Skamania County, Washington makes it illegal to kill Bigfoot

The Short Answer

TRUE! The hunting, killing, or harassment of Bigfoot (Sasquatch) and other undiscovered species within Skamania County is prohibited.

The Full Story

Skamania County sits in the heart of Pacific Northwest Bigfoot territory. In 1969, the county passed an ordinance making killing Bigfoot a felony.

The law was updated in 1984 to designate Bigfoot as an "endangered species" and reduce the penalty to a gross misdemeanor. The ordinance covers Bigfoot and any other "undiscovered species."

Is this serious? Sort of. It's partly a tourism gimmick, but it's also real legislation on the books. The county has embraced its Bigfoot heritage as part of its identity.

Common Misconceptions

While often cited as evidence that Skamania County "believes in Bigfoot," the original 1969 ordinance was partly a public safety measure to prevent armed hunters from roaming the woods shooting at shadows. The 1984 revision reclassified the offense from a felony to a misdemeanor and reframed Bigfoot as an endangered species. The law also serves as a tourism draw for the county.

Actual Legal Text

Skamania County Ordinance No. 1984-2: "The Sasquatch, Yeti, Bigfoot, or Giant Hairy Ape are declared to be endangered species of Skamania County and there is hereby created a Sasquatch Refuge, the boundaries of which shall be co-extensive with the boundaries of Skamania County." The ordinance makes the premeditated, willful, and wanton slaying of Sasquatch a criminal offense, punishable as a Gross Misdemeanor if with malice aforethought.