Meet the Super-Serious Sasquatch Chasers of America’s Premier Bigfoot Conference

For these “citizen scientists," Bigfoot is very real. They dwell on more controversial questions, like how to capture the elusive creature and whether it’s ethical to kill one.

Photos by Matthew Collins

Marc DeWerth’s encounter with the creature was sudden, terrifying and beautiful. He can recall the events of that afternoon down to the minute.

It was April 20, 1997. DeWerth was a mile-and-a-half deep in the forests of Coshocton County, Ohio, investigating what he had been told was an interesting collection of beaver dens. Though he never found them, DeWerth had a satisfactory day in the woods, and left for home at approximately four p.m. But as he walked to the clearing where he’d parked his truck, he had an unmistakable feeling he was being followed. He sensed a set of eyes at his back, and swore he could hear footsteps walking in step with him. He walked a little faster, at times approaching a brisk trot, and breathed a sigh of relief when he finally arrived at his vehicle. Then, as he approached his truck, DeWerth saw that something was in front of him too. Across the clearing, crouched on a hill, was what he thought was a bear, but then it looked at him a…