Cryptid Playing Cards
Cryptids of North America
The Batsquatch
The name comes from combining 'bat' and 'sasquatch'. This cryptid is famous in its region of the north-western US, and can be seen on a number of products in Oregon.
This cryptid is said to be around 9 feet (~2.75m) tall, and something akin to a winged primate. Descriptions vary a little, but generally it is said to have a primate-like body with blur fur, bird-like feet, and large leathery bat wings. Eyes have been described as glowing yellow or red, depending on the account. Varying accounts also differ on the face, usually describing it to be wolf-like, others bat-like. It stands and flies upright, in a bipedal posture similar to a human. It's presence is also said to disrupt motors.
There have been a number of sightings over the past few decades, but the initial sighting goes back to April of 1994.
Brian Canfield was driving home through the backwoods of Washington's Pierce County. His engine suddenly died and would not start back up. As he was about to take a look at the engine, something swooped across the headlights. The creature then landed on his hood; large, human-like, 9 ft tall, batlike wings, glowing red eyes, and blue fur.
From 1994 interview with The News Tribune in Tacoma:
“It was standing there staring at me, like it was resting, like it didn’t know what to think. I was scared, it raised the hair on me. I didn’t feel threatened. I just felt out of place. It’s looking right at me like in a deep stare, like right through me. It’s standing perfectly still. It stood for—how long?—a few minutes. Several minutes. Then its fingers twitched and its wings began to unfold. Those wings were as wide as the road. It turned its head and looked back at me and started flapping its wings. A few minutes later the truck just started. I took off as fast as I could.”
CR Roberts of The News Tribune, who interviewed Brain Canfield dubbed the creature the “Batsquatch,” due to the combination of bat features with the already popular legend of Sasquatch.
As the story spread, older accounts of strange encounters in the region, going back to 1980 were attributed to the Batsquatch. In 1980, Mount Saint Helens erupted. It was the most destructive volcanic activity in the continental US since 1915, dozens killed and hundreds displaced. It is believed that this eruption triggered the encounters with the Batsquatch.
Following the eruption, stories began to emerge of a strange winged beast seen flying around the eruption site. Witnesses described an apelike body with large, leathery wings and a pair of glowing red eyes.
Similar reports have also been attributed to the Batsquatch from California's dormant volcano, Mt. Shasta.
Cryptid Playing Cards
This cryptid is included in my Cryptids of North America Playing Cards. This is a limited run set of Playing Cards and my first crowd sourced project.
Future projects will follow, both around playing cards and around strange and unusual creatures. All design and production done in the US; designed by me in Texas, and printed in Florida.
Check out my Cryptids of North America Playing Cards >>