Bigfoot means Big Money for Small Town.

[From “KFSM”. August, 7/ 2005.]

"You could hear it following you but you could never get close enough to see it. I've seen its eyes a couple of times and they're real red," said Ronny Hammer, Honobia resident who has experienced Bigfoot on more than one occasion. "This thing was about 9 foot tall and weighed about 400 pounds. It was all hairy."

Many other residents in LeFlore County have seen the same creature.

"It looked about 8, 9,10 feet tall and broad shoulders," said Billy Ludlow, Honobia resident.

The community of Honobia has received national attention for its Bigfoot sightings. The town is so proud of the distinction that it has put footprints on the road that leads into town.  Now they want to capitalize on this creatures popularity.

Katie Cogburn and other residents are organizing the First Annual Bigfoot Festival and she said it is the least the community can do for what this beast has done for them.

"We are looking forward to what bigfoot is going to do for this area. In fact, he may be our mayor, before it's all over," said Cogburn.

Robert Bastarache is a biologist with the Ouachita National Forest and he said he has never seen anything but the people around the woods have reported encounters.

"When you talk to them about these bigfoot sightings, they're passionate. They really think they've seen something,? said Bastarache.

?I believe there is something. Whether it's a big monkey or something that's loose in these woods and I bet you within five years they'll find it,? said Hammer.

Hammer said pretending to be Bigfoot by dressing up in a costume would be dangerous because people around the ouachita national forest are not afraid to shoot.

The Ouachita National Forest is filled with caves that residents are saying could be the home to bigfoot and he only likes to come out at night. The Honobia's first annual Bigfoot Festival will be September 30 and October 1.

WCSRO, 2006.