Justin Smeja Incident?

[Wooly Booger]

Greetings,

 

Quite a few years ago now, back in 2013 there was an account of an Oregon hunter by the name of Justin Smeja who allegedly shot and killed two Bigfoot. I remember this story big news in the Bigfoot community when it first became public but now it seems to have fallen by the wayside. 

 

The analysis I read sees to suggest that Smeja was an honest, albeit stupid and careless man who bungled the opportunity for finally proving the existence of these creatures by not bringing the remains back to civilization. 

 

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are? Is this a true account of a lucky yet careless hunter? Or is it a hoax?

Edited April 21, 2021 by Wooly Booger

[norseman]

17 minutes ago, Wooly Booger said:

Greetings,

 

Quite a few years ago now, back in 2013 there was an account of an Oregon hunter by the name of Justin Smeja who allegedly shot and killed two Bigfoot. I remember this story big news in the Bigfoot community when it first became public but now it seems to have fallen by the wayside. 

 

The analysis I read sees to suggest that Smeja was an honest, albeit stupid and careless man who bungled the opportunity for finally proving the existence of these creatures by not bringing the remains back to civilization. 

 

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are? Is this a true account of a lucky yet careless hunter? Or is it a hoax?

California and not Oregon.

 

The sample tested was a black bear.

 

Smeja is a real outdoorsman with a really cool story is all at this point. Although he did pass a lie detector test.

[Wooly Booger]

1 hour ago, norseman said:

California and not Oregon.

 

The sample tested was a black bear.

 

Smeja is a real outdoorsman with a really cool story is all at this point. Although he did pass a lie detector test.

Perhaps, but I have two objections with this. First, he passed a lie detector test. And second, I find it hard to believe that an experienced hunter could mistake a black bear for a Bigfoot. 

 

Something doesn't quite add up...

 

Do you happen to know where the sample was tested?

Edited April 21, 2021 by Wooly Booger

[JustCurious]

It was part of the batch that Dr. Brian Sykes tested.  Smeja was on the show Sykes did after the results came out.  The show was Bigfoot Files and was a 3-part series.

[norseman]

3 hours ago, Wooly Booger said:

Perhaps, but I have two objections with this. First, he passed a lie detector test. And second, I find it hard to believe that an experienced hunter could mistake a black bear for a Bigfoot. 

 

Something doesn't quite add up...

 

Do you happen to know where the sample was tested?

I don't believe it either. But DNA doesn't lie.

 

So he may have fabricated the story in the first place. As he has had run ins with the law before.

[norseman]

https://www.theunion.com/news/crime/justin-smeja-reality-tv-bigfoot-hunter-faces-charges-in-nevada-county/

[Wooly Booger]

5 minutes ago, norseman said:

I don't believe it either. But DNA doesn't lie.

 

So he may have fabricated the story in the first place. As he has had run ins with the law before.

While it is certainly possible, albeit difficult, for a liar to pass a lie detector test there is an alternative explanation. Though one that not all Bigfooters are willing to accept. The possibility of a government-scientific cover up. 

 

Government agents could have replaced the original hair samples with black bear samples. 

[BobbyO]

Wasn't there a little 'foggy' stuff going around about the Dr Sykes ?

 

I'm pretty sure i read some stuff a few years back that made me go 'hmmmmm' to his sincerity.

[norseman]

5 minutes ago, Wooly Booger said:

While it is certainly possible, albeit difficult, for a liar to pass a lie detector test there is an alternative explanation. Though one that not all Bigfooters are willing to accept. The possibility of a government-scientific cover up. 

 

Government agents could have replaced the original hair samples with black bear samples. 

Well maybe.

 

But Smeja was arrested and charged with perjury among other things such as poaching. So he may a very adept at lying. Even with LE breathing down his neck.

 

IF government agents are switching DNA samples? Then obviously DNA collection is a dead end road....

 

Which if Smeja is telling the truth? His story is that much more tragic. He had two bodies that could have proven their existence and instead they died for nothing....

[MarkGlasgow]

14 minutes ago, norseman said:

I don't believe it either. But DNA doesn't lie.

 

So he may have fabricated the story in the first place. As he has had run ins with the law before.

Now if I remember correctly didn't he go back to the site weeks after the alleged shooting and found a few chunks of flesh? Sneja couldn't vouch that the samples were Sasquatch. 

 

There are some elements of the story I find interesting. I remember Bart Cutino saying that he would secretly listen in to conversation between Smeja and his wife to try and catch him out. Anything he heard just validated his original story.

[norseman]

2 minutes ago, MarkGlasgow said:

Now if I remember correctly didn't he go back to the site weeks after the alleged shooting and found a few chunks of flesh? Sneja couldn't vouch that the samples were Sasquatch. 

 

There are some elements of the story I find interesting. I remember Bart Cutino saying that he would secretly listen in to conversation between Smeja and his wife to try and catch him out. Anything he heard just validated his original story.

I thought Meldrum and crew went it with him the following spring. And thats when they collected the samples.

[MarkGlasgow]

6 minutes ago, norseman said:

I thought Meldrum and crew went it with him the following spring. And thats when they collected the samples.

Could be. He had mentioned on hunting site and it took Ken Walker a while to get him to agree to meeting up with anyone. So yeah the samples would have been collected much later.

 

Was there supposed to be BF blood on his boots too? Did they test those too. Been so long since I've watched it. Bigfoot Files right? 

 

Also did Cutino film his FLIR footage near the 'kill site'? His analysis of the footage was pretty excellent if I remember. 

[Arvedis]

I don't think he was lying about the story. If he was, he would just have given up like Rick Dyer did when it became obvious there was no way out of the lie. The problem was Smeja's evidence got away. The steak recovered was bear, not what he shot.

 

There are numerous inconsistencies with the story. Plenty of documentaries and rehashing. There is at least 1 mega thread from the time period this took place, on this board with members mostly inactive. It's been talked to death. Smeja changes small details every time he talks about it. I'm not sure how to explain it. It's memory, it's whatever else. He's an odd guy but if he was hoaxing for money or recognition, he hasn't done anything to reveal that. He's only put himself in situations where he could he burned, like Sykes and his BBC friends did to him. They flew all the way from jolly england to sac, ca to tell Smeja he was a hoaxer. Wouldn't be the first time the BBC has wasted their time for no gain.

 

Anyway, no clear answers to be found here. The 2nd witness, Smeja's pal who saw everything he did, has flown the coop, unwilling to be part of the circus. Smeja is no angel but I don't think he has the imagination or even the slightest interest in Bigfoot to want to make up a story with this level of detail.

 

If he was poaching, why would he call attention to himself at all? Doesn't add up.

 

[norseman]

2 minutes ago, Arvedis said:

I don't think he was lying about the story. If he was, he would just have given up like Rick Dyer did when it became obvious there was no way out of the lie. The problem was Smeja's evidence got away. The steak recovered was bear, not what he shot.

 

There are numerous inconsistencies with the story. Plenty of documentaries and rehashing. There is at least 1 mega thread from the time period this took place, on this board with members mostly inactive. It's been talked to death. Smeja changes small details every time he talks about it. I'm not sure how to explain it. It's memory, it's whatever else. He's an odd guy but if he was hoaxing for money or recognition, he hasn't done anything to reveal that. He's only put himself in situations where he could he burned, like Sykes and his BBC friends did to him. They flew all the way from jolly england to sac, ca to tell Smeja he was a hoaxer. Wouldn't be the first time the BBC has wasted their time for no gain.

 

Anyway, no clear answers to be found here. The 2nd witness, Smeja's pal who saw everything he did, has flown the coop, unwilling to be part of the circus. Smeja is no angel but I don't think he has the imagination or even the slightest interest in Bigfoot to want to make up a story with this level of detail.

 

If he was poaching, why would he call attention to himself at all? Doesn't add up.

 

What are the chances there is a dead bear in the exact spot Smeja leads Meldrum and crew into the woods to his Bigfoot kill? I’ve found one dead bear in the woods in my 50 years.... It’s much more likely Smeja poached a bear and not a Sasquatch or two.
 

Nothing makes any sense in what Smeja did IF he was legitimately trying to prove Sasquatch real.

 

You want to make a name for yourself. You shoot a bear. Tell everyone it’s Bigfoot. And then let the Bear carcass get destroyed by scavengers and mother winter. You then lead a team in the following year to collect a sample. A sample you hope will be too degraded to be conclusive, which sort of vindicates you. You pass a lie detector test. And that vindicates you further. And then the DNA sample comes back as a black bear..... whoops. It all comes crashing down in flames.

[Wooly Booger]

48 minutes ago, MarkGlasgow said:

Now if I remember correctly didn't he go back to the site weeks after the alleged shooting and found a few chunks of flesh? Sneja couldn't vouch that the samples were Sasquatch. 

 

There are some elements of the story I find interesting. I remember Bart Cutino saying that he would secretly listen in to conversation between Smeja and his wife to try and catch him out. Anything he heard just validated his original story.

Well that makes some sense now...

 

He feasibly could have accidentally retrieved samples of black bear flesh. I find it hard to believe an experienced hunter would mistake a black bear for a bipedal primate. 

7 minutes ago, norseman said:

What are the chances there is a dead bear in the exact spot Smeja leads Meldrum and crew into the woods to his Bigfoot kill? I’ve found one dead bear in the woods in my 50 years.... It’s much more likely Smeja poached a bear and not a Sasquatch or two.
 

Nothing makes any sense in what Smeja did IF he was legitimately trying to prove Sasquatch real.

 

You want to make a name for yourself. You shoot a bear. Tell everyone it’s Bigfoot. And then let the Bear carcass get destroyed by scavengers and mother winter. You then lead a team in the following year to collect a sample. A sample you hope will be too degraded to be conclusive, which sort of vindicates you. You pass a lie detector test. And that vindicates you further. And then the DNA sample comes back as a black bear..... whoops. It all comes crashing down in flames.

But there remains the question of the lie detector.