Candid Interview with Bob Gimlin by Thom Cantrall


Bigfooter Thom Cantrall recently sat down with his friend Mr. Bob Gimlin and conducted a personal interview, including questions submitted by various other individuals. Thom was gracious enough to give me permission to share this interview, so I thought I would do that here.

"Last week, at the request of Keith Bearden, I took a list of questions from some of our people and did a very private interview with my friend, Bob Gimlin... I video'd this interview to insure I got his answers as perfectly transcribed as I could get them... (Sorry.. the video is not for public dissemination). What follows is that interview with all the uh's er's and Umm's still intact...
Bob Gimlin Interview
4/7/2014
By Thom Cantrall

Norseman –
Thom: Did you think film would solve the mystery and gain public acceptance? … when you first made the film...
Bob: I definitely did not think it'd solve the problem.. it did not even solve the problem with me.
Thom: Do you regret not shooting Patty which would have assured recognition almost 50 years ago?
Bob: No I don't... I had no intentions to unless I thought that I HAD to.

People Booger -
Thom: During the encounter, did you feel concern for your or your colleagues or horse's safety?
Bob: Yes, I did somewhat. I didn't know how much or what to expect.
Thom: Do you feel you have retreated or shot the creature if it had turned and threatened you?
Bob: Yes, I do... I've always said I feel I would have shot and I wasn't sure with something that size. At that time I was an excellent shot. And I had 180 grain... 30'06 180 grain and I'd shot a lot of elk with that same projectile.

Terry -
Thom: Did you see observe the tracks immediately after seeing the Bigfoot?
Bob: Yes, I did.
Thom: Were the ground conditions suitable for leaving tracks like that and do you remember thinking something wasn't quite right with them?
Bob: the tracks were...
Thom: I'm not sure what that means...
Bob: I don't either what that means. The tracks were well acceptable for tracks for what that type of soil was.

Ptangier -
Thom: Have you had any other eye witness events since then... have you had any close non-visual encounters?
Bob: Yes, I have.
Thom: Yes, one was on that trip... (The trip Bob took on the Pacific Crest Trail when he rode from Mexico to Canada the full length of the Pacific Crest Trail)
Bob: One was on that trip... one was up at Bumping... (Bumping Lake in the Cascade Mountains, just east of Mt. Rainier in Washington)
Thom: When was that?
Bob: Around 6 years ago.

WSA -
Thom: Are there currently any active Bigfoot field/academic investigators that, in your opinion, are on the cutting edge of research or worthy of exceptional credibility?
Bob: I think that's a definite yes on that.
Thom: Could you explain why you feel this way about them?
Bob: OK, I feel this way particularly because I know the people individually and they are doing the very, very best they can in the field research at this time. There's been some, uh, uh, tremendous things happen in my opinion.

HairyWildman -
Thom: Bob, the old saying that hindsight is 20:20 is there anything you wish you had done differently then, from the beginning of your search to the end result of having the footage?
Bob: Well, that's changed over the years... Yes, there's a lot of things I would have done differently the first 35 years. The first thing was, I wouldn't have been down there to start with!
Thom: Chuckle... Yeah, I hear that!

VAFooter -
Thom: Are there any videos that you have seen that you think are real?
Bob: I haven't really witnessed very many videos so the ones I have seen I leave an open book there of, it looks pretty good but, uh... and I'm not going to say, “not quite good enough,” but there's always that question now...
Thom: What would you consider the area most likely to encounter a bigfoot these days?
Bob: Well, I've always said the Olympic Peninsula (of Washington) in my opinion is a great area. But, you're limited there for foliage and also for rain so I, uh, have changed my mind somewhat over the years. I used to say over the years I think the Olympic Peninsula is your best shot. Well, I strongly believe that now, maybe back down in the Willow Creek area and that partic... that radius within a hundred miles or fifty is probably as good a place as any because of the way everything lies there... the mountain range and that close to the ocean and also the rivers and uh, the privacy.
Thom: Just to add.. of the places I've been that I've found, that southeastern Oklahoma area is absolutely alive with them.
Bob: See, that's it, I've never been east to some of those places that I hear about so I don't really know. I've been to the Olympic Peninsula, I've been to Bumping Lake and I've been in California and those have always been.. uh... we've heard sounds... and somewhat... of course, the film footage itself speaks for the California area. uh.. So that's my opinion as far as that part of it goes.

Salubrious -
Thom: Did seeing Patty change anything about how you see the world?
Bob: Oh, definitely. 'Cause I never... I was a … Basically I'm telling the truth, I was a skeptic up til that time... That they must exist but I was kinda like old Harry Truman, I had to see to totally believe. (interruption) Anyway, at that particular time the only thing I was going by was what Roger had talked to me about and played those cassette tapes (Roger used to play cassettes of people's testimonies about sightings when he and Bob were camped on their trail rides) that other... the testimonials of other people. I thought Yes... they are probably there... there must be something there but I wanna see it!

Lightheart -
Thom: Did you hear Patty make any vocalizations of any kind? By this I mean, I don't necessarily mean screams or yells, but.. uh, grumbling noises or any type of sound... did she make any kind of noise or sounds?
Bob: If she did, I never heard it... there were so many things were happening so quickly... uh, and the horses moving... Roger moving... me trying to get settled in to help him in case I had to...
Thom: It's like the case of the old adage, when you're up to your tail in alligators, it's hard to remember your initial objective was to drain the swamp...
Bob: Chuckle... That's right... Exactly Thom... that is exactly it

Will -
Thom: You have been following the work of Bill Munns, what is your opinion on that?

Bob: uh.. Well I.. When I met Bill Munns and found out what he was doing... I met him and was really impressed... and for what he's doing at this present time... I don't know exactly... I will know this weekend but I take my hat off to Bill Munns for what he's done actually for my credibility part of it and so, to me, Bill Munns is really high on my list. Very very high on my list.
Thom: I'll echo that... very high on mine too... He has done fantastic work...
Bob: He has indeed.
Thom: Have you seen any other bigfoot photos that look like what you saw?
Bob: Well, some have come about as, uh, close as I that I could still identify that and I, uh, really, uh, most of the ones I see show a face and, uh, and the body part of it, uh, will deviate a little and I understand that there is going to be differences in body of bigfoot, so therefore, I say whatever they saw and took a picture of or described is probably as accurate as my description of … of … of Patty, and... but I did she her face very clearly and some of those are very, very close.

Sunflower -
Thom: Have you seen anyone at any time, able to duplicate exactly what you saw that day in 1967?
Bob: No, I haven't seen anyone that totally duplicated it because with... when Patty walked away with that tremendous amount of muscle underneath that hair moving, uh, it's pretty hard to duplicate that, uh, in a picture or anything else in my opinion.
Thom: You're right, that was...

Bi-pedalist -
Thom: Besides the adrenaline rush and fear factor operating... uh... besides the adrenaline rush and fear factor operating, did you still get the hair on the back of your neck rising that day?
Bob: Well, I definitely did, yes, I, uh, uh, I finally realized these creatures do exist and here's one right in front of me... walking away from me with a size and muscle that I never dreampt that any creature could ever have..

Simplyskyla -
Thom: We covered that... (We had covered the question of the number of sightings he's had... three.. Patty, the one on the Pacific Crest Trail and one at Bumping Lake)
Thom: What was the closest you got to Patty?
Bob: Well, es.. this is an estimated distance... the closest I got was when I first saw her and I'd say that was probably 60 feet... uh.. just a ball park figure was 60 feet or less.

Chelefoot -
Thom: have you ever had any doubts that Patty was anything other than 100% real?
Bob: Never have... Uh, with all the litigation that's come out about that... with the different people saying they were in a suit down there... I knew in my own mind and watching that and being right there that if couldn't have been a man in a suit.
Thom: If you could change one thing about that day in Bluff Creek, what would that be?
Bob: That people earlier on the film footage would have accepted it... what's been proven in the past and left me and my wife alone for the first 35 years.
Thom: Do you think there is any possibility that there is a question about that day at Bluff Creek that you have not been asked.. chuckle
Bob: Not really. It seems like I have been asked so many different questions. … I meant... I think possibly that I have forgotten some of... some of the most basic events because of my age and because of the injuries I have sustained over the years

Kitakazee -
Thom: There are sources that you an... that you had Bob Heronimous's horse na... uh, named Chico at Bluff Creek.
Bob: Okay... I did have Bob Heronimous's horse because Roger had, apparently, borrowed that horse from Bob Heronimous. 'Cause I never got the horses together to go. Roger gathered up the horses... I had the transportation and I knew the horse. I'd been around the horse before... Big, stout... good roping horse and I think Bob used him back in those days to rope on but Bob Heronimous actually had that horse early in some of the work he was doing for Roger as well as myself where Roger was trying to get together a film to generate revenue to go on an expedition.

Rockape -
Thom: Did you ever consider the possibility that Patty was trying to lead you away from her young?
Bob: Well, I never had enough time to even think about that. I just knew she was walking away... didn't even know that they suspected a young or other one in because at that particular time, I knew about the three different sizes of tracks we'd been called down there for but I hadn't... I wasn't … I was tired from the long distances we'd been riding at the time we'd been down there... so I never gave it any thought about her trying to lead me away from anything...
Thom: yeah...
Thom: The film is considered to be the gold standard of bigfoot evi.. evidence. Is there any other video, photo, et cetera that you find impressive?
Bob: No.
Thom: And what would you say to the people that think it's a hoax?
Bob: I say you ought to take a good look at the film footage and realize that there is gonna possibly be people out there try to make a story out of this. Forever that they're gonna say they were in a suit in northern California when Roger and I were there... and it's been done more than one time as far as I know... in fact, I didn't even realize that Greg Long had had somebody... a big guy, uh, 6 or 7 years before he got ahold of Bob Hermonimous and tried to prove he was in a suit down there. So, You know, it kinda is a... a two sword, double sword or double edged question for me because I don't really know... the thing is... is... I just know that's what happened and I'm going by what happened.
Thom: Right

WV Footer -
Thom: Upon seeing... this is a good question... Upon seeing Patty, what was your first thought? What were you feeling?
Bob: There's a great big thing and they really do exist.
Thom Chuckle... yeah... that is the first thought, isn't it?
Bob: that's the first thought I thought of...
Thom: The first... first time I saw one here to there and yeah... standing there looking at him and said “where are the experts now?...”
Bob: Exactly, Yeah... Well, I thought “All doubt is gone...”

AaronD -
(covered his question about other encounters) Thom: You've already said it is not an ape you saw in 1967... Could you have guessed what it was?
Bob: No... uh.. you know I, I.. could not... all I knew was it was a big, hairy covered human like creature walking away with a... with a great stride and a great, uh, amount of muscle mass and so, that's the only thing I could come up with. I had no idea...
Thom: It's mind boggling, isn't it?
Bob: Yes it was... definitely was...Still is to my...
Thom: Right...
Bob: after all the evidence... all the sightings that people have had, and all of the... all of everything that has happened since 1967 that's given me more strength about that than uh, than prior.
Thom: Do you have any idea why your 47 year old piece of evidence is still the most convincing that they do exist? Like, why hasn't something been found to better prove it?
Bob: Well, yes, there's questions in my mind about that, but, you know, there's no way to really address them, 'cause in my opinion, uh, there's been a lot of effort to... to get more evidence. The only other thing I could come up with.. I have no proof... their ability to stay away, uh, from the camcorders, whatever, and basically I can figure out a little bit of my own personal opinions why they avoid human beings so much now... especially modern human beings... whereas we've heard the native Americans had close contact with them as if they were just part of the, uh, they wouldn't bother, uh... they were there, they belonged to Mother Earth... And we start shooting at them or we start to gather evidence they really exist and they're just trying to live their own life and be left alone.
Thom: And, well, look... look at our society... who's want to be a part of that if they had a choice?
Bob: Well, I can't... I'd like to be the first one to the moon if I could to get away from all this.
Thom: Chuckle...

Pbeaton -
Thom: I know you told me in the past that her tracks went across the entire sandbar. My question is do you recall roughly how many were good, clear tracks... were there 12 to 20... 20 to 40...
Bob: Good tracks?
Thom: Yeah...
Bob: Oh, I'd say roughly, 50 to 60...
Thom: 50 to 60?
Bob: or maybe even more than that. I covered as many as I could with all the material I covered as many as I could with all the material I could gather off the dead tree. There was a pretty good line of tracks there... uh... Matter of fact is, I can't recall just how long that, uh, type of soil was there but I'd say probably, uh, a hundre yards almost... at least 150 feet of that same type of soil (silted in) that had gathered up underneath that logjam or behind that logjam.
Thom: Uh huh... before it got into the rocky stretch?
Bob: Before it got into the gravel. … You know, and my error was then, I wished Roger and I would have measured that... but, you know, you just don't think of all that...
Thom: and then you have the film to take care of...
Bob: Exactly. Plus, you've got a lot of other issues and October 20th the day's a little short already... and you're dealing with darkness early.
Thom: That's right... and none of us are professionals...
Bob: I was the furtherest thing from a professional and... and.. and apparently Roger was too... We did what we thought was the best thing at the time.

Gigantor -
Thom: There have been claims that there were other bigfoot type animals at the sighting location. Did you ever see any others in addition to the one you filmed?
Bob: No I did not.

Drew -
Thom: Ok, How many days were you and Roger at Bluff Creek? … about 21 days wasn't it?
Bob: Yeah... My estimation was about 21 days down there. I never could decide whether it was the last day or so in September or the 1st of October because we'd been down there approximately 3 weeks.
Thom: Right

Sweaty Yeti -
Thom: I'd like to ask if you recall any additional little things that Roger said to him that (you) haven't previously mentioned on the night of the filming and on the following day on their way back home.. uh, you know.. personal type of things... what were his feelings?
Bob: Well... okay... the next day on the way home, uh, ok.. that has to be explained because there was no “next day”. That next day was trying to get out of that area with a storm in there... and then, all night I drove and Roger slept most of the time while I did the driving. So... the only thing that was talked about that night after we got back to the truck is that, uh, what... what really happened that day and what he saw through the camera and what I felt I saw and smelled. So, Therefore, each thing that we talked about varied just a little and then, of course we went on to sleep... the next morning it was raining and, uh, things just kind of broke loose from there.
Thom: Was there an odor associated with her?
Bob: a what now?
Thom: Was there an odor? Did you smell her?
Bob: Yeah, yes, there was an odor... I thought it had kind of a... a skunky, mest... musty, skunky type of smell... Pretty stinky but with a must to it.
Thom: That's cool... Uhm...I think I have a couple I wrote that I wanted to ask too...
Thom: If you were to have that happen today, what would you do?
Bob: If that happened to me today, I would not ride across the creek with the horse... I would try my best to act real submissive and get as close to her as I possibly could instead of all the scramble that went on that day. Because if... if that happened to me again, I would hope that Roger didn't have a camera and was running after her to take a picture and I could try my best to get as close as I could and act submissive like... I want to be a friend... That's what I'd like to do and that's what I'd like to do today if I ever get another opportunity to get close to one again.
Thom: Do you have any regrets about the publishing of the film to the world?
Bob: Oh yes, I do... so many different issues on that it would take me days to go through all of it

This concludes the interview and I'd like to personally thank Bob... I have NEVER met a finer man in my life... As far as I am concerned there is NO controversy over the authenticity of that film... I watched him react to the questions... watched as the excitement shone in his eyes as he discussed how her muscles rippled and rolled under her hair as she walked... God Bless this man!"
Thanks again to Thom Cantrall for sharing this.

Comments

  1. I want to watch it or listen to it....................not read it.........next!!

    First

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes I prefer to listen as well

      Delete
    2. Harry Bandini licks a meanie weinie.

      Delete
    3. First if I did my life would probably be a lot easier
      Second so does your mom and dad yet you don't hear me talking about their business

      Delete
    4. GOOD ONE, HARRY! LOL

      ALL CAPS

      Delete
    5. Oh come on firster, don't whine, read a little and learn a lot.

      Delete
  2. You'll get nothing from Gimlin and like it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. THAT OLD FART WILL NEVER CONFESS THE TRUTH,THE LIE HE TELLS KEEPS THE MONEY COMING IN!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MORE LIKE LIE-AID STOOPID!

      Delete
    2. The three ooo'd version is a weightier insult. Spawned from loooser.

      Delete
    3. How much $$$ is he REALLY making?

      It certainly doesn't seem like he's profited much...correct me if I'm wrong.

      (and don't please don't just throw a bunch of speculative numbers out there)

      Delete
    4. He makes $17,5000 every time he speaks.

      Delete
    5. So who paid him $ 17, 500 for this interview?

      Um...

      Nobody - that's the answer.

      Delete
    6. Nobody.

      They payed him $17,5000

      Delete
  4. Holy Sh. .. . t! Why didn't they just write a freaking book!
    Enough already,

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We got nowhere else to go! It's been a 47 year road to nowhere.

      Delete
  5. By tomorrow there will be 171 comments on this mostly by Joe F.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He has to do double time to make up for a lost day.

      Delete
    2. Someone once said that PJ and Ernie were the same person. I think that person was correct.

      Delete
    3. Hey Ernie why didn't you tell me your Joe or why didn't Joe tell me he's you I'll be damned you must be one of those paid scofftics or your here to influence blog traffic for money damn it Ernie I thought we were friends lol

      Delete
    4. Maybe Ernie is the kinder, feminine side of Joe.

      Delete
  6. Early settlers' diaries spoke of "Too Much Reading"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Early settlers diaries spoke of A.D.D.

      Sorry if there is "too much reading." Perhaps you should go to a more intellectual web-site/blog then.

      You know...so you can hang with your peers...?

      Ha.

      Delete
  7. when Patty walked away with that tremendous amount of muscle underneath that hair moving, uh, it's pretty hard to duplicate that, uh, in a picture or anything else in my opinion.

    who's coaching this old wheezer?

    ReplyDelete
  8. He still da man.

    Such a pivotal person!

    ReplyDelete
  9. let me paraphrase all those words for you. ..fakey

    ReplyDelete
  10. Replies
    1. I just look at the pictures and make stupid pointless comments. It makes me feel good about myself to contribute to the whitty banter.

      Delete
    2. Ohhhhh ohhhh I see what you did there lol

      Delete
    3. I come here for the free donuts, and to meet hookers online.

      Delete
  11. beegfuut like gimlun
    he duh man

    ReplyDelete
  12. Keep lying Mr. Gimlin. I appreciate your honor to your old friend Roger. But the entire thing was a scam.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That old fuck been lyin and making money off of the lies.

    ReplyDelete
  14. He told this story so many times that he probably actually believes it.

    ReplyDelete

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