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What the FBI Bigfoot File Actually Shows

The FBI's Bigfoot file is often cited as mysterious, but its hair test points to ordinary animal evidence rather than a hidden primate.

On this page

  • Why the sample reached the FBI
  • What the hair result said
  • Why official testing did not validate Bigfoot
Preview for What the FBI Bigfoot File Actually Shows

Introduction

FBI releases 'Bigfoot' files from 1970s, decades after 'credible' Northwest sighting

Channel: KREM 2 News

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Why the Sample Reached the FBI

FBI Documents Reveal Bigfoot Investigation

Channel: WFMY News 2

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What the Hair Result Said

The FBI laboratory examined the submitted hairs during late 1976 and early 1977. The final response was brief and direct. According to the bureau’s findings, the hairs were identified as being of “deer family origin”. In zoological terms, that means they belonged to a member of the family Cervidae, which includes deer, elk, moose and related species.[AV Club+2FBI]avclub.comAV ClubThe FBI just released its Bigfoot fileWhile the FBI denied having tested Bigfoot hair in the past, they were, as it turned out, mo…

The result was not ambiguous. The laboratory did not report an unknown species, an unclassifiable mammal or evidence consistent with a hidden North American ape. Instead, the sample was attributed to a familiar group of animals already common across the regions where many Bigfoot reports occur.[HISTORY]history.comBigfoot Was Investigated by the FBIHere's What They Found6 Jun 2019 — The FBI released its four-decade-old file on Bigfoot including an analysis conducted on hair that alle…

The FBI subsequently returned the material to Byrne. The correspondence preserved in the released file contains no indication that further testing uncovered anything unusual or that the bureau considered the specimen evidence for Bigfoot.[AV Club]avclub.comAV ClubThe FBI just released its Bigfoot fileWhile the FBI denied having tested Bigfoot hair in the past, they were, as it turned out, mo…FBI Hair Test illustration 2

What the Released FBI File Actually Shows

When the FBI publicly released the file decades later through its records vault, media coverage often emphasised the novelty of a federal “Bigfoot investigation”. The documents themselves reveal something narrower.

Under The Microscope: The FBI Hair Cases | Fault Lines

Channel: Al Jazeera English

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Why Official Testing Did Not Validate Bigfoot

From a scientific perspective, the significance of the case lies in its outcome rather than in the fact that testing occurred. Claims about undiscovered animals become stronger when physical evidence survives independent examination. In this instance, one of the more promising specimens available to investigators produced a conventional explanation.[Inverse]inverse.comSet the record straight, once and for all." by Peter Hess. June 6 …Read moreInverseBigfoot: Declassified FBI Docs Reveal Results of Forensic …6 Jun 2019 — Declassified FBI Documents Reveal the True Source of "Bi…

The deer-family identification also highlights a broader challenge in Bigfoot research. Hair samples found in forests are difficult to interpret without laboratory analysis because many mammals produce coarse, weathered or unusual-looking hairs. Visual inspection alone can be misleading. Formal testing exists precisely because apparent anomalies often prove to be familiar biological material.[ABC13 Houston]abc13.comfbi releases documents from 1977 bigfoot investigationABC13 HoustonFBI releases documents from Bigfoot investigation, finding…Jun 5, 2019 — The FBI investigated hair and skin in the 1970s…

As a result, the FBI hair case is frequently cited by sceptics as an example of why scientists remain unconvinced. The episode shows that when a notable Bigfoot specimen reached an accredited laboratory, the evidence pointed toward a known animal rather than an undiscovered primate. It remains one of the clearest instances in which a widely discussed Bigfoot-related sample received institutional examination and yielded an ordinary zoological explanation.[HISTORY+2FBI]history.comBigfoot Was Investigated by the FBIHere's What They Found6 Jun 2019 — The FBI released its four-decade-old file on Bigfoot including an analysis conducted on hair that alle…FBI Hair Test illustration 3

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Endnotes

1. Source: vault.fbi.gov
Link:https://vault.fbi.gov/bigfoot/Bigfoot%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29/at_download/file

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Information15 Dec 1976 — of hairs by the FBI Laboratory in connection with the. Bigfoot phenomenon… Sasquatch hair was analyzed by…</p>

2. Source: abc13.com
Title: fbi releases documents from 1977 bigfoot investigation
Link:https://abc13.com/post/fbi-releases-documents-from-1977-bigfoot-investigation/5332943/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>ABC13 HoustonFBI releases documents from Bigfoot investigation, finding…Jun 5, 2019 — The FBI investigated hair and skin in the 1970s…</p>

3. Source: history.com
Title: Bigfoot Was Investigated by the FBI
Link:https://www.history.com/articles/bigfoot-fbi-file-investigation-discovery

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Here's What They Found6 Jun 2019 — The FBI released its four-decade-old file on Bigfoot including an analysis conducted on hair that alle…</p>

4. Source: inverse.com
Link:https://www.inverse.com/article/56478-did-peter-byrne-really-find-[bigfoot-hair

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Bigfoot: Declassified FBI Docs Reveal Results of Forensic…6 Jun 2019 — Declassified FBI Documents Reveal the True Source of "Bi…</p>

5. Source: newsweek.com
Title: fbi bigfoot sasquatch evidence 1442403
Link:https://www.newsweek.com/fbi-bigfoot-sasquatch-evidence-1442403

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>records, and subsequently released by the FBI on Wednesday. bigfoot-sasquatch-hair-evidence. A clump of hair and skin obtained by monster…</p>

6. Source: vault.fbi.gov
Link:https://vault.fbi.gov/bigfoot/Bigfoot%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29/view

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Part 01 (Final)Bigfoot Part 01 (Final). Download PDF. — PDF document, 1590 kB (1628879 bytes). Document Viewer.Read more…</p>

7. Source: cbsnews.com
Title: fbi investigated bigfoot in the 1970s documents reveal
Link:https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/fbi-investigated-bigfoot-in-the-1970s-documents-reveal/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>CBS NewsFBI Investigated Bigfoot In The 1970s, Documents RevealJun 5, 2019 — The FBI analyzed a sample of alleged Bigfoot hairs in the 19…</p>

8. Source: avclub.com
Link:https://www.avclub.com/the-fbi-just-released-its-bigfoot-file-1835277774

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>AV ClubThe FBI just released its Bigfoot fileWhile the FBI denied having tested Bigfoot hair in the past, they were, as it turned out, mo…</p>

9. Source: livescience.com
Title: 65647 bigfoot fbi file
Link:https://www.livescience.com/65647-bigfoot-fbi-file.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>It contains a few news clippings, and some formal letters to and from a monster hunter in the…Read more…</p>

10. Source: abcnews.com
Link:https://abcnews.com/US/fbi-unveils-documents-related-1970s-bigfoot-investigation/story?id=63511477

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>FBI unveils documents related to 1970s Bigfoot investigationThe FBI made public 22 documents from it records archive on Wednesday, reveal…</p>

11. Source: popularmechanics.com
Title: Popular Mechanics FBI Released Bigfoot’s Official File
Link:https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a71064345/fbi-official-bigfoot-file-released/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Popular MechanicsFBI Released Bigfoot's Official File - Is Bigfoot Real?19 Apr 2026 — The FBI's FOIA Vault features a revealing 22-page B…</p>

12. Source: abc7news.com
Title: fbi releases documents from 1977 bigfoot investigation
Link:https://abc7news.com/post/fbi-releases-documents-from-1977-bigfoot-investigation/5332943/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>FBI releases documents from Bigfoot investigation, finding…5 Jun 2019 — Bigfoot hunters have long centered their search for the Sasqua…</p>

13. Source: abc7ny.com
Title: fbi releases documents from 1977 bigfoot investigation
Link:https://abc7ny.com/post/fbi-releases-documents-from-1977-bigfoot-investigation/5332943/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>FBI releases documents from Bigfoot investigation, finding…5 Jun 2019 — Bigfoot hunters have long centered their search for the Sasqua…</p>

14. Source: abc11.com
Title: fbi releases documents from 1977 bigfoot investigation
Link:https://abc11.com/post/fbi-releases-documents-from-1977-bigfoot-investigation/5332943/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>FBI releases documents from Bigfoot investigation, finding…5 Jun 2019 — Bigfoot hunters have long centered their search for the Sasqua…</p>

15. Source: cbsnews.com
Title: new documents reveal fbi investigated bigfoot in 1970s
Link:https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-documents-reveal-fbi-investigated-bigfoot-in-1970s/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>5 Jun 2019 — The FBI released documents Wednesday regarding a 1976 investigation into another hairy mythical creature: Bigfoot.Read more…</p>

16. Source: abc7chicago.com
Title: fbi releases documents from 1977 bigfoot investigation
Link:https://abc7chicago.com/post/fbi-releases-documents-from-1977-bigfoot-investigation/5332943/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>FBI releases documents from Bigfoot investigation, finding…Jun 5, 2019 — Bigfoot hunters have long centered their search for the Sasqu…</p>

Additional References

17. Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/bigfoot/comments/zv6um2/released_bigfoot_document_i_have_found_a_very/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>RELEASED BIGFOOT DOCUMENT: I have found a VERY…… analyzed hair that is believed to be a Sasquatch hair found by Peter Burns…. htt…</p>

18. Source: indiandefencereview.com
Title: scientists submitted bigfoot evidence fbi bureau tested results left no mystery
Link:https://indiandefencereview.com/scientists-submitted-bigfoot-evidence-fbi-bureau-tested-results-left-no-mystery/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Scientists Submitted “Bigfoot” Evidence to the FBI in 1977…22 Apr 2026 — Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, Yowie, Skunk Ape, or Yayal…</p>

19. Source: abc7news.com
Title: washington environmental atlas jay cochran jr peter byrne bigfoot sightings
Link:https://abc7news.com/washington-environmental-atlas-jay-cochran-jr-peter-byrne-bigfoot-sightings/5332943/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>ABC7 San FranciscoFBI releases documents from Bigfoot investigation, finding…5 Jun 2019 — Bigfoot hunters have long centered their sea…</p>

20. Source: washingtonpost.com
Title: he asked fbi analyze bigfoot hair years ago never heard back until now
Link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/06/06/he-asked-fbi-analyze-bigfoot-hair-years-ago-never-heard-back-until-now/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>He asked the FBI to analyze 'Bigfoot' hair 40 years ago and…6 Jun 2019 — He has traveled the world, written books and led research pro…</p>

21. Source: nypost.com
Title: fbi releases bigfoot files of brief probe into mythical creature
Link:https://nypost.com/2019/06/05/fbi-releases-bigfoot-files-of-brief-probe-into-mythical-creature/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>5 Jun 2019 — The feds closed out their Bigfoot investigation in 1977 once they traced the hairs to the “deer family” — but since then tha…</p>

22. Source: foxnews.com
Link:https://www.foxnews.com/science/fbi-releases-documents-on-bigfoot-examination-request

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Fox News'Bigfoot' hair samples turned out to be from deer, newly…Jun 6, 2019 — The hairs were examined in 1977 and determined to be of…</p>

23. Source: stamfordadvocate.com
Title: The FBI just released Bigfoot s official file 13949806
Link:https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/The-FBI-just-released-Bigfoot-s-official-file-13949806.php

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>The FBI just released Bigfoot's official fileJun 6, 2019 — “It was concluded as a result of these examinations that the hairs are of deer…</p>

24. Source: facebook.com
Title: The FBI has released their official file on Bigfoot
Link:https://www.facebook.com/DanJovicNbc6/posts/the-fbi-has-released-their-official-file-on-bigfoot-heres-the-link-if-youre-into/2467175273306882/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Here's…… Bigfoot including an analysis conducted on hair that allegedly belonged to the sasquatch. The results? Deer hair." "Legends…</p>

25. Source: thehauntedlibrarian.com
Title: 1976 hair sample not bigfoot but from deer family
Link:https://thehauntedlibrarian.com/2019/06/17/1976-hair-sample-not-bigfoot-but-from-deer-family/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Byrne believed the sample was from a Bigfoot creature. Testing was conducted with the results conclusive. The sample belonged to an anima…</p>

26. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/2822news/posts/recently-released-records-show-not-only-was-the-fbi-investigating-bigfoots-exist/2713487721999106/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>tures like Bigfoot (or Sasquatch). Deep within the FBI's…Read more…</p>

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