John Winesickle
John Winesickle, a man from Altoona Pa., called 911 claiming he spotted Bigfoot in a forest near his home. WTA
bigfoot
John Winesickle, a man from Altoona Pa., called 911 claiming he spotted Bigfoot in a forest near his home. WTA

Police in Altoona, Pa., received an unusual 911 phone call last week. John Winesickle claimed he found Bigfoot and had physical proof near his home in Somerset County.

Here is a partial transcript of the recording:

Person 1: “[an individual] called 911 advising that he contacted the Game Commission to call him back; wants a police officer to come to his residence. Apparently he has proof there of Bigfoot.”

Officer: “Bigfoot, right?”

Person 1: “That’s affirmative, he has evidence, uh … proving Bigfoot. He would like a police officer to come there.”

Officer: “Apparently there’s a large amount of smoke in that area…”

On May 14, a police officer was sent to Winesickle’s home who took him on a path in the woods. Winesickle showed the officer tracks but police concluded they belonged to a bear, wearecentralpa.com reports.

But Winesickle stands by what he saw, claiming he saw the famous Sasquatch and his female companion. Winesickle says the male had six toes and the female had five toes -- neither had claws.

“When he walks, just plain walks, he makes six-foot steps,” Winesickle said in an interview with Townsend Media. “He talked in his language, you know. He is so deep when he makes his sound it puts a bear to shame.”

News of the alleged Bigfoot sighting spread – including a false rumor that a hunter killed the Sasquatch and that the presence of the mythical creature had been confirmed.

Eric Altman, director of the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society says the case displays what’s going on in the Bigfoot community.

“The current Bigfoot scene is awash with hype, rumors, backstabbing, hoaxing and rampant unprofessional behavior,” Hill told Discovery News. “You have to look for the few who are interested in answering the question: What, if anything, happened here?”

While the Pennsylvania Bigfoot “sighting” is the most recent, Washington has been named the No. 1 “Best State for Bigfoot to Live in.” The state has more than 500 reported Bigfoot sightings, one county has a law that forbids Bigfoot hunting and there is a music festival named after the beast, Q13 Fox reports.