Beckjord became intrigued with the idea of Bigfoot after seeing an article in the newspaper about alleged sightings of the creature. On an expedition to see whether or not the story was true, he claimed he saw a Bigfoot cross the road in front of him from about 200 feet away. Though he later returned with his camera and was unable to find the creature, Beckjord was then convinced of its existence. He also purportedly saw Bigfoot standing 6 feet tall and walking in a "loose, limbo-dance style", and, at another time, eating apricots in an orchard around Vacaville, CA. He frequented a camp with other researchers, an alleged "window site" in the Bear River Reservoir area of Eldorado National Forest where he asserted that "evidence of Bigfoot is almost routinely seen." While he insisted that the exact location not be revealed to the public, Beckjord did agree to take skeptic Robert Sheaffer on a five-day expedition there in 1999. It was only after Sheaffer left the site, having seen nothing unusual, that Beckjord reported manifestations of Bigfoot.