'Finding Bigfoot' season four first look

Countless television shows have proven that the supernatural sells, but so does the unknown. For three seasons now, Cliff Barackman, Ranae Holland, and their team have been looking for evidence of Bigfoot a.k.a. Sasquatch. In Finding Bigfoot, the team investigates tips it is given by embarking on adventures to try and prove that this species does indeed exist. But trying to prove something many believe to be the world’s most elaborate hoax isn’t an easy gig.

“Unfortunately when people think of Bigfoot, sometimes there’s a kneejerk response to the National Enquirer and that pop culture reference is back from the 70’s,” Holland said. “Whether you one hundred percent don’t believe Bigfoot’s real or you’ve seen a Bigfoot, each time you approach that subject, you really need to be as open‑minded as possible.  I still myself cannot wrap my head around to believe that there is an animal undiscovered.  I use the word ‘discovered’ loosely.  That we’ve been able to say tangibly, scientifically that there’s this animal out there.  However, there’s so much evidence.  You can’t just cynically write it off.  And that’s the point I want to make.”

That being said, the skepticism of others doesn’t affect Barackman’s passion for the cause. “I’m doing this because I love it and I think that they’re the most fascinating animals on the planet and I love learning about them.  And if I’m going to promote anything about Bigfoot, it’s gonna be that these things are there.  They’re intelligent.  They’re almost as smart as us in a lot of ways.  Probably smarter as far as woods wise‑ness, if that’s even a word.  They are there.  They deserve our respect and they deserve to be protected at all costs.  But luckily they’re protecting themselves really, really well right now.  So, I don’t need to do much about that one.”

But there is a distinct difference between hunting Bigfoot and finding Bigfoot. “One thing that we definitely want to point out is that we do not promote the hunting of Bigfoot,” Holland said. “We are researchers.  It’s a collecting of evidence.  And we don’t believe that we are going to physically put our hands on a Bigfoot.  But by finding Bigfoot, we want to collect evidence, whether that’s thermal.  Whether it’s photographic.  A video.  DNA tracks, which Cliff has talked about, which we believe, you know, there’s a possibly that we may have.  But at the end of the day, we don’t want anybody gathering firearms and going into the woods at night to hurt themselves or someone else for a Bigfoot.”

We’ve got an exclusive look at the premiere of season 4, which shows the team traveling to Arkansas, where The Legend of Boggy Creek was filmed more than 40 years ago. The town still reports Bigfoot activity in the woods, and when Cliff and Ranae go out to investigate, they’re struck by a knocking sound they hear nearby.

Watch the sneak peek below:

Finding Bigfoot returns Nov. 10 to Animal Planet.

— Reporting by Lynette Rice