'Killing Bigfoot'

PINEthe LOG Wednesday, February 8, 2017 The Independent Voice of Stephen F. Austin State University thepinelog.com ‘Killing Bigfoot’ TV show highlights SFA student’s search for creature By Joanna Armstrong Editor-in-chief “We want the alpha male. The big ones are the ones that are the aggressors. That’s the whole thing about it. It’s not just a kill to kill type thing. It’s definitely we’ve planned out what we’re going to do, and that’s the reason why we want to do it.” -Brandi Hamilton, SFA student While the rest of the students enrolled in Summer I classes were thinking about their next assignment, SFA student Brandi Hamilton was thinking about finding and killing Bigfoot. The daughter of one of the founders of the Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization, Bobby Hamilton, have reported animals and livestock being killed or Brandi grew up hearing about Bigfoot and her father’s injured. efforts to kill one of the creatures. “These people are scared to death. They’re having “He had this for years before I was born,” Brandi things go on,” Brandi said. “Animals are getting said, “so growing up I was always around it and killed, and their pets and kids can’t go outside alone. always involved in it.” They don’t want to stay outside after it gets dark. In 2014, the organization was approached with an They’re not feeling safe in their own home, and that’s offer to do a television show for Destination America a problem if you can’t feel safe in your own home.” and filmed a pilot in Goldonna, Louisiana, that Brandi said their research has led the group’s spring. The show had a simple premise: to find and members to certain conclusions. kill a Bigfoot. “It’s not just anyone [Bigfoot] that stumbles up,” she “The show is called ‘Killing Bigfoot,’ and that’s said. “[We’re] not shooting a female and not shooting what we’re trying to do,” she said. a baby. We’ve had the chance to, but that’s not what After airing that October, Brandi said the popularity we want. We want the alpha male. The big ones are of the show prompted the network to order a full the ones that are the aggressors. That’s the whole season. thing about it. It’s not just a kill to kill type thing. It’s “At the time it was one of those trial type things. definitely we’ve planned out what we’re going to do, They didn’t promote the show,” she said. “They and that’s the reason why we want to do it.” wanted just to put it out there to see how the audience Their desire to kill a Bigfoot also stems from the Courtesy Photos would react, and with just what we did alone for organization’s wish to prove the creature’s existence advertisement, each time that show aired there and put protective measures in place, Bobby said. was over 250,000 views, which is insane. Nothing “Mainstream science doesn’t accept that these [advertising] was done. It was just all on our part. That creatures even exist because they have never had was enough to get them to say you know what? Y’all a body on a slab to examine,” he said. “Unless one can go ahead and do a full season.“ is proven to exist and the proper habitat set aside Filming started in summer 2015, taking place in and protection put into place, it is only a matter of various parts of Texas, including Brandi’s hometown time before one of these aggressive encounters turns of Warren, as well as Louisiana and Mississippi. deadly, and someone is seriously injured or killed. According to Brandi, even the name of the show is As of this time, there is basically no other group that controversial among those in the Bigfoot community. does what we do. There are a lot of enthusiasts who “As soon as they hear the name, they just freak go out and listen for sounds and look for tracks. We out,” Brandi said. “There’s a huge kill-versus-no-kill are beyond that phase and are in it for the discovery.” controversy, and that’s definitely something they Created in the 1997, the GCBRO’s team organizes bring up on the pilot.” hunts for Bigfoot. Hunters wearing camouflage or For members of the GCBRO, aggression from the black clothing are placed in a specific location and creature plays a role in their desire to kill it. She said that some who have reached out to the organization BIGFOOT, PAGE 2 From the Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization: • Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, is found in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the South. • Aggressiveness of the southern Bigfoot sets it apart from Photo by Cori Kallenberger/ The Pine Log the northern Bigfoot. SFA student Brandi Hamilton, above, recently filmed Destination America’s first season of “Killing Bigfoot.” A health science major with a minor in nutrition, • Bigfoot vocalization is a mix between the sounds of a bull Hamilton is a member of the Gulf Coast Bigfoot Research Organization, which was started by her father Bobby Hamilton. The organization was aims and a bear. to hunt and kill Bigfoot. “Killing Bigfoot” will airs at 9 p.m. on Saturdays. Board of Regents votes to retain 2016-17 tuition rate By Parastoo Nikravesh something students commit to. family couldn’t afford to help for excessive credit hours. SFA Tuition Managing Editor The balance is between state me out as much. The last three “The university does not Breakdown funding and what we need years have been a struggle receive funding from the state The SFA Board of Regents to deliver our services to our trying to meet deadlines and for students who have exceeded recently approved retaining students.” registering for a class a week by 30 hours the number of the 2016-17 tuition rate of $192 The tuition at SFA is decided before they start, all because I semester credit hours required 2017-18 per semester credit hour for the based on the amount of state couldn’t afford to pay it earlier. for the degree program in which 2017-18 academic year. funding received and the “My sister starts college next they are enrolled, or when they $192 per semester credit “The president amount needed to provide year, and she’s considering enroll in a course that they’ve hour recommended we maintain students with the services SFA SFA. She’s going to have it the previously been enrolled in two the tuition rate because we are has to offer. hardest, having to pay her or more times,” Gallant said. concerned about the cost of the When asked if the rate remaining balance out of her “We are authorized by the 2016-17 tuition, as is every one,” Dr. would continue to be retained own pocket. So hearing that state to charge those students $192 per semester credit Danny Gallant, vice president in the following year, Gallant our tuition didn’t go up this the equivalent of out-of-state, for finance and administration, said it was too early to tell, year fills me with hope. It non-statutory tuition, which hour said. as legislators are currently in makes me hopeful for her to is $458 per semester credit For the past 14 years, the session deciding how much get her education and for me to hour.” SFA tuition rate has increased. state funding institutions like finish mine.” Room rates for the majority 2015-16 Students have become SFA will receive. Tuition rates also were set of students living on campus $185.50 per semester accustomed to at least a small “Going to school has become for students who enter the this academic year will increase credit hour increase each new budget cycle. a struggle as I have to take out university during the school by 0.5 percent. Due to ongoing “From my perspective, and I more and more loans and still year and elect to participate upgrades and improvements in believe the president’s and the have a balance after that,” SFA in a fixed-rate tuition plan, Hall 20, including a scheduled 2014-15 regents’, we are very concerned student Martha Carnes said. according to an SFA press replacement of the building’s about the cost of tuition,” “My grandparents’ income release. HVAC system, room rates for $171 per semester credit Gallant said. and my younger brother Additionally, regents that residence hall will increase hour “We understand tuition is starting college made it so my approved a change in the fees 5 percent. @ThePineLog Pine Log Channel Volume 99 Next Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. Look for your The Pine Log Submit story ideas via web: copy every Wednesday morning in a Issue 16 newspaper rack near you. @SFAPineLog ThePineLog.com Publication: CMYK Page 2 THE PINE LOG 2017 AARC Writing Center provides assistance @thepinelog SFANews theatre presents play that breaks stereotypes By Andrea Nelson Bruton also briefly touched upon some Staff Writer of the design aspects he has been working with during the production’s rehearsal SFA’s School of Fine Arts will present period. “Intimate Apparel” from Feb. 28 to March 4 “My favorite part of the design at 7:30 p.m. each night and 2 p.m. March 4. process has been getting to listen to and Written by Lynn Nottage, “Intimate experiment with different types of Ragtime Apparel” follows the story of Esther, a young Piano and Jazz Music, and seeing how I woman who works as a seamstress making can manipulate those sounds and turn corsets and other intimate garments for them into something interesting that the women in 1905.

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