Hey mythical beast hunters, this one is for you. Seriously, guys, we can't make this up. Apparently, Sasquatch, the legendary bigfoot-esque being that reportedly roams the Pacific Northwest and Canada is actually a lawfully protected species. That's right, if you snipe Sasquatch in one county in Washington state, you are on the hook for a $10,000 fine and up to five years in jail.
This unusual protection order dates all the way back to 1969, when officials and law enforcement in Skamania County, an idyllic slice of countryside bordering the Columbia River, saw an increase in gun-toting "Sasquatch hunters" wandering their woods. At first, the ordinance carried a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail, but with the rise of video cameras and more folks looking to get a first look at the shadowy forest creature, the county codified the measure in 1984. As a result, killing Sasquatch is now a felony that carries some serious jail time.
Sound strange? Well, historically Washington isn't alone. Actually, it's rumored that a mayor across the border in British Columbia had a similar ordinance in place as early as the 1800s. While that law doesn't appear on the books these days, maybe these guys are onto something. Live and let live, right?
