Bigfoot in Florida
281 mapped reports in the TidyTuesday extract of the BFRO database (#3 of 49 states with reports). A row is a submitted report, not a confirmed animal.
One profile per state. 'stats' are computed from sightings_seed.csv (4,045 mapped BFRO reports, 1869-2021, from the TidyTuesday 2022-09-13 extract). These are mapped reports in that extract, not all reports ever made and not confirmed sightings. Class A = clear sighting, Class B = sound/tracks/obscured view, Class C = secondhand or less reliable (BFRO definitions). Festivals, creatures and museums are pulled from festivals.json, regional_creatures.json and research.json.
Mapped reports
- Class A (clear sighting report): 144
- Class B (sound, tracks, or an obscured view): 137
- Class C (secondhand): 0
- Years: 1947–2021. Since 2010: 78.
- Busiest decade: 2000s (100). Busiest month: November (33).
- Seasons: spring 55, summer 75, fall 91, winter 60.
- Counties with at least one mapped report: 58.
Top counties: Collier County (20); Marion County (18); Lake County (17); Clay County (16); Polk County (11).
Regional names
- Skunk Ape — regional Bigfoot-like cryptid
- Bardin Booger — local Bigfoot-like cryptid
Festivals
- Great Florida Bigfoot Conference · Ocala · 2026 edition was June 12-13 (6th annual); usually mid-June
Museums and landmarks
- Skunk Ape Research Headquarters - Ochopee, FL — Roadside stop and campground in the Everglades run by the Shealy family.