Cody and Larry Batson Share Bigfoot Research and Bob Titmus Stories

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to sit down with someone who actually knew Bob Titmus, the legendary tracker who practically handed Roger Patterson the keys to Bluff Creek, there's a fascinating interview floating around YouTube right now that's worth your time. The Creek Devil channel recently hosted Larry Batson and his nephew Cody, and the conversation covers everything from Titmus's jaw-dropping personal encounters to a fresh field investigation happening right now in southern Indiana. Cody Batson has been putting in serious work in a state forest down in southern Indiana, and he's been finding some compelling evidence. We're talking about a 9-inch footprint impression, hair samples, and various track ways near a body of water. Based on what he's uncovered, he believes there's a small family group operating in the area. For anyone familiar with Sasquatch research, finding a 9-inch track is significant. The average adult Sasquatch footprint typically ranges from 14 to 18 inches, so a 9-inch impression could indicate a juvenile or a smaller member of a family group, which would line up perfectly with Cody's family group theory. But the real showstopper from Cody's recent outing happened after dark. He was sitting with a few other research groups in a parking lot when one of the groups played a distressed rabbit call. Toward the end of the call, something came through the trees and tossed a rock that landed right next to him. The rock was about the size of a large grape, and Cody's interpretation was that it was a warning, not an attempt to harm him. His cousin and his cousin's girlfriend both witnessed the rock landing. Cody managed to capture the whole thing on his audio recorder, including the sound of the rock skipping through the leaves, and he's having a friend enhance the audio to see if there's anything else hidden in there. For those unfamiliar with rock-throwing incidents, this behavior is well-documented in Sasquatch lore. Researchers like John Green, who is mentioned in this interview as the "godfather of Bigfoot," have compiled hundreds of accounts of Sasquatch throwing rocks, sticks, and other objects, often as a way to communicate displeasure or establish territory. The Bluff Creek area itself has a long history of rock-throwing reports, which makes Cody's experience all the more intriguing. Now, the real gem of this interview is Larry Batson's firsthand account of his friendship with Bob Titmus. Larry met Titmus in his later years when he was working on an outdoor exhibit about Sasquatch. He called Al Hodgson at Hodgson's Variety Store in Willow Creek, California, looking for souvenirs, and Hodgson ended up giving him two phone numbers. One belonged to Titmus, and the other belonged to John Green from Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia. Larry didn't fully appreciate the significance of those names at the time. Titmus eventually opened up to Larry and shared some incredible stories. The first sighting was in 1941 along the Wrangell Narrows in Southeast Alaska. Titmus was in the Navy, cruising down the narrows when he decided to go above deck and take in the scenery. Just before dusk, he spotted a creature walking along the shoreline and up into the bush. He described it as having a large head, large shoulders, long arms, and being chestnut brown in color. Titmus told Larry that he had killed and stuffed just about every animal native to Alaska except one of those things, and he decided that pursuing the Sasquatch would be his life's work. The second sighting came in 1963 outside of Kitimat, British Columbia. Titmus walked out of a clearing and observed three Sasquatch, a large one, a medium-sized one, and a baby, freestyle rock climbing a huge rock wall. He said it took them about 20 to 25 minutes to get over the wall, and he was amazed at how quickly they moved. This kind of climbing ability is something researchers have noted in various reports, with Sasquatch seemingly possessing an extraordinary capacity for navigating difficult terrain. But the story that really ties everything together is the Bluff Creek encounter. Titmus told Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin about the Bluff Creek area, and Patterson was the one with the enthusiasm for Sasquatch while Gimlin was mostly there for the horses and equipment. Titmus had been in the area earlier and got deep into the forest tracking. He realized it was almost dark and decided to dig a pit to lay in for the night, covering himself with leaves and debris. Around 1:30 or 2:00 in the morning, he heard something coming through the forest. At first, he feared it was elk, knowing their hooves could trample him. But he realized it was walking on two legs. The creature stopped, smelled the air, and could detect his presence but couldn't pinpoint his location. All night long, it walked back and forth through the forest, throwing rocks, breaking tree limbs, and vocalizing. When Titmus climbed out of the pit at daylight, the area where the creature had been pacing looked like a bulldozer had gone through it. All the small trees had been knocked over. This account is remarkable because it provides context for why Patterson and Gimlin ended up at Bluff Creek in the first place. Titmus essentially guided them to the location based on his own extensive knowledge of the area. The Bluff Creek region in Northern California has been a hotspot for Sasquatch activity for decades, with numerous reports of sightings, tracks, and rock-throwing incidents long before and after the famous 1967 film. Larry's stories about Titmus offer a rare glimpse into the life of one of the most important figures in Sasquatch research. Titmus spent decades in the Bluff Creek area tracking, documenting, and observing, and his work laid the groundwork for much of what researchers continue to investigate today. The interview is well worth checking out for anyone interested in the history of Sasquatch research or for those who want to hear about Cody's ongoing investigation in Indiana. The combination of historical accounts from someone who knew Titmus personally and current fieldwork makes for a compelling watch.