The Unholy Podcast - Ep. 46 - Cryptids with Michael O'Connor

June 25, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In 1975, the Washington State Army Field Manual included Sasquatch as a known entity, and the FBI later acknowledged having a specimen that was subsequently lost. For Michael O'Connor, a veteran of dozens of Bigfoot expeditions and co-organizer of New Jersey's Cryptid and Paranormal Conference, that official acknowledgment is more compelling than any grainy footage. O'Connor began his journey in 2005 after reading convincing accounts from American Indian traditions and Theodore Roosevelt's The Wilderness Hunter, but what turned him from skeptic to hardcore believer was a 2014 encounter: driving home from a Judas Priest concert, he and his wife saw a legless figure standing in the middle of the road. When he accelerated through it, they felt nothing—just air. That experience reshaped his approach to all unexplained phenomena.

The flesh-and-blood Sasquatch

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

Listen to Audio Summary Open in App

Never miss an episode of Paranormal

Get every new episode summarized in your inbox — free, ~5 minutes to read.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

What you'll learn

1 (02:16) **Guest Introduction** - Welcome to Michael O'Connor and overview of his cryptid and paranormal work
2 (02:39) **Origin of Interest** - How books, Native American accounts, and 1975 Army Field Manual evidence sparked involvement in 2005
3 (04:58) **First Field Experiences** - 2005 New Hampshire trip and lessons on proper DNA collection methods
4 (06:49) **Personal Catalyst** - 2014 ghost sighting on Hamburg Turnpike that shifted focus toward investigations
5 (08:39) **BFRO Expeditions Explained** - Structure of multi-day BFRO trips including camping, night searches with red lights, and daytime scouting
6 (11:56) **Strongest Evidence Collected** - Recording of an unidentified howl and analysis plans
7 (13:55) **Jersey Devil Assessment** - View that the Jersey Devil is legend or paranormal rather than a cryptid

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Throughout history, reports of mysterious creatures have challenged conventional explanations. In this episode, Doug Owen welcomes cryptid researcher and investigator Michael O'Connor for a discussion on Bigfoot, the Jersey Devil, eyewitness encounters, and the ongoing search for evidence behind some of America's most enduring legends. Drawing from years of field experience, Michael shares stories from investigations, BFRO expeditions, and the challenges of separating folklore from genuine unexplained phenomena.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/paranormal-uk-radio-network--4541473/support.