Tri-Cities author’s Bigfoot findings were ‘profound.’ And you can see them on TV

Russell Acord headed into the deep woods of central Oregon this summer to spend nearly a month in search of Bigfoot — or at least evidence of the legendary creature.

Three other Bigfoot hunters and a camera crew from the Travel Channel joined the Tri-Cities author and researcher.

“The findings were amazing,” he said. “What we found was profound.”

On Dec. 8 the first episode of the new Travel Channel series “Expedition Bigfoot” will air at 10 p.m. with Acord as co-host.

Viewers can go along for the hunt that’s part investigation and part adventure as Acord uses military-grade night vision goggles and thermal imaging, among other technology.

About 10,000 modern-day reports have been made of Bigfoot sightings in the United States, with more than a third of them in the Pacific Northwest, according to the Travel Channel.

But there has been no credible, indisputable evidence of the creature’s existence, and that’s what it wanted to find, the Travel Channel said.

The 90,000-acre search site this summer was picked based on a history of reported sightings there, with additional data and technology used to pinpoint when and where Bigfoot might be in the vast area.

Evidence of Bigfoot?

“Possible nesting sites, footprints and vocalizations lead the team to a hot spot where inexplicable events occur and one of the greatest pieces of video evidence in Bigfoot history is recorded,” says publicity material for the series.

Acord is more circumspect, without giving away what he saw this summer.

In all his research, he’s seen many things he cannot explain, but remains a skeptic as he evaluates purported findings.

There may be footprints, a howl heard, a notch in a tree. But he needs to see Bigfoot to believe they are connected to the creature, he said.

The Travel Channel asked Acord to do the show based on his reputation as a Bigfoot authority.

The 54-year-old has been researching Bigfoot since his early teens, when he was growing up in Montana and the forest was his backyard.

He was hooked on searching for evidence of Bigfoot after seeing the film footage captured by Bob Gimlin, of Yakima, and the late Roger Patterson in northern California in 1967.

The footage shows what appears to be a female Sasquatch on the bank of a creek. She sees the two men and walks away, glancing over her shoulder at them.

Acord’s Army career only increased his interest, as he heard similar legends around the world of sightings of large hairy men or beasts, whether called Sasquatch or Yeti.

Where to look for Bigfoot

Now a retired Army sergeant, Acord is labeled as a survivalist by the Travel Channel in its cast list.

In addition to working at the Hanford nuclear reservation, Acord has written two novels featuring Bigfoot — “Footprints of a Legend” and “Bigfoot and the Tripwire” — and now is focusing on films, including a biography of Gimlin.

He also has organized several years of the International Bigfoot Conference in Kennewick, which he hopes to bring back Labor Day weekend next year.

He understands, even welcomes, skepticism from others.

“Always keep that,” he said. “Be inquisitive. Don’t fall for smoke and mirrors.”

For people in the Tri-Cities who want to do some Bigfoot hunting of their own, they don’t need to go far to reach heavily wooded areas of the Blue Mountains and Cascade Mountains, he said.

But if Bigfoot exists, it has done a “darn good job” of keeping out of sight, he said.

Walking down a forest trail isn’t going to find one. People need to go places that take work to get to, he said.

“I believe in the possibility,” he said. “Something not discovered yet will never come easy.”

To learn more about Acord, go to his website at russellacord.com.

This story was originally published November 9, 2019 at 1:42 PM.