Same old, same old.
Throughout history many scientists have been outcasts from society because of their theories, some which proved out as true a century later. Where others sit and laugh, he is out DOING; looking for evidence to prove or disprove it. Isn't that what you call science?

I would like to see his plaster casts and hair analysis reports.
The fact they have been reported all around the world throughout generations, puts them in the unidentified flying object category (does this make it a UHO....unidentified hairy object?)

I met people from the backwoods of Florida who said they saw a skunk-ape in their long, long driveway one night. They said it barely paused in their headlights, that it's eyes were red and that it left a terrible smell in the air. If anything, could these sightings be some sort of dimensional intrusion into our reality....like ufo's, ghosts, etc..? Photos and eye witness accounts exist for those too.

And of course, there is the skepticism from the non-believers who make fun of the eye-witnesses. We have mystery here on this planet and there aren't cut and dried answers for everything. If there weren't, we'd positively be bored to death as a culture. There would be no legends. Several hundred years ago, wasn't the moon still made of cheese?
LOL