Bios : DR. PAUL WAGNER: An expert on the swamplands of southern Louisiana, Wetlands Ecologist, Dr. Paul Wagner, has dedicated over 30 years of his life to the study and preservation of the wildlife found in the Honey Island Swamp. A staunch believer in the existence of “Bigfoot type creatures” – a species which he actually claims to have encountered while on a camping trip in Wyoming – Wagner utilizes his vast knowledge of the indigenous flora and fauna of the region, combined with his crisp scientific acumen, in order to help illuminate the mystery surrounding the Honey Island Swamp Monster. “Every remote area seems to have myths and legends about some type of missing link, ape-like creature. There’s a whole branch of science called cryptozoology that investigates phenomenon like this.” GARY SLAYDEN: Gary Slayden is a native of Pearl River, Louisiana, who has spent the better part of his life hunting, trapping and trolling for catfish along the cavernous waterways and stump ridden mires of the Honey Island Swamp. A skeptic by nature, Slayden’s blue collar sensibilities and no-nonsense demeanor make him one of the most credible eyewitnesses ever to have had a face-to-face encounter this legendary “Beast of the Bayou.” “Its hair came down on the sides and it looked like its head was more or less sitting on its shoulders… It had every chance in the world to kill us, but it didn’t. It wasn’t violent in any kind of way.” JEFF ROGERS: Owner of the Cajun Encounters Swamp Tours, Captain Jeff Rogers is a self-proclaimed “doubter” when it comes to the existence of the Honey Island Swamp Monster… but even he has heard and seen things in the swamp that simply cannot be explained away. “I was out duck hunting by myself when I heard this rustling in the brush. It seemed to be a lot larger and made a lot more racket then any type of deer or wild boar or any other type of wild animal that we have out in this area. When I looked to the area it was coming from, I saw a dark shadow out there… I can honestly say that was the scariest experience I’ve ever had.” JAMES LAVIGNE: Having served as the Mayor of Pearl River, for the past 13 years, Mayor James Lavigne has heard scores of eyewitness reports from his constituents regarding the large predator, which reputedly dwells in their midst. Although he is a firm believer in this phenomenon, Lavigne claims that the citizens of Pearl River have nothing to fear from the Honey Island Swamp Monster. “I believe he exists, I sure do. There are some people who have seen this creature in the swamp, but I don’t know if they’ve attacked by him. If he was going to attack he would have done did it by now, I would think.” BEN AIKEN: Navy veteran and retired Coast Guard Quartermaster, Captain Ben Aiken has been navigating the waters of the Honey Island Swamp for years. In the seemingly endless hours during which he has delved into the depths of this primordial morass of cypress and tupelo trees, Aiken has heard countless legends of the swamp monster. Over time, Aiken has developed numerous theories regarding this animal's relationship with another mystery monster of the Deep South, the Florida Skunk Ape. “I do believe that the swamp monster and the Skunk Ape, as it’s called in Florida, are related... Whether people want to believe it or not, they can or they can’t, but I do know men who will not come out into the swamp at night.” HARLAN E. FORD: Former New Orleans Air traffic Controller, Harlan E. Ford is credited with what many believe to be the first "official" report of the Honey Island Swamp Monster. The report, which he made in 1974, came hot on the heels of his second sighting of this terrifying creature. What makes this encounter so incredible, however, is not the fact that Ford had seen the beast twice, but the plaster casts of monstrous, four-clawed footprints which he returned with. "It was like nothing I'd ever seen before. Ugly and sinister and looking like something out of a horror movie. It swung around and looked at us for a moment, then tore off into the swamp. I want you to know it scared the heck out of me!" DANA HOLYFIELD: Having authored the only complete book on the subject, author, journalist and photographer, Dana Holyfield, is perhaps the preeminent historian regarding accounts of this enigmatic entity. In her tome “Encounters with the Honey Island Swamp Monster,” Holyfield details her life-long fascination with this creature, which began at an early age when her grandfather, Harlan E. Ford, told her blood curdling tales of his own encounters with the beast. “He said what he remembered most was its eyes. It had big, amber colored eyes set real far apart and grayish fur on the body. Longer around the face. Its arms were real long.”