Well, if the bigfoot watchers were really interested they'd ask the pioneer agricultural families. Some of them have been in Florida 200 years and would have family stories if such a creature ever existed. They are the ones who for generations were out and about in the forests, swamps and savahnahs of Florida.
It would be useful to know if the Seminole Indians talk about skunk-apes, they have lived in the Everglades about forever. They would know if anyone would.