Bigfoot Researcher Kev Large Shares Lifelong Cryptid Journey

There's something genuinely compelling about stumbling across a long-form interview with a researcher who has spent years in the field, and that's exactly what you'll find in this recent upload from the Accounts of the Paranormal channel. The guest is Kev LeStarge, a Bigfoot researcher and author who has worked alongside some of the most recognized names in the field, including Cliff Barackman, Tom Powell, and the late Dr. Jeff Meldrum, whose passing in 2024 left a significant void in the academic study of Sasquatch. What makes this conversation worth your time is how LeStarge traces his path from a curious kid in Wisconsin to an investigator who has logged time in some of the most active hotspots in the country. He talks about growing up surrounded by Indigenous folklore and having parents who gave him the space to wonder, which is a detail that resonates with a lot of people who ended up down this particular rabbit hole. The childhood influences he mentions are familiar touchstones for anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s: Maurice Sendak's "Where the Wild Things Are," the film "Pete's Dragon," and of course "Harry and the Hendersons," which LeStarge points out is packed with Easter eggs for the community. The part that really stands out is his account of his first BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) investigation in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Founded by Matt Moneymaker, who later became a household name through Animal Planet's "Finding Bigfoot," the BFRO has been running pay-to-participate expeditions for decades, placing civilians in active investigation zones. LeStarge describes the conditions on his second night in no uncertain terms: no wind, no bugs, no crickets, just silence under a full moon. The kind of stillness that makes your ears ring. And then something happened, a pebble dislodging somewhere in the dark, and the conversation cuts off right at the moment you'd want to hear more. For anyone unfamiliar with Los Alamos as a Sasquatch hotspot, it's worth noting that the area sits at the edge of the Jemez Mountains in northern New Mexico, a region with a long history of sightings and strange vocalizations reported by locals and researchers alike. The Pajarito Plateau has been a recurring location in sighting reports going back decades, and the dense ponderosa pine forests and rugged terrain make it a plausible habitat for a large, reclusive primate. LeStarge also mentions an orb appearing in footage from that investigation, which adds another layer to the story. Orbs in Sasquatch-related footage are a recurring topic of debate in the community, with some researchers suggesting they could be related to electromagnetic phenomena associated with the creatures, while skeptics chalk them up to insects, dust, or camera artifacts. Either way, it's the kind of detail that keeps you thinking. He also teases a journey with Cliff Barackman at Mount Hood, which is another hotspot worth paying attention to. The Mount Hood area in Oregon has produced some of the most compelling footprint cast evidence in the field, including the famous 1982 trackway documented by the late Paul Freeman. This interview is a solid listen for anyone who wants to hear from someone who has actually been out there, not just talking about it from a studio. LeStarge comes across as thoughtful and measured, and his story reflects the kind of path a lot of researchers have taken, starting with childhood wonder and ending up in the deep woods with a flashlight and a recording device. If you haven't checked it out yet, it's worth the time.