Did you know?: Why you shouldn't mess with Bigfoot in Washington state

Think twice if you're aiming to go hunt for, or just pester, Sasquatch around Washington. Some areas have laws against that.

Up in Whatcom County, the Council passed a resolution in 1992 that established the county as a Sasquatch protection and refuge area. Of course, resolutions are kind of like "happy thoughts" that councils like to pass. If the existence of Bigfoot is ever proved, then the county council might have to pass a more concrete ordinance.

That's what Skamania County has done. The county council there passed a law in 1969 that forbid any harming of a Sasquatch. Breaking this law could result in a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail. Just in case the first ordinance wasn't clear, Skamania amended the law in 1984. According to the original ordinance, Skamania County noticed a lot of Bigfoot hunters coming through the area, some with cameras and others with guns. The lack of any laws around this made locals nervous, and lawmakers felt it encouraged "the laxity in the use of firearms and other deadly devices."

Therefore, the Council passed a law that stated, "Any premeditated, willful and wanton slaying of any such creature shall be deemed a felony punishable by a fine not to exceed $10,000, and/or imprisonment in the county jail for a period not to exceed five years."

This Did You Know segment was originally published in the Dec. 7, 2022 Today So Far newsletter.