The Bigfoot Research Rabbit Holes I Fell Into While Writing Hominid

Like many of you, I’ve been fascinated by Bigfoot since childhood. But it wasn’t until I started researching for another book that I stumbled into a rabbit hole so deep, it became the foundation for a whole new story.

Hominid was born out of what started as innocent curiosity and turned into obsessive investigation. From scientific studies to folklore, historical accounts to genetic mysteries, the Bigfoot research I encountered challenged everything I thought I knew—and gave me more than enough material to craft a thriller grounded in the unknown.

🧭 From Russian Yeti to Real-Life Evidence

My first spark came from a documentary about the Dyatlov Pass incident in Russia. Some theorists blamed the Menk—a Russian Bigfoot. Intrigued, I dug deeper… and found a surprising lack of violent Bigfoot encounters.

The deeper I went, the more the data suggested that if Bigfoot exists, it’s more elusive than aggressive. That insight completely reshaped the direction of Hominid—from a monster story to something more morally layered.

📚 The Bigfoot Research That Changed Everything

Here are just a few facts I uncovered during my Bigfoot research:

·       Gigantopithecus, a ten-foot ape, actually existed

·       Hairy Man pictographs in California match Bigfoot-like figures

·       Genetic markers like EPAS1 and DUF1220 play roles in cold resistance and brain growth

·       Jane Goodall has publicly expressed belief in Bigfoot’s possibility

·       The fossil record is notoriously unreliable in forested areas

And yes—along the way I stumbled into things like Bigfoot erotica and debates over whether cryptids deserve legal protection (Skamania County, WA says yes).

🧬 Why It Matters in Fiction

What makes Hominid more than just a cryptid tale is the foundation it rests on. I wanted the science, the lore, the history—even the outlandish bits—to feel real. Because the more I learned, the more I realized this wasn’t just about Bigfoot. It was about belief, discovery, and the ethical chaos that can come when we find what we weren’t meant to.