Bigfoot Believers Prepare for 2nd Florida Skunk Ape Conference

As reports of Tampa Bay area bigfoot sightings make national headlines, a nonprofit group dedicated to unraveling the mystery of Florida’s “skunk ape” is preparing for its second annual gathering of believers.

The Sasquatch Hunters have announced the dates for the 2015 Florida Skunk Ape Conference. This year’s event was initially scheduled for March, but has since been moved to Sept. 18-20 at Torreya State Park in Liberty County, according to The Sasquatch Hunters’ website. That park contains bluffs that overlook the Apalachicola River, making it a rather scenic place to visit, according to the state’s description.

The park, it seems, is also a prime location for a bigfoot hunt, conference organizers indicate.

The three-day event includes camping, a long list of speakers and “a hunt for the elusive beast,” the website states. Speakers include Michael Merchant from the “10 Million Dollar Bigfoot Bounty” TV show; Justin Smeja, “the infamous killer of two bigfoots in the Sierras,” and Dr. Todd Disotell, an anthropology professor from New York State University, according to conference materials.

Florida’s own Stacy Brown Jr. and David Lauer, who won a $100,000 research grant courtesy of Spike TV’s Bigfoot bounty show are also anticipated to be in attendance.

See Also:

• Watch: ‘Bigfoot’ Filmed by Tampa Canoeist
• Florida Bigfoot Hunters Aided by $100,000 Research Grant

• Bigfoot Sighted by Tampa Fisherman?

Tickets for the bigfoot bash are $100 each and include camping. Organizers, however, warn that spots are limited.

“We only have 60 spots available, so get them quick,” the website states.

Skunk ape sightings are not entirely uncommon in Florida. Native American groups, such as the Seminoles and Miccosukee, have stories about the creatures that date back centuries, the Smithsonian reported last year. The term “skunk ape,” which is synonymous with bigfoot or sasquatch, is believed to have been coined in the 1960s following a well-publicized Florida run-in with the creature in 1957, the magazine points out.

Stories about bigfoot have emerged from time to time from all over the state with two of the most recent sightings reported in the Tampa Bay area. One spotter even managed to capture video of the creature. Solid confirmation of the beast’s existence, however, remains elusive as The Sasquatch Hunters point out in the conference announcement.

To find out more about the conference or The Sasquatch Hunters, visit the organization online.

Screenshot of the “bigfoot” sighting in Tampa’s Lettuce Lake Park

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