Fact Check: Is Bigfoot sighting in Oklahoma just days before annual Honobia festival real?

LAWTON, OKLAHOMA: In what feels like a throwback to an '80s movie scene or even one of those old-school beef jerky commercials, a bizarre video is doing the rounds online and has driven Bigfoot enthusiasts into a frenzy.

For years, believers and skeptics come together each fall in southeastern Oklahoma to celebrate their fascination with Bigfoot, attending talks and presentations from speakers and researchers about this mythical and elusive creature.

The video has gone viral just days before the Honobia Bigfoot Festival.

The video was filmed on September 27 in the Parallel Forest, located in Lawton, Oklahoma. Emmanuel Alfaro, the man behind the camera, shared the clip on TikTok.

Spooky encounter in Oklahoma's Parallel Forest

"Scariest moment of my life, and I really think I caught a [expletive] Bigfoot on camera in Parallel Forest," Alfaro said in his post.

Despite the video being just ten seconds long, it is making waves. Unlike most supposed Bigfoot footage, this clip is relatively clear. The mysterious creature (or depending on who you ask, a person in a costume) appears to be sniffing or even munching on some leaves.

The video ends with the creature seemingly becoming aware of its surroundings and glancing around, KTLA reported.

Alfaro recounted the bizarre moment: “I was just doing some sightseeing and enjoying the day when I saw something in the distance. I’m still shaking as I type this.”

When asked whether the sighting might have been part of a staged stunt, Alfaro denied knowing anything about it.

“No clue if it was a stunt; I just got the [expletive] outta there as quick as I could. I thought I was the only one out there—there’s one parking lot and my car was the only one there," he said.

A viral sensation, but is it real?

The footage didn't just stay on TikTok. X (formerly Twitter) user @FearedBuck shared it on October 3, where it blew up even further and racked up over six million views. However, like many things that seem too good to be true, this Bigfoot sighting wasn’t exactly as it appeared.

X’s Community Notes quickly debunked the claim that Bigfoot had been spotted in Oklahoma. According to them, the viral clip was actually part of a promotional advertisement. “This is an excerpt from a video advertisement for Bigfoot Head Shop in Lawton, Oklahoma,” the note read.

Bigfoot has been a topic of debate for years, with people either convinced of its existence or firmly believing it's just a myth. The creature — also known as Sasquatch — is described as an ape-like figure that supposedly roams North America's forests. Its legend has often been compared to other mythical creatures like the Loch Ness Monster or the Chupacabra.

The biggest issue? There’s hardly any concrete evidence that Bigfoot actually exists, much like these other legendary beasts.

Interestingly, Bigfoot’s roots can be traced back to Indigenous myths and legends. Descriptions of the creature vary, but it’s often said to be anywhere between six to 15 feet tall with hairy, man-like features. It stands on two feet much like a human, but its physical appearance is a lot more beastly.

While there's no solid proof of Bigfoot’s existence, it hasn’t stopped people from claiming they’ve seen it multiple times. In fact, one of the first recorded accounts comes from a local newspaper in Victoria, British Columbia. The paper published a story about a creature that was "half man and half beast," with features resembling a gorilla.

The sightings didn’t stop there. Washington natives once claimed to have killed a Bigfoot, and Californians even said they’d discovered one.

The Bigfoot bounty in Oklahoma

Back in 2021, Oklahoma state representative JJ Humphrey decided to capitalize on the Bigfoot craze. He encouraged people to go on a Bigfoot hunt—not to harm the creature, but to capture it alive. To sweeten the deal, he put up a massive three-million-dollar bounty.

“Nobody wants to harm Bigfoot. We're going to do a live, humane capture of Bigfoot. We're extending this beyond just our region and throughout the state,” he said in a press statement at the time.

Humphrey’s goal was to boost tourism in the area and bring people to southeastern Oklahoma. “We’re excited to invite the whole world to come and participate,” he added.

While the latest "Bigfoot sighting" video may have created quite the buzz, it seems pretty clear that this one was nothing more than a clever advertisement.

While it's fun to imagine stumbling across Bigfoot while out for a stroll in the woods, it looks like we'll have to wait a little longer for actual proof that Sasquatch is really out there.