East Texas Investigator Roy Details Multiple Bigfoot Encounters
Posted Thursday, August 06, 2026
By Squatchable.com staff
If you're a fan of Texas-based Bigfoot investigations, there's a fascinating interview that recently popped up on YouTube that's definitely worth your time. The Sasquatch Theory channel hosted a conversation with a researcher named Roy, who has spent years exploring some of the most active hotspots in East Texas, including the legendary Sam Houston National Forest.
Roy's journey into the world of Bigfoot research began back in 2008, and it's a story that starts with family. After his mother passed away, his cousin reached out to him about strange happenings at a deer lease in Plantersville. Rocks were being thrown, tree limbs were snapping, and his cousin was so spooked that he locked his son in the truck and grabbed his gun before hiding underneath the vehicle. When Roy finally made it out there after work, the two of them walked the pipeline that cuts through the property and discovered something incredible in the bottom of a ravine: a massive footprint pressed into the clay. Roy, who wears a size 11.5 or 12 boot, took comparison photos, and the print absolutely dwarfed his foot. At the time, he had some knowledge of Bigfoot but didn't immediately connect the dots. It wasn't until later that the pieces started falling into place.
The Sam Houston National Forest is one of those locations that keeps popping up in Bigfoot research circles. Located in Southeast Texas, it spans over 163,000 acres and features a mix of pine and hardwood forests, rolling terrain, and plenty of water sources. It's the kind of place that could easily sustain a large, reclusive creature, and researchers have been drawn to it for decades.
Around 2020, Roy connected with a friend named Shane Lee, who introduced him to TAPS, which stands for Texas Acknowledgement of Sasquatch and Preservation. This group is one of the more active research organizations in the state, and they regularly host big meets in Sam Houston. Roy attended one of these gatherings, though that particular year was quiet due to a harsh winter.
But 2021 was a different story. Roy ran into another researcher, Gabe Guerrero of South Texas Bigfoot Investigations, at another big meet. The two groups decided to split up and cover the Lone Star Trail from opposite ends. The trail runs roughly a mile or two through the forest, and Roy's group included his wife, his son, and his son's girlfriend. As they walked, Roy decided to hang back a bit, playing a card and thinking nothing was going to happen. That's when he heard something moving through the woods. Whatever it was, it spooked him enough to catch up with the rest of the group. Then it happened again, twice, something was being thrown or knocked over in the darkness.
As they neared the end of the trail, Gabe was using his thermal imaging device and announced he was seeing something. The group gathered around, and as the minutes passed, they could hear it getting closer. The sound was unmistakable, something big moving through the timber. Roy described an eerie feeling washing over the group as the nerves built up. In a moment of either bravery or instinct, Roy called out, "Chill out, big guy," and the thing stopped. Gabe caught it all on FLIR thermal, and the footage appears to show at least three figures, what Gabe described as two juveniles and a larger one. The next day, they returned to the area and realized the terrain was deceptive. The tall palmetto meadows sloped downhill toward water, which could explain why the figures looked smaller in the recording than they actually were.
The Lone Star Trail is a popular spot for hikers and equestrians, winding through some of the more scenic parts of the Sam Houston National Forest. It's the kind of remote, wooded area where you can easily imagine something staying hidden from view.
Roy also shared another wild experience from the pipeline further up in Sam Houston. He and Shane were walking together while their wives and Gabe held back. Suddenly, they heard whooping, and it sounded like singing. This was Roy's first time hearing whoops in person, and he frantically asked Shane if he was recording. Shane wasn't, and by the time they scrambled to start, everything had gone silent. It's a frustrating pattern that many researchers know all too well, the moment you reach for the camera, the activity stops.
The conversation also touched on Big Thicket, another Texas location with a growing reputation in Bigfoot circles. Roy and Shane have an area out there they visit regularly, and they've found plenty of promising sign, including twist trees. For those unfamiliar, twist trees are a fascinating phenomenon where young saplings or branches are bent, twisted, or broken in ways that don't occur naturally. Some researchers believe they serve as markers or directional indicators, possibly even communication between Bigfoot family groups. Native American traditions also reference bent trees as navigational aids in the wilderness.
While at Big Thicket, Roy decided to try something he'd seen another YouTube group do. They would leave gifts or food offerings and use a rock clack to announce their presence before walking away. The idea is to let any nearby Bigfoot know that humans are in the area, giving them the choice to approach or avoid. Roy and Shane performed the rock clack after finding sign in the area, and they got an immediate response: whoops. Both of them were in shock, but again, they weren't recording.
Rock clacking has become a popular technique among researchers in recent years. The theory is that since Bigfoot are believed to have opposable thumbs and manual dexterity, they can create distinct sounds by striking rocks together, something that wouldn't typically be done by other forest animals. Otters are known to break things on their chests, and raccoons don't really engage in that kind of behavior, so a deliberate rock clack suggests something with hands and intention behind it.
Roy also mentioned finding structures in the woods, including what he described as one of the biggest ones he's ever encountered, found during a week-long trip to the mountains of Oklahoma around Christmas. He didn't elaborate too much on that experience in this particular conversation, but it's clear there's more to that story.
Throughout the interview, Roy expressed a sentiment that resonates with so many researchers out there: it always seems like the most incredible moments happen when the camera isn't rolling. There's something almost intentional about the way these encounters unfold, as if the subject knows exactly when to show up and when to disappear.
If you're interested in Texas Bigfoot research, the Sam Houston National Forest, or just love hearing firsthand accounts from people who've had genuine experiences in the woods, this interview is a must-watch. Roy comes across as a genuine, down-to-earth guy who isn't trying to sell anything, just sharing what he's witnessed over the years.