Bigfoot Researchers Present Decades of Evidence at Ocala Library

Posted Thursday, September 24, 2026

By Squatchable.com staff

There's something really cool happening in the Bigfoot research community down in Florida, and I just stumbled across a fantastic video that captures it perfectly. A group of dedicated researchers recently gave a presentation at the Forest Public Library in Ocala, and the footage is absolutely worth checking out. The talk featured Kathy and James, two researchers who spend their time exploring the Ocala National Forest, along with Tim T, who does much of his fieldwork in the Green Swamp area between Tampa and Orlando. These three have been collaborating, and the presentation covers some genuinely intriguing material. One of the standout moments involves thermal camera footage. James, who describes himself as a "sensitive" and has been doing this work since the 1970s, was filming with a thermal device when they captured what they believe could be a Sasquatch stepping out of the bushes. The wild part? They were filming backwards at the time and didn't see it with their own eyes. All they caught on camera was an arm and a leg as whatever it was emerged from the foliage. It's a great reminder of how these creatures can be right there with us and we completely miss them. James also shared some fascinating stories from his decades in the field. He talked about sitting in the woods with camouflage, using his walker to get out into remote spots, and just observing. Over the years, he's watched Sasquatch, encountered what he describes as little people, and even seen creatures he initially thought were dinosaurs but later concluded were exotic lizards released into the wild that had grown aggressive after surviving in the forest. Kathy brought out a handprint cast she made back in 2019 in the Ocala National Forest. She was proud of this one because it's the only cast she's done that actually captured some palm definition, which is notoriously difficult to achieve in pine needles. The original is carefully preserved at home, and she brought copies to show the audience. Here's something that really got my attention: their work is on display at Ripley's Believe It or Not in St. Augustine. Hair samples that Tim T analyzed under his microscope came back as Sasquatch hair, and alongside photos, tracking casts, and tree structures they've documented, their findings have a permanent home in the Ripley's cryptid department. That's not nothing. The presentation also touched on tree structures, which any seasoned researcher knows are some of the most compelling evidence out there. These formations, sometimes called tree breaks or wigwams, are created when large, powerful beings bend or manipulate young trees in ways that no human or ordinary animal could. Tim T emphasized how much our cameras pick up that our eyes completely miss. GoPros, drones, cell phones, camcorders, they all capture things we'd walk right past. He mentioned that their Facebook group has members, including some as far away as Australia, who help review footage and catch things the primary researchers missed while focused on other tasks. It's a beautiful example of how collaborative this community has become. The whole video has that warm, community-meeting feel, but the content is seriously compelling. If you're interested in Florida Sasquatch research, thermal footage, handprint casts, or just love hearing from folks who've been doing this work for decades, definitely give it a watch. James alone has enough stories to keep an audience going for days, and the thermal footage segment alone is worth your time.