Hardeman County Bigfoot Community Studies the “Toone Goone”
Frank M. Torres, known affectionately as “Don Squatcho”, is the founder of the Hardeman County Bigfoot Community. The group was created in July of 2025 with the purpose of discussing, without ridicule, anything regarding “Bigfoot” in Hardeman County. The group currently has 350 members and recently held its first town hall meeting on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
As a result of the meeting, the group identified several “hot spots” of Bigfoot activity in Hardeman County. The group plans to meet again in the Spring of 2026 to develop plans of exploration of the hot spots, which include the areas surrounding the Hatchie River and Cloverport.
Mr. Torres recently created a new subgroup for the Hardeman County Bigfoot Community called The Hatchie Lofa Research Team.
“‘Lofa’ is a Chickasaw legend that mentions a big, smelly, hairy being,” Mr. Torres explained. “The goal of the HLRT is to conduct Bigfoot field investigations and historical research in Hardeman County.”
Mr. Torres shared four known sightings of Bigfoot in Hardeman County. The first sighting was in 1989 when a hunter came across a creature resembling Bigfoot, south of Middleton. And secondly, in the early 1990s, a young boy observed a creature while hiking on his grandfather’s land in the Grand Junction area. According to Mr. Torres, since the young boy did not know what Bigfoot was, he told his grandfather that he saw ‘Mighty Joe Young.’
“During this time as well, one of our member’s family witnessed a creature under a bridge near Toone, later to be called the ‘Toone Goone,;” shared Mr. Torres. “In July 2024, a friend of mine witnessed a creature, approximately eight feet tall, walk across Highway 100, just east of the Hatchie River. He was approximately 100 yards from it.”
The Hardeman County Bigfoot Community exists solely to be informed about the environment rather than to protect anyone from Bigfoot. When asked what one should do if they were to ever come in contact with Bigfoot, Mr. Torres advises that Bigfoot is just another primate that has yet to be fully accepted by the scientific community.
“If you encounter Bigfoot, stay calm and maintain a safe distance while observing the creature. Document the encounter with photos or videos, if possible, but avoid any aggressive behavior and respect its space,” said Mr. Torres.
Mr. Torres shared from Wikipedia a few common signs of Sasquatch Presence:
- Large footprints, often 15 to 24 inches long. Typically showing five toes and may have distinct features like dermal ridges.
- Strange structures: Look for unusual formations in the woods, such as bent trees or stacked branches
- Hair samples
- Strange whistles, whoops, yells, and wood knocks, etc.
- Elusiveness: Bigfoot is believed to be highly intelligent and avoids human contact
- Habitat preferences: Sasquatch is often found in remote, wooded areas rich in natural resources, such as rivers and forests.
If anyone would like to be informed about the efforts of the Hardeman County Bigfoot Community, you can request an invitation to join the group at fmtHCBC@gmail.com.
Author Hannah Thompson
As the assistant director of the Bolivar‑Hardeman County Library, Hannah has the privilege of sharing her love of stories with the Hardeman County community every day. She is excited to do the same as a member of the Hatchie Press team. When she is not working, you’ll likely find Hannah reading in the company of her sweet feline children, Galinda and Galileo.
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