Dave interviews longtime Bigfoot historian and field researcher Daniel Perez, publisher of the Bigfoot Times, Bigfoottimes.net about how a childhood screening of The Legend of Boggy Creek led to four decades of research. The conversation focuses on major Bigfoot evidence, how to evaluate sightings, and why Perez still sees the Patterson Gimlin film as the strongest case for a real unknown primate. We discuss Perez’s early letters to John Green and Rene Dahinden, the role of newsletters and old-school field reporting before the internet, and why he believes certain trackways and recordings remain compelling. The episode stays centered on evidence, methodology, and what still needs explaining. Key topics Daniel Perez explains how The Legend of Boggy Creek sparked his interest around age 10 and led him from library books to direct correspondence with early Bigfoot researchers. He describes reading foundational works by John Green, Rene Dahinden, and Ivan Sanderson, then joining the Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained. Perez traces the history of the Bigfoot Times from its original run in the late 1970s to its relaunch in 1998 as a mailed paper newsletter. He breaks down how he evaluates modern Bigfoot claims, especially online videos, starting with two basics - who shot it and where it was shot. The discussion turns to the Idaho Memorial Day report, which Perez sees as strong because it involves recent, multi-person sightings and signs of activity at two campgrounds. Perez makes the case that the Patterson Gimlin film remains unmatched, citing body mass, track depth, simultaneous footprints, and the repeated failure to reproduce the footage convincingly. He discusses the mid-tarsal break and why he believes the footprint mechanics point to a flexible, non-human foot structure. He argues that Bob Hieronymus-style reenactments only offer a superficial resemblance and do not match the subtleties seen in the original film. The episode covers the Sierra Sounds, which Perez says he is fully confident are real Bigfoot vocalizations based on his discussions with Ron Moorhead and Alan Berry and on published acoustic analysis. Perez shares personal field experiences, including tracks he saw in Hemet, Monochie Meadows, and Willow Creek, and how those moments deepened his commitment to the subject. He discusses Southern California reports, including the Santa Ana Riverbed and Hesperia area, and says credible sightings are not limited to the Pacific Northwest. On the question of what Bigfoot is, Perez settles on the broadest usable answer - an unknown primate. He says his next project is an annotated 67-page bibliography focused on the Patterson Gimlin film, planned for release next year.
