Ohio Landscaper Encounters 8-Feet-Tall ‘Gorilla’

Ohio Landscaper Encounters 8-Feet-Tall ‘Gorilla’

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
- Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio

ATHENS, Ohio — A landscaper in Ohio claims he came upon a tall bipedal creature that resembled a gorilla.

Joe Kalavity, of Athens, told Cryptozoology News on Sunday that he was walking his dog in the nearby woods when he encountered the unidentified animal.

“I look up to see what he’s so interested in, and up ahead, maybe 50 yards at the most, is this big, dark creature standing up on two feet in the moonlight. My first thought was, is that a gorilla? I was like a deer in the headlights I couldn’t move,” he recalls.

cryptozoologynews.com...

(Full story at the link)

I have always been torn on the subject of "Bigfoot" but even I can not deny that the amount of sightings would indicate "something" is out there being observed.

Looking at the math, it would at first glance indicate the impossibility of a large, bipedal species being able to exist and maintain population without discovery. However, how does one completely disregard sightings from decent, responsible people?

I wonder if we will ever know the truth....

Semper

a reply to: semperfortis

If there is one there is more, at least a family, they need to reproduce to keep being sighted over the years.

A family is hard to hide, and should have been discovered by now.

a reply to: semperfortis

From what I've read on this subject, bigfoot/sasquatch/yeti are reported on 3 continents. There has to be some truth in there somewhere!

I have traveled extensively in the Pacific North West. Lived there for over 13+ years. Northern California, Oregon Washington, Idaho and British Columbia, imho there is plenty of land and range for a small viable population to live.

What gets me scratching my head are sightings of other bipedal creatures in the other heavier populated lower 48.

a reply to: semperfortis

Hamlet had it right, my brother.

There are strange things out there in the world beyond our "real world". I've seen some of them, as you know.

You've an open invitation to join me when I get settled in Tennessee, and we'll go see what's to be, or not to be, seen.

**see what I did there?**

a reply to: Mianeye

Even in heavily populated areas such as Ohio, there are areas that are less settled where a small population could live.

...and given how unobservant most humans are? They've little to fear.

a reply to: seagull

They could be a small population of Neanderthals or homo erectus in recluse.

a reply to: Wide-Eyes

True, enough.

Though there's absolutely no evidence of that... Some, even many, of course will say there's little evidence of Sasquatch, period.

There is a "something" out there. I've seen it. I choose, for lack of a better term, to call it Sasquatch. It's something outside of my experience, that much is beyond dispute, though some try.

homo erectus would be a tad bit on the smallish side, as would neandertal. But? As Hamlet says.

a reply to: seagull

Well I've never spent a great amount of time in the wilderness but to have people from three different continents across the globe report this mythical creature with each having a name for said beast, rings bells.

I grew up in Ohio and went to Ohio University in Athens. There is tons of thick forest in southeastern Ohio. Other than Athens and several small towns, there is very little population. I could see a family of squatch getting around fairly undetected.

Now that I live in Portland and have driven to North California a few times, I have no doubt that there could be a small population of squatch living amongst the vast forest and mountains. IF they DO exist.

I want to believe.

a reply to: semperfortis

Around the world respectful people report contact with beings that "shouldn't exist", are they all crazy, liars, simple minded individuals?

There was a time when unusual encounters were more easily accepted, today in our modern world people refrain from accepting anything out of the usual, there is a pretense feeling that we are shielded from the "supernatural" by science and media power, when we actually can't even cure the flu.

It's like if humankind knew everything , everything is settled, there's science, anything that's not proven true by scientific method can't exist, meanwhile we're still using fossil fuel.

It's good old fashioned bigotry in action.

The truth is in the air, so to speak, those with eyes to see will see it, but will mainstream science acknowledge it? Probably not, it's our zeitgeist I suppose.

"If we had never seen fishes, we should be at a loss to understand how any living beings could exist In the sea."

Allan Kardec

Cheers,

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: semperfortis

From what I've read on this subject, bigfoot/sasquatch/yeti are reported on 3 continents. There has to be some truth in there somewhere!

To my knowledge there have been sightings on every continent except antartica, although there probably is there aswell... these sightings are also recorded by many native people.

a reply to: Wide-Eyes

Only three?

I think every continent has tales of "wild men of the woods". Even heavily settled Europe has them, even to this day.

This link... ...will give you a starting point on looking at the European aspects of this. Lots of sources. I don't vouch for the accuracy, though....

I love these stories. There is an entire world outside of what we laughingly call the "real world".

a reply to: semperfortis

I look up to see what he’s so interested in, and up ahead, maybe 50 yards at the most, is this big, dark creature standing up on two feet in the moonlight.

I can't help but think that most sightings are a case of mistaken identity. People who have never seen a Black Bear on its hind legs searching and even taking a few steps, would have no idea what they are looking at and in the "moonlight".

Imagine running into a Grizzly standing at ten feet or a large Brown Bear even larger in bad light or in the distance.

I'm like you though in that I don't discount that there may be something to this.

This is far from conclusive or solid evidence, but the sighting is interesting nonetheless. Unfortunately, we can't be sure it was simply a bear standing upright or anything other than that either.

However, I don't see why he wouldn't be honest as the story wasn't particularly heroic or extraordinary in any way.

a reply to: Blaine91555

Many are. That's only too true.

But...

There are many that are not so easily explained away. I'll be so bold as to call my own sighting one of those. I've given this a ton of thought over the years since my sighting, and I've not been able to come up with an alternative that doesn't have several holes in it.

In case you're interested...

How is the bear population in Ohio? I've no idea.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Blaine91555
How is the bear population in Ohio? I've no idea.

Unfortunately, unregulated hunting and habitat loss rendered bears extirpated from Ohio by 1850. Today, Ohio is again home to a small but growing population of black bears. Ohio's bear population is estimated to be anywhere from 50-100 individual bears.
link

This leads me to believe even more that it could have been a bear, only because a person from Ohio probably wouldn't ever expect one.

a reply to: seagull

Kind of ironic you say humans are unobservant, when this thread is about a guy who wasn't.

Still, my main point was there have to be more than one.

It could be, though black bear are pretty rare in Ohio.

Historically, black bears roamed the Buckeye State. Unfortunately, unregulated hunting and habitat loss rendered bears extirpated from Ohio by 1850. Today, Ohio is again home to a small but growing population of black bears. Ohio’s bear population is estimated to be anywhere from 50-100 individual bears. It is important we understand a little about the biology and habits of the black bear if we are to coexist comfortably with this Ohio resident.

Most black bears range in size from 100 to 400 pounds, are 5 to 6 feet in length and average 3 feet high at the shoulder. The majority of bears in Ohio weigh between 125-250 pounds, and are juvenile male bears. Dispersing young black bears will often travel great distances in search of new habitat and are most likely to be seen by or interact with humans. These bears are extremely agile and are able to run up to 35 mph, climb trees with ease and swim long distances. Bears are omnivores, meaning they will eat a wide variety of foods. Depending on the season, their diet may include grasses, forbs, berries, mast from oak, hickory, and beech trees, carrion, and insect larvae. Bears will also consume agricultural crops, if available.

Ohio Wildlife

If you were to spot a black bear standing on its hind legs at night, I'm sure your imagination would run wild.

EDIT- Ghost, you beat me to it.

a reply to: Mianeye

You're not wrong. There would, obviously, have to be at least one more of which ever sex is opposite.

He wasn't observant? He saw what ever it was he saw. I'm not discounting the possibility of it being a bear, either. Given that there are only @100 or so? Which is more unlikely? Bear? Or Bigfoot?