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Oklahoma state representative Justin Humphrey introduced a bill that would establish a hunting season for Bigfoot, a mythical ape-like creature that walks on two legs.
Under the proposed bill, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) would be in charge of organizing hunting dates, rules, licenses, and fees for the Bigfoot season. The bill would only allow people to trap Bigfoot. Humphrey also hopes to raise a $25,000 bounty to give to the first person to successfully capture the creature.
Humphrey said that he created the bill to help increase tourism in the state. He believes that having an actual Bigfoot hunting season could help get people to come to Oklahoma and enjoy its scenery.
Bigfoot is believed by some people to live in US forests. Common accounts say that the creature is often seen after sunset and can be lured with nutty bars and marbles. Over the years, numerous sightings of the cryptid have been reported in southern Oklahoma, which even has an annual festival in honor of the creature.
Reactions to the bill have been mixed. Humphrey said that after news of the proposal broke out, some people began requesting a hunting license because they wanted to frame it. However, others criticized the bill as silly and ridiculed Humphrey for proposing it.
In addition to these reactions, one netizen thought the bill was clever because it could give more funding for the ODWC, but the organization expressed uncertainty about the proposal. The ODWC emphasized that they use scientific research and do not recognize Bigfoot as an existing creature.