WEST VIRGINIA (WOWK) — Many West Virginians believe the woods and mountains are home to cryptids such as Mothman or the Flatwoods Monster. So, it is no surprise that Mountain State residents have also reported possible Bigfoot sightings over the years.
The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization documents reported sightings in each state. According to the data, the three West Virginia counties with the most Bigfoot sightings are Pendleton, Randolph and Pocahontas.
In Pendleton County, there are 14 Bigfoot sightings reported. The first was in November 1994 when cave explorers had bizarre experiences while camping in the Seneca Creek backcountry. The most recent was in November 2012 when hunters said they possibly heard voices and saw a large head peaking behind boulders near Franklin.
There are 10 reported Bigfoot sightings in Randolph County. In November 1989, two people first reported seeing the creature while they were hunting in treestands near Elkwater. Most recently in the county, a fisherman said he saw Bigfoot about six miles from Elkins in July 2017.
Eight Bigfoot sightings have been reported in Pocahontas County. The first was a daylight sighting reported by a person deer hunting near the Greenbrier River in November 1969. The most recent was a September 2016 report from motorists traveling near the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center.
There are two sightings reported in Kanawha County, which is home to the capital city of Charleston. The first was a Summer 1990 report from a man who said he saw a large, hairy creature near a Marmet cemetery. The second report was from a deer hunter who believed he saw Bigfoot near Cabin Creek in November 2009.
People have also reported possible sightings in many other areas of West Virginia. Below is a table of overall data for each county in the state.
County | Number of Sightings | Most Recent Sighting |
Barbour | 2 | March 2006 |
Berkeley | 2 | November 2014 |
Boone | 1 | July 2006 |
Braxton | 1 | ~March 1919 |
Brooke | 1 | August 1990 |
Cabell | 3 | June 2001 |
Calhoun | 1 | July 2006 |
Clay | No data | No data |
Doddridge | No data | No data |
Fayette | 3 | November 2013 |
Gilmer | No data | No data |
Grant | No data | No data |
Greenbrier | 6 | September 2014 |
Hampshire | 1 | October 2006 |
Hancock | No data | No data |
Hardy | No data | No data |
Harrison | 1 | May 1974 |
Jackson | 2 | May 2006 |
Jefferson | No data | No data |
Kanawha | 2 | November 2009 |
Lewis | No data | No data |
Lincoln | 1 | May 2008 |
Logan | 1 | June 1990 |
Marion | 2 | April 1999 |
Marshall | No data | No data |
Mason | 1 | January 2001 |
McDowell | 4 | October 2009 |
Mercer | 2 | July 2006 |
Mineral | 3 | October 2014 |
Mingo | No data | No data |
Monongalia | 1 | May 2003 |
Monroe | 1 | August 2007 |
Morgan | No data | No data |
Nicholas | 6 | November 2015 |
Ohio | 1 | December 2004 |
Pendleton | 14 | November 2012 |
Pleasants | No data | No data |
Pocahontas | 8 | September 2016 |
Preston | 1 | October 2005 |
Putnam | No data | No data |
Raleigh | 4 | May 2009 |
Randolph | 10 | July 2017 |
Ritchie | 2 | August 2002 |
Roane | No data | No data |
Summers | 2 | March 2008 |
Taylor | No data | No data |
Tucker | 4 | December 2008 |
Tyler | 2 | December 2005 |
Upshur | 1 | September 2009 |
Wayne | 5 | February 2009 |
Webster | 1 | July 1985 |
Wetzel | 1 | October 2005 |
Wirt | No data | No data |
Wood | No data | No data |
Wyoming | 2 | October 2015 |
Click here to view the full report from The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization.