Exclusive MonsterQuest Interview: Doug Hajicek
Posted by: Loren Coleman on July 22nd, 2009
In an exclusive exchange with Doug Hajicek, the Executive Producer of MonsterQuest responses to Cryptomundo readers’ recent comments in the wake of the program “Critical Evidence,” which tackled the Sasquatch mystery.
Loren Coleman/Cryptomundo: How do you react to the criticism that your shows need to dwell more on one topic, every week, just as you seemed to begin to be doing on “Critical Evidence”?
Doug Hajicek/MonsterQuest: We would love to spend more time on going deeper on topics, such as the geographic concentrations of sightings tied to rain. But the plain fact is the show would get boring to the average viewer…fast.
LC/CM: Okay, for example, why did you pick the rainfall chart?
DH/MQ: Topics are covered within a show that are intriguing, with anecdotal info where simple science can be applied.
The topic of rain correlation may be old news to many veteran Bigfoot researchers and enthusiasts, but is totally new to the average viewer and the average scientist.
LC/CM: Why all the concentration on the lens size?
DH/MQ: The lens size of Patterson’s lens was significant, as now through photogrammetry and new photogrammetry software, these can be used to accurately measure the creature’s height. The finding was a height that is now higher than previous estimates. That is just one of the revelations in that MonsterQuest episode. The lens size was very important to get a triangulation on the creature.
The study will continue.
LC/CM: What’s your general reply to the skeptics of the program?
DH/MQ: I certainly cannot control the statements by independent scientists and experts, which often go something like, “I have my mind made up…don’t bother me with the facts.”
They won’t look and study evidence the way they should.
Doug Hajicek, left, with Daniel Perez, Jeff Meldrum, and Rick Noll.
DH/MQ [cont.]: Thankfully, we run into some wonderful specialists that will study a piece of evidence with an open mind. People like Bill Munns and others should be commended for their patient painstaking work to simply work our way towards the truth through hard work and creative forensics.
LC/CM: You’ve worked with the Bluff Creek footage several times. Do you see returning to it again?
DH/MQ: Yes, the 1967 Patterson/Gimlin footage still has many aspects to be studied and restudied yet.
LC/CM: How about some who say you should add a “Wow” factor to each show?
DH/MQ: I don’t know that factor [smiling]. When I decide what content to put in a show like this I have many factors to consider. One criterion is: What information can I put in the show to make people take notice and think…the rest will happen naturally.
The many benefits of getting people and young adults to think and wonder “seriously” about mysteries are so great they cannot be measured in my opinion.
LC/CM: What do you think of our readers, pro and con, having something to say about your series, in general?
DH/MQ: I thank all the Cryptomundo readers for watching and commenting on the content of each show.
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Just as MonsterQuest is set to screen their new program tonight on feral dog attacks, comes word of a scary story of a dog dragging a baby from its Kentucky home. The Associated Press is reporting that the source of the attack was a family pet, Dakota, a mixed breed with wolves in its ancestry, allegedly a Native American Indian dog that looks similar to a husky. The family’s newborn was found clutched in the jaws of the dog who had carried him from his crib to the heavily wooded backyard.
Four-day-old Alexander James Smith was rushed to the emergency room at University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington, where he was listed in critical condition Tuesday with two collapsed lungs, a skull fracture, broken ribs and various cuts and bruises.
The incident took place Monday afternoon, July 20, 2009, at Nicholasville, Kentucky.
New on History channel’s MonsterQuest for the evening of Wednesday, July 22, 2009 (check local times):
THE REAL CUJO: Dogs are known as man’s best friend, but now canines are striking fear into many who report attacks by predatory packs. Originally descended from wolves, domesticated dogs were brought to the United States 12,000 years ago and used as aggressive protectors. Today, more and more dogs are being turned loose on the streets and returning to their wild roots. These feral dogs are attacking people. Now, MonsterQuest launches a search to follow these ferals, using state of the art cameras to uncover where they live and how dangerous they are to man.
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.
Like he said, to the average new viewer it’s new information. While to most “experts” it may seem repetitive. I don’t mind.
When I was a young lad living in Central L.A./South Central L.A. in the mid to late 80’s, in the early mornings, gangs were not what we worried about. Packs of dogs (sometimes more than a dozen) would roam the streets. They were very intimidating. These dogs looked extremely desparate for any kind of meal. Many times we were not able to leave the house until daylight. My Grandma was late to work plenty of times because of these dogs. Only in the early morning though, during the day these dogs were not around. Sometimes I would make a friendly call to these dogs and they would seem harmless like any dog responding to a friendly person……sometimes, being your friend was definitely not on thier mind.
I never heard of an actual attack by them but they were very scary and seemed feral. In the 90’s the city did well in removing these dogs, thankfully.
During my teen years growing up in NWPA I had a friend who was kicked out of his home at the age of 15 to fend for himself. He built a great cabin in the mountains and I often spent weekends there.
One morning while walking to the stream for water he encountered a pack of wild dogs. He immediately ran for the cabin and just as the lead dog grabbed the heel of his boot his dog (Shep), a large mixed breed broke his chain and tackled this dog. My friend was able to get into the cabin as Shep fought the pack. My friend noticed thru the window that one dog just sat by and watched as the rest of the pack fought with Shep. Then with one swift motion this dog jumped on Shep and bit his skull. He then trotted away. The others continued until my friend could no longer see them. Thankfully Shep hobbled back home about 45 minutes later and eventually recovered with the most severe (skull) wounds being those inflicted by what we later figured to be the pack leader.
The scary part for me was that I was scheduled to go hunting on the coming weekend and was planning to stay at the cabin. I’ll never forget walking up that lease road in pitch black night, shotgun in hand, trembling in my boots waiting for a feral dog to jump from the darkness. As we started up a grade my friend shined his flashlight ahead and two eyes appeared. He was pretty clam and continued forward wanting to identify whatever it was. I was much more inclined to shoot now and ID later but I held back. You could have cut the intensity with a knife and when we were finally close enough it turned out to be his cat sitting on top of a large rock which made it appear much bigger than it was. I’ll never forget that night listening to the dogs pacing up and down along the rodline (which pumped the oil jacks) howling. This rodline was less than 75 yds from the cabin and kept me on edge all night.
In the morning I set out hunting small game, a bit skittish from the previous nights adventure. As I hunted I walked approx 3 miles and not so surprisingly the dogs picked up my scent. However, they never showed themselves that day as they stayed just out of sight. They did follow me though and no surprisingly I wasn’t able to concentrate very well and ended the day empty handed. Two days later my friend shot one of the dogs while they were chasing a doe. The next weekend some other friends of mine tracked the dogs and killed the rest.
Before I moved away in my mid 20’s two other packs had taken up residence on that mountain. Most of those were also killed harassing deer.
I give this show so much credit for trying to give thoughtful insight to crypto subjects. I love the fact that they are not afraid to debunk, as in the Rods episode… just as they are not afraid to return to the scene of the crime. I know it’s not always easy to get to these remote locations and stay there for an extended period, but at least they don’t spend half of their time “getting there” only to turn back the way they came after staying one night with some interesting footage (like Destination Truth seems to). I’d love them to do something in The Big Thicket, and to return to the north woods cabin in Canada soon. Thanks for keeping us updated with new footage and interesting theories, as well as not being afraid to tackle the more obscure creatures. Thanks for helping keep MN film making on the map Doug!
By the way, for those into the name game. This incident (dog carrying off a child) happened in Jessamine County, next door to Fayette County, where this child is now hospitalized. This has been a quite a shock to the local community. We’re all praying for the child’s full recovery.
Most people forget that most dogs are smart and they are pack animals. “We” cannot just let them loose if “we” cannot take care of them. Dogs have to be a part of something…some group. They are not loners…none of them. Oh, certain dogs can do ok as loners, but they usually become that one dog that just sits there and waits for the right moment to attack. We need more information on the family’s history concerning the family dog taking the baby. Huskys and wolves would never do anything like that if the family has made them a vital part of their “pack”. Dogs only do such things when they are just pets and only get food, water and yelled at (or worse) for doing what dogs do. If that dog was not totally a part of the family, then the new baby would mean nothing to the dog. Also, how’s the mother before the incident? Postpartum depression? If the dog is fully allowed to be part of the pack, the only other reason for the action would be because the mother was so depressed the dog got vibes that the child was an intruder, a pest. I know some dogs should never be around kids, but if made part of a pack, most dogs will tolerate children and even kill to protect them.
” Originally descended from wolves, domesticated dogs were brought to the United States 12,000 years ago and used as aggressive protectors.”
Twelve THOUSAND years ago?
Land Bridge, Artist. Land Bridge.
And, yes, as a Kentuckian I was rather disturbed to read about the dog/baby incident in today’s Madisonville Messenger.
The one thing that surprises me is that the dog is not a Terrier. Frankly I’ve never heard of an American Indian dog. Apparently they are extremely territorial.
From what I have read it seems that the dog will not be put down. A petition was signed by over 1,000 people to save the animal and the owner has stated that he will not have the dog euthanized. I wonder what the local authorities have to say about that.
I watched the feral dog MQ last night. I have no idea why they did this one. No further comment.
I love Monster Quest, it takes me back to when my mother took my brother and myself to see “Sasquatch”, whenever it was at the theater, I forget. I have been fascinated with this stuff ever since, just for the wonder and entertainment. I will admit some episodes have left me wanting more but its still good stuff. I hope they keep UFO Hunters for my favorite 1, 2 punch on TV.