(Group) Western Bigfoot Society

The Western Bigfoot Society (later the International Bigfoot Society) is an organization founded by former bookstore owner/bigfoot enthusiast Ray Crowe in 1991. The organization came about as a result of Crowe being dropped off in the woods near Portland and finding a set of tracks. He decided to start a group which encompassed all the points of view on bigfoot, whether it involved the paranormal, a connection with UFOs, or other theories on these creatures.

Crowe published a newsletter, The Track Record, which included over 170 issues. His organization started in the basement of his bookstore in Portland, OR, but when he sold the store, the meetings were moved to Dad's Restaurant in Portland. Crowe's organization grew to several thousand members, not just in the U.S. but worldwide, hence the name change to the International Bigfoot Society. Crowe maintained an open-door policy for his organization and newsletter, and advised members and readers to "wear your skepticals." Crowe began holding Bigfoot Daze in the mid-'90's originally in Carson, Washington, but changed locations in recent years to be closer to his home in Oregon.

In August 2006 plans were being made to shut the organization down, due to poor newsletter membership, until controversial bigfooter Tom Biscardi offered to fund the newsletter and organization; Biscardi quit paying for The Track Record in July 2007 and the publication soon folded.

The newsletter was purchased by the North American Bigfoot Search and a cd of all the newsletters can be purchased from their site.

The Mid-America Bigfoot Research Center was able to save an archived version of the WBS/IBS website and is hosted on their forums.