The exhibition of “Bigfoot’s Remains” at the 2025 New York State Fair is a highly polarizing event. It stands as one of the most controversial in modern cryptozoology. The story of Charles “Snake” Stuart has long circulated in Adirondack lore. However, the 2025 event brought the controversy into the literal spotlight. It charged fairgoers $9.31 to see what Stuart claimed was “irrefutable biological proof.”
Here is the detailed breakdown of the specimen nicknamed “Dack” and the spectacle surrounding its public debut.
The 2024 Discovery of “Dack”
Stuart’s team issued a press release. It said the specimen was discovered in October 2024. It was found deep within a remote section of the Adirondack Mountains near Old Forge, New York. Stuart is a Saranac Lake native. He claimed to have spent 12 years perfecting a “stealth nesting” tracking method. Stuart reported finding the creature in a state of rapid decomposition.
He claimed to have performed an emergency field preservation. Later, he completed a full taxidermy to stabilize the remains for public viewing. The creature was nicknamed “Dack” as an homage to its Adirondack origins.
Physical Characteristics on Display
Those who visited the Horticulture Building at the State Fair (August 20 – September 1, 2025) encountered a specimen with the following reported features:
- Size: A massive frame standing approximately 8 feet tall.
- Build: Heavily muscled with a barrel chest and long, powerful arms.
- Hair: Thick, coarse brown fur covering the entire body, except for the face, palms, and soles of the feet.
- Facial Structure: A distinct “missing link” appearance, featuring a heavy brow ridge, a wide jaw, and a flat, human-like nose.
- Biological Samples: The exhibit also featured auxiliary “evidence.” It included alleged Bigfoot scat and hair samples. Stuart claimed these were collected from the site.
The “DNA Revelation”
The most sensational claim of the 2025 exhibit was the alleged DNA results. Stuart asserted that the specimen had undergone testing that revealed a “profound genetic nexus” between modern humans and Neanderthals. He marketed the body not as a mere “ape-man,” but as a relict hominid—a surviving branch of the human evolutionary tree.
The Scientific Pushback: This claim was immediately challenged. Reports surfaced that Stuart had cited Cornell University in his DNA claims. The university and prominent researchers, such as Matt Moneymaker (founder of the BFRO), vehemently denied these claims. They called the exhibit a “cheesy fake” and a “monetary scam.”
Reality Check: Art or Artifact?
Following the fair, investigative deep-dives by the cryptozoological community suggested a different origin for “Dack.”
Researchers made a link between “Charles Snake Stuart” and Brian Andrew Whiteley, a New York-based visual artist. Steve Kulls was one of the key researchers. Whiteley is known for elaborate performance art and high-quality prop work. Social media sleuths found photos of a very similar Bigfoot suit on Whiteley’s Instagram from 2015. Many concluded that the “Adirondack Bigfoot” was a meticulously crafted piece of art. It was designed to provoke a conversation about belief and biology.
The Aftermath
Despite the accusations of a hoax, the exhibit was a massive draw at the 2025 State Fair. Some fairgoers viewed it as a historical discovery. Others saw it as a high-level art installation. “Snake” Stuart succeeded in reigniting the “Bigfoot fever” that has haunted the North Woods for centuries.
To learn more about this discovery, visit the BIGFOOT’S REMAINS website by clicking HERE. To read my other Basement’s World of the Weird blogs, click HERE!