Positively Oklahoma: Bigfoot is scaring up tourism dollars for Oklahoma

>> VACATION SEASON IS IN FULL SWING AND THERE'S A PART OF, THE SOONER STATE SEEING A BIG INCREASE IN VISITORS. BROKEN BOW IN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA., RECENTLY RANK SECOND VRBO IS LIST OF FASTEST GROWING U.S., TRAVEL DESTINATIONS AS 2 NEWS,. OKLAHOMA ANCHOR JULIE CHEN. FOUND OUT SOME HAD THEIR TO, ENJOY LIFE OFF THE GRID AND, OTHERS ARE IN SEARCH OF A LEGIT., >> 200 MILES FROM TULSA SINCE. A CORNER OF OKLAHOMA WITH A BREATH TAKING VIEWS.. >> SPARKLING. >> AND A LEGEND., >> BELIEVED TO BE LURKING IN. THESE SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA IS, BIGFOOT, SO-CALLED STOMPING, GROUNDS JUST ASKED CHARLES BENSON., >> IS THERE A TOWN NATIVE IS A. LEGEND HIMSELF., >> HIS BRUSH WITH SASQUATCH, HAS BEEN FEATURED ON NATIONAL. TV SHOWS LIKE FINDING BIGFOOT., I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS A BAY, OR SOMETHING AND IT IS REAL. I, KNOW WHAT I CHARLES TELLS ME. HIS ENCOUNTER HAPPENED AROUND. 10 YEARS AGO., >> WHY WAS TURKEY HUNT AND THE. SUN AND ALREADY SAID, BUT IT. WAS STILL LIGHT OUTSIDE.. >> I WAS GETTING READY TO PACK. IT THAT'S WHEN HE SAYS HE HEARD BIG FOOT'S, , >> IT WAS SO LOUD LIKE A BILL, RACE AND ALL MY KIDS. ALSO. LOOKED AROUND AND THEN THAT'S, WHEN I SAW IT. AND CURRY DOWN. AT THE BOTTOM. WAS BEING OVER., LOOKING AWAY FROM ME. AND RICE. TO AND THEN JUST TURNED ITS,

TORSO AND LIKE THAT. I MEAN,, NO EYE CONTACT., >> AND WHAT HE SAW A LOOKING BACK, SCARED DARK. >> I GUESS REDDISH BROWN. BIG. FOREHEAD. >> DOLL., >> CONFIRM THAT. I WAS SAYING, WHAT I'VE AND THEN GO BAG ITS. TALES LIKE THAT THAT HAVE. TOURS TALKING SOMETHING LIKE. THAT COULD EASILY STILL, JIMMY LOVE ISN'T SO SURE IT'S BIGFOOT. I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE I HAVE TO SEE FOR MYSELF. TOURISM OFFICIALS CONFIRM THERE ARE MORE, UNOFFICIAL SIGHTINGS OF BIGFOOT HERE IN THE KERN. COUNTY THAN ANYWHERE ELSE IN. THE STATE. WHETHER YOU BELIEVE OR NOT, ONE THING IS FOR SURE.. BIGFOOT IS BIG BUSINESS HERE.. >> EVERYBODY COMES IN AND ASK ABOUT JANET CRASS AS RUN., JANET'S TREASURE CHEST IN. BROKEN BOW FOR OVER 20 YEARS.. THE CONSTANT GROWTH, A. SUPERSIZE SASQUATCH SITS. OUTSIDE JANET STORE INSIDE. THERE ARE 6 ROOMS STOCKED WITH. SOUVENIRS, INCLUDING OVER 1500, BIGFOOT ITEMS. WE GOOD HAIR.. WE HAVE BIG THE TOP. TEMPERATURE ANCHORS. WE HAVE. SHOT CLASSES. WE HAVE JUST ALL KINDS OF SOUVENIRS FOR, BIGFOOT., >> SHE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE, LEANING INTO THE LEGEND. YOU, CAN TAKE A SPIN. BIGFOOT. SPEEDWAY, GRAB SOME GARBETT. BIGFOOT T-SHIRTS AND THAT MOUNTAIN FORT BREWERY, YOU CAN EVEN ORDER SOMETHING CALLED A SQUASH BURGER. TOURISM. OFFICIALS SAY THE NUMBER OF

VISITORS HAS DOUBLED IN THIS. PART OF THE STATE OVER THE. LAST FEW YEARS. JANET SAYS IT'S NO WONDER WHERE THE HOME, OF THE FIRST BEEN STATE PARK, BROKEN BOW LIKE., >> SO WE HAVE RIVERS AND, STREAMS AND A BEAUTIFUL FORCE OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST. AND, WHILE MANY COME HERE TO ESCAPE, THE BIG CITY, THE MYSTERY IN, THESE MOUNTAINS AS A FUN TWIST, BY THE TIME THEY GO HOME, SOME. OF THEM EVEN COME BACK IN HERE AND SAY WE SAW BIG FOOT LAST NIGHT. WHETHER YOU BUY IN OR, NOT, ONE THING'S CLEAR. THE, LEGENDS ECONOMIC FOOTPRINT IS HARD TO MISS SOMETHING. CHARLES HOPES IS ALL HE SEES. FROM HERE ON OUT WHAT YOU WANT, TO SEE HIM I HAVE NO REALLY TIRED. THIS TEAM YOU KNOW, IN, BROKEN BOW, JULIE CHEN, 2, NEWS, OKLAHOMA. >> YOUR 2 NEWS, OKLAHOMA. WEATHER SPONSORED BY EXECUTIVE. HOMES. >> AND BY THE WAY, JULIE SAYS THERE IS AN ANNUAL BIGFOOT CONFERENCE AND FESTIVAL IN. SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA. YOU CAN FIND THAT ON KAYE TO REACH DOT. COM. YOU HAVE A FRIEND IS, SCOTT AND HE WAS ACTUALLY EXCITED TO WATCH A SPECIAL, TODAY'S BIG BELIEVER IN. BIGFOOT. I JUST, YOU KNOW, MORE THE SKEPTICAL I NEED TO. SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT, RIGHT?, YES, I CAN DO IN OUR STORY. EXACTLY. YES, WE'VE GOT CAMERAS AROUND ME AND WE KIND. BIG FOR YET ON VIDEO. I WANT TO GO THROUGH GET SHOT. HE HAD,