A Montana man who was out target shooting became a target himself when another shooter unloaded a barrage of gunfire on him after mistaking him for Bigfoot, authorities said.
The 27-year-old shooter told authorities that he was putting up targets outside Helena on Sunday when bullets started flying toward him, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said, according to the Idaho Statesman.
One round came within three feet of the victim and another whizzed by even closer, he told police. The man said he ran behind nearby trees for cover and eventually confronted the shooter, who was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck.
“I thought you were Bigfoot,” the victim says the shooter told him, according to Dutton. “I don’t target practice — but if I see something that looks like Bigfoot, I just shoot at it.”
Once the man assured the gunman that he wasn’t Bigfoot – an ape-like creature said to inhabit wooded areas in the Northwest – the shooter advised him to wear an orange vest in the future.
But Dutton noted that “there was some question about the veracity of the report” because the victim who spoke to police a day after the alleged incident couldn’t provide a physical description of the shooter.
Police checked the area but didn’t find the pickup truck, ABC Fox Montana reported.
After local media reports of the man’s story, a woman came said she had a similar experience where she had been shot at by a man in an F-150 as well.
“We’re working to find this person,” Dutton said. “It is of great concern that this individual might think it’s OK to shoot at anything he thinks is Bigfoot.”
If the reports are true, the shooter could face charges, Dutton said.
But the chief said he didn’t think the public at large was in danger, noting that “it seems to be a localized event to one geographic area.”
According to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, there have been 46 sightings in Montana since 1978 — the most recent being in 2016, when three backpackers spotted a large, massive upright animal running on two legs through the Gallatin National Forest.
Jeff M
Jeez……………
Denise F
Huh?
(That’s all I got on this one.)
Steven B
“..but if I see something that looks like Bigfoot, I just shoot at it.”
What happened to one of the primary rules of gun safety: IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET BEFORE YOU PULL THE TRIGGER
That does not leave room for “I think…”, that is a definite, 100%, no room for error, “I KNOW what I am shooting at.”
RICHIE E
A M E N
Dan M
WTH??? Good Lord use ur eyes better and some common sense!!
Trent M
Damn, he’s lucky the “bigfoot” didn’t shoot back!
Katie F
No kidding! ?
Kris T
That must be one ugly kid…
I know young people have ridiculous hair these days, but bigfoot?
Hope they catch the shooter, and can match recovered rounds to his firearm. This level of stupid cannot be solved with jail time either. This moron needs meds, a rubber room and an orderly named Bubba.
Daniel E
I think most definitely that I thought it/he was a Bigfoot. Maybe.
Katie F
Haha!
Teresa V
Haha I just read this article and was getting ready to post it on the forums.
FlagStaffer
you can never over/under estimate the complete and total stupidity of anyone that you might come into contact with…..
if you spend a lot of time outdoors you are much more likely to have to defend yourself against another person than a BF/DM ……
Jason D
Fake News
John P
And Law abiding citizens wonder why they’re trying to take our guns away. And serious Bigfooters wonder why noone will take us seriously.
brad b
Maybe this idiot will actually fire at a real bigfoot one day and the creature will do mankind a favor by removing the trigger happy moron from the gene pool. As a gun enthusiast nothing angers me more than fools acting irresponsibly and making us all look bad. Too many people already think every gun owner is some drunken hillbilly blasting away at anything that moves.
Sheila
??
Ulrike H
So would that be his defence in a court of law after he shoots a person?
The guy’s a nut job. They need to find him before someone gets killed.
Janetta V
Somebody out there just likes to shoot. At anything or anyone. Get a life shooter!!!!
Randy F
FIRING RANGE RULE: If you cant positively ID what you see as a legitimate target you CANT SHOOT AT IT..
When in the woods: You SHOULD NOT SHOOT AT BIGFOOT, leave them alone. Pictures are fine (if you can think about it) best just to back away then get out of there. Remember its not the BIGFOOT YOU SEE that is the problem. Its his troop members you don’t that are the real issue.
Just a few words from a friend.
Bal G
I think the shooter is Dick Cheney! Think about it, he lives in Wyoming, it’s not a long drive to Montana, and on top of everything else, he likes shooting at people while hunting. Makes perfect sense.
Carol T
another idiot…..he needs glasses or some binoculars
Todd E
Cowboys and Bigfeets..
m99
Duh!
m99
I think he may just be looking to kill somebody & has this as a cover story. Ya know? Thank goodness he’s a terrible shot. Plus, might just get his wish if he keeps it up. The boss of the woods ain’t stupid.