The Bigfoot Interview
The following interview was conducted on 12/08/08 at the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) headquarters in Sacramento, CA. NABS had heard that the state maintained a file on Bigfoot and we wanted to determine if this was true. After several phone calls, we were able to speak to the individual that was the contact person regarding the file, Eric Loft, Chief of the Wildlife Branch. Chief Loft gave NABS complete access to the file, allowed us to copy its contents and then gave our Executive Director, David Paulides an extensive interview regarding the DFG’s position on Bigfoot and his personal background with the biped. What follows is the first ever interview with a Chief from DFG and their background with Bigfoot. Refer to the second section of this page for details on the file and what it contains.
The interview;
Questions- Eric Loft, Chief, Wildlife Branch, California DFG
1. How long have you been employed by California Department of Fish and Game?
A- 20 Years
What is your educational background? A- Ph.D., Ecology , University of California, Davis
What is your role? A- Researcher and Manager
2. How many times have you been interviewed on Bigfoot related issues?
A- None, I came here in 1988 and people before me have been interviewed but not me.
What did you specifically do to prepare for this meeting?
A- I reviewed your groups website. I also called Mike Carion who is the enforcement’s Asst. Chief in Redding and asked him if he had any files on Bigfoot.
Did Chief Carion have any files on Bigfoot?
A- No
3. How long have you been aware that there is a Bigfoot file in the DFG?
A- 10 years
Who maintains the file?
A- Our Office of Communications, Education, and Outreach
Who inside of DFG has access to the file?
A- Anyone
Who initiated the file?
A non-game program in the 1970’s
4. What is your personal experience with Bigfoot?
A- I’ve heard strange things in the woods that can’t easily be explained. I’ve read books on the topic from the 1970’s.
5. Does the DFG have;
Photos of Bigfoot? A- Unknown
Hair of Bigfoot? A- Unknown
Tissue of Bigfoot? A- Unknown
Body of Bigfoot? A- Unknown, but, on each of these issues I’m not positive that we don’t. Sometimes samples are submitted by the enforcement branch to their lab for forensic tests on poaching cases, and we don’t hear about the results. I do have a lab that’s under me in Rancho Cordova but they primarily research disease in animals, etc. I believe the US Fish and Wildlife lab in Oregon does extensive DNA testing and anything that might be submitted by our enforcement branch could go there for any DNA work if the forensics unit cannot work it.
6. Has the DFG ever assisted a federal agency in any type of Bigfoot investigation?
A- The enforcement branch of DFG would do this type of investigation and I’m not aware of anything we’ve done along those lines.
7. Does your agency classify Bigfoot as an animal?
A- No, we classify it is a phenomena
8. How many DFG employees have personally reported seeing a Bigfoot?
A- None, that I’m aware.
9. How many reports from citizens do you or DFG have taken that have stated they’ve seen a Bigfoot or had a Bigfoot encounter?
A- Just the ones in the file.
10. What policy or dictate does DFG have for field personnel regarding Bigfoot and the handling of Bigfoot related issues.
A- None, but, there was a policy proposed for public requests to obtain a Scientific Collecting Permit that is in the file that you are going to copy. The policy was never implemented but it was documented and placed in the file.
11. Does the DFG have an internal name for Bigfoot/ Sasquatch or Wild Man?
A- No
12. What would be DFG’s response if a field Warden found a Bigfoot body in the woods?
A- I’ll assume we’d first try to determine of it was animal or human and base the response accordingly. If it was determined to be human, the county coroner in that area would have jurisdiction. We only have jurisdiction if it is a known animal that we recognize in the state of California, if it isn’t, we don’t have jurisdiction. If it isn’t an animal described in the Fish and Game Code or in regulations set by the Fish and Game Commission, then we likely have little jurisdiction.
13. How many books have you read on Bigfoot?
A- Earlier in my life I had read a few. The topic was interesting and I tried to keep an open mind.
14. Prior to arriving as the person in charge of Bigfoot issues for DFG, who had that job?
A. Nobody specifically, we had the mentality of “who wants to respond to the guy calling /writing about Bigfoot?”.
15. How many times have you been contacted regarding Bigfoot related questions or issues, internally or outside DFG?
A. Just this one.
16. Who briefed you about the meeting today?
A. The administrative assistant for the Director. I didn’t talk to the director about it but she (The Admin) told me about you and I did look at your groups website.
17. Are you aware of any forensic testing being initiated or completed by DFG on any Bigfoot blood, tissue, hair or scat?
A. No, but hair samples from our studies that we cannot identify go to a lab we contract with in Montana. Our enforcement division would normally handle any issues along the lines of your question as it relates to forensic testing.
18. Does any state or federal agency to your knowledge possess a Bigfoot body?
A- No
19. How many meetings have you had with other state or federal agencies where the topic of Bigfoot was discussed?
A- None
20. To your knowledge, has there ever been a recovery of large human type bones that were DNA tested by any state agency that came back as human, but, were much larger then any normal human?
A- No
21. What was removed from this file prior to our meeting?
A- Nothing that I am aware.
Is there a secondary or private file on Bigfoot that is maintained by DFG?
A- Not that I am aware. Double-checked with OCEO and with our database managers. No one is aware of any additional information that the Department has regarding Bigfoot.
22. Was there anything that you were instructed not to discuss with me at this meeting?
A- No
23. Did DFG conduct an investigation on me or my group in preparation for this meeting?
A- No
24. Who is your counterpart on Bigfoot related issues in the federal sector?
A- You would probably need to go to the BLM on some issues and on others you should go to the US Forest service office on Mare Island in Vallejo.
25. Have many field investigations been conducted by Wardens on Bigfoot related issues?
A- None that I know about.
26. How often do you field questions from Wardens or other DFG employees regarding Bigfoot?
A- Never
27. How often does DFG have staff camp in the woods on special projects?
A- This occurs quite often during the summer months. Some of these people are in the woods for up to 2 weeks on special studies.
Have you ever had one of these field personnel contact you regarding a possible Bigfoot incident?
A- No
28. How many game track cameras does DFG possess?
A- We probably have many dozen but they are owned by the study group inside DFG that is conducting that specific research. There is not one central point that possess the cameras and later loans them out. They are spread throughout our agency.
Have you ever seen a game track photo that could possibly be related to Bigfoot?
A- No
29. Are you aware of any state or federal agency that has ever studied the Patterson- Gimlin film from 1967 in Bluff Creek?
A- No
NABS would like to thank Eric for his time and allowing this interview!!