If you are an avid reader of sasquatch reports, then you have probably noticed that a significant number of sighting reports offer details and descriptions of the creature. One would think that the sighting distance would be directly related to the amount of detail given in a report, since it stands to reason that the closer the sighting, the more details visible. However, this is not always the case. For example, if you have a witness stating that the sighting took place at 100 yards, and they then described in detail the shape and curvature of the nose, then you would be wise to take pause and consider the validity of this report. There are three factors to take into account in analyzing the report: the visual capabilities of the witness, the lighting conditions at the time of the sighting and possible obstructions of their sightline.

I decided it would be interesting to test just how easy it is to obtain details in a sighting. For the purpose of this study, I decided to use the eyes as the focal point. I am not a scientist, nor am I a professional in a primate related field. The fact is that nobody can say with any authority what the actual size of a sasquatch eye may be. To give detail of an eyeball, you can consider size, shape and color.

In order to have a place to begin, I started by taking measurements of my own eyes. The height of my eye is 1 1/8 inches. The width is 1 3/16 inches. The iris measures 7/16 of an inch. The center to center of my own eyes is approximately 3 inches. My own vision is 20/20, as tested a few years ago.

The test took place on a slightly overcast day with 40-degree weather. It took place between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. There were no obstructions between the camera and the faux sasquatch I created for this test.

I chose to focus on eye color in this study. To add more variables to the study, I used four separate colors. Keep in mind that the iris of the eye and not the eye in its entirety contains coloration. The faux sasquatch had a black background, which caused the eyes to stand out quite well. This is somewhat consistent, as most reports describe the sasquatch as dark in color.

I decided to make the sasquatch eyes on my faux sasquatch slightly larger than my own. I created sasquatch eyes that measured 1 3/8 inches by 1-½ inches and posted them on my faux sasquatch. I set the eyes 5 inches apart from center to center and 6 inches down from the top of the faux sasquatch head. There is no measurable source for accuracy, so I used what seemed plausible in relation to my own eye measurements.

I then wanted to set the faux sasquatch at various distances and test my own ability to determine eye color. To share this experience with others, I carefully documented each step of the process by taking pictures at each distance. I began the test at 25 feet. I took one picture with the camera in normal setting. I then documented another picture with the camera set to 1.5 zoom. I repeated this process, increasingly lengthening the distance. The furthest distance I tested was 300 feet. Below is the first photo of my faux sasquatch at 25 feet with no zoom:

25 Feet with No Zoom (Zoomed photo did not turn out).
Courtesy Jim Flowers, SRI Associate.

What I found from this study is that even in the best of conditions, using eyes that are probably brighter and larger than that of an actual sasquatch, the eye color becomes hard to determine at around 75 yards. In addition, shadows and lighting conditions can make a huge difference in the visibility of detail. If you take into account that most sasquatch sightings take place in thick terrain and the creature is most often moving, then you begin to get a picture of the point I am trying to make.

When I got to a distance of 250 feet, or 83 yards, my own ability to distinguish the color of the eyes was difficult. Keep in mind that I had previous knowledge of what color eyes I had pasted on the cutout before moving out to the designated distance. Monitor clarity may affect how viewable these pictures are to you, but enjoy the pictures and see how well you do in determining the color of the eyes in each picture. If you’re feeling adventurous, get out in the yard and do a little experimenting yourself.