them. If it’s so scarry , then why go out there in the first place?
Are ya waiting for a poser so you can take a few pictures? Think like a Wooley Booger to out think a Wooley Booger.
I agree with Captain Nemo..
Looks like Mr. Michaels is yet another Internet Tough Guy..
Give me a break already..
I wonder what Monster Quest will do in the future?
But what does this all mean? Why was this particular lake and cabin location chosen ~ because of previous reports of Squatch activity there? What reports? Who reported? When? If not, was it just a random choice? Is it possible, then, that ANY random lake/cabin in that area might yield the same behavior from local opposably-thumbed fauna?
Could it be that the ENTIRE surrounding forest is full of these animals? Did the crew do anything to attract their attention (other than just being there)? Did they call blast? Did they set up monitored bait spots? Why didn’t the crew wear hard hats? Why were there no automatic thermal cameras set up everywhere?
Seems if you were gonna fly hundreds of miles into the wilderness to investigate a known cryptid exhibiting known behaviors, you would bring appropriate people and equipment, and attempt to communicate with the creature.
Will there be a WebSite with a full report and DNA analysis updates?
Haven’t we learned anything from all the Expeditions?
So many unknowns.
I have heard stories about similar incidents happening up in Montana.
Doug states “The DNA test can be done over and over as we have enough material. Funding should soon be available for that. It needs to be done at different labs in order to follow correct protocol. These type of tests are not inexpensive.”
So why did I read that Meldrum said that no further testing will be done because the samples were too weathered and aged.
What am I missing here?
Thanks to Doug for the clarification.
Size 13—
I tend to agree with dbard. I would not come out and call you an “Internet Tough Guy,” but like I and other posters here said, YOU WERE NOT THERE. It is easy to say “I could gone out there,” (heck, I guess I PROBABLY would) but unless I was there I cannot 100% guarantee that I WOULD. Babies would not be able A) distinguish what a Sasquatch would be, and B) since they would not be able to know what one was, they would not be afraid of it. Also, C) my 3-year old nephew used to be afraid of loud noises, sudden movements, even (at one time) the vacuum cleaner!!!
If a baby can be scared of THAT, why can’t a grown man? A baby would probably BE scared of that!!!
Just my thoughts.
That is some wicked scary stuff. I mean c’mon I’d have me a 45. cal at least, but you have to face the fact that you are on the creatures territory. Give the Bigfoot a break and let him/her live in harmony.
Hey there folks, I figured I might as well drop my two cents worth as well!!
I work for a prison, around felons that most of you wouldn’t want for a next door neighbor for 8 hours a day. Some people think we carry guns at the prison, however I have to deal with these folks unarmed and stay safe at the same time. Prior to that I was a street cop for almost 8 years. I am SWAT qualified and on a special ops team at the prison. I am a highly trained professional, and in my own opinion (and supervisors lol) very good at what I do. I am also an avid camper, hunter, hiker, etc…
With all this in mind, I don’t scare easily. I’m not bragging, just saying it as a fact. So here is the part were someone will call me the “internet tough guy” hahaha.
HOWEVER, I would never have gone out into BFE looking for any 800 pound animal without some type of protection on my part. I would also probably be inside the cabin myself when an unknown animal was chucking rocks at me or my friends. That’s just not normal folks! Going into that situation and having heard what stories are told about Bigfoot I probably would have taken my ballistic helmet as well just so I didn’t get hit in the head with a rock.
This is keeping in mind that I could trust the people I was with not to be playing games and faking the whole thing. Let’s face it TV people aren’t exactly the most trustworthy people we could name today.
When I go hunting or camping in any remote area, say the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma, I take a sidearm with me. Not because they have Bigfoot sightings there, but because there are a lot of animals that can be dangerous to a person.
I can’t blame an unprotected scientist from staying in a cabin while someone/something is hucking rocks and tree limbs at the house. In the same situation, I probably would have stayed inside as well!
Thanks for the time!!