BIGFOOT ON ICE.......IN CANADA???

Persistent rumors that the RCMP have a Sasquatch on ice at their headquarters appear to be unsubstantiated as presented in the below article:

RCMP deny Sasquatch capture



What will those crazy canucks think of next?!

Bigfoot: Nothing like a bear

I located an excellent article on undiscovered creatures, specifically Bigfoot. Here's an excerpt which we've heard and read several times over the years:

"There are many other highly recognized experts who also agree on the possible existence of a large, nocturnal hominid creature existing today on the fringes of the so-called real world. Few academics will openly discuss the subject or support the premise, not because of the evidence, which is substantial, but because of fear of ridicule by those ignorant of the weight and substance of the facts."

Here's the link to the complete article, enjoy:

Bigfoot: Nothing like a bear

Ask a Scientist: BIGFOOT.........So much for Objectivity

My vote for most useless gathering of 2009 (I know it's kind of early to have a winner) is the "Ask a Scientist" pow-wow in San Francisco, the city of morals!
Here's a biography of the esteemed Berkley based "Scientist" Eugenie C. Scott:

Dr. Eugenie C. Scott, a former college professor, is Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, Inc., a not for profit membership organization in Oakland, CA, of scientists, teachers, and others that works to improve the teaching of evolution, and of science as a way of knowing. It opposes the advocacy of "scientific" creationism and other religiously-based views in science classes. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS), and the advisory counsels of several church and state separation organizations. She has held elective offices in the American Anthropological Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Scott is the current president of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, for which she has also been Secretary-Treasurer. Honors include the Bruce Alberts Award of the American Society for Cell Biology, the Isaac Asimov Science Award from the American Humanist Association, the First Amendment Award from the Playboy Foundation, the James Randi Award from the Skeptic Society, and the Distinguished Alumna Award from the University of Missouri College of Arts and Sciences.


Sounds like a delight, doesn't she? Here's a tip for the good "Dr.": Since the money you EARN has the "religious-based" inscription IN GOD WE TRUST, please promptly return it so that it can be distributed to those who appreciate the moral and ethical benefits that believing in a supreme being offer.

"Dr." Scott, Let me introduce you to a friend of mine:

Once a rattlesnake bit Chuck's leg. After five days of excruciating pain, the snake died........

Let's talk Bigfoot interview with Paulides and Pratt

"Let's talk Bigfoot", a lively little internet broadcast hosted by Teresa Hall and Kathy Strain (AIBR), aired an interview with David Paulides and Harvey Pratt on Dec. 17, 2008.

I've included it below and it's the perfect companion to the Hoopa Project book. Go to the past episodes button on the widget player and select (click the arrow twice) "David Paulides and Harvey Pratt interview". It's an inside look into their research process for the book. Enjoy and as always your comments are welcomed.

The HOOPA Project....A Book Review

Over the years, I have managed to read most of the "Standard" Bigfoot books written by all of the usual "experts" in this field of endeavor. All of the movies, TV shows, documentaries, etc......Yes, I've seen them all, more than a few times.

Last week, I asked myself if there was really a reason that I should purchase yet another Bigfoot book and one which is being touted as one of the best books on this topic written in 2008. I went to the NABS website and started reading. I had a question about one of the articles and sent an email to the organization. I received a very polite and direct response back in less than 20 minutes. Needless to say I bought the book immediately, simply based on this type of "customer service".

I must admit that I had serious credibility issues when I discovered that most of the sightings and incident reports were made by members of the local Native American Indian Tribes in the target area. I thought of all the mythological and spiritual rituals that I have come to believe, not without the help of television, about Native American Tribes in general. HOWEVER, the author reportedly has 30+ years of Law Enforcement and Investigation experience--That is a FIRST!

The book arrived three days ago and I spent every spare moment I could find reading through it.

The author, David Paulides, begins with a brief introduction explaining his endoctrination into the Bigfoot mystery from a young age. Then he moves into the topic of Government acknowledgement, whereby he is intent on locating official government documentation about Bigfoot, and he finds it. There is a protracted section on climate conditions, elevation and charts including previous sightings information from various sources, etc...
(NOTE: Those of you without the patience for this type of technical information may find this section, which spans approx. 16 pages, mind numbing. DO NOT SKIP OVER IT because you will miss valuable information that will put you on the road to understanding the preferred habitat of these creatures in Northern California.)
After extensive research and planning, Paulides finally settles on the location in the Hoopa Valley region of Northern California(The Hoopa Indian Reservation).

After a few introductions and initial queries into local sightings and incidents, the "meat and potatoes" of the reports are presented. The reader is guided through the various investigations, interviews, narration on the landscape and locations of the incidents, which you soon see are concentrated in key areas.
As I began to read the reports, a strange thing happened. All of my misconceptions about Native American mysticism and "Hocus Pocus" disappeared and I mean COMPLETELY! The interviews were logically documented in classic "Police report" format--very straightforward and factual. No opinions interjected, just the facts as they were provided by the witnesses to Paulides. There are photos of most of the witnesses and the incident/sighting locations and we see that these are normal folks that have had incredible encounters and weren't looking to promote or even mention them to "outsiders".
Paulides has even added the accountability factor by requiring the witnesses to sign an affidavit attesting that there sightings/incident reports are factual. How enforceable this type of document would be under Indian law is beyond my scope of expertise and is not really relevant when your are confronted with the quality and quantity of information in this book.

Paulides enlisted the assistance of forensic sketch artist Harvey Pratt, who met with a majority of the witnesses and sketched the creature that each reports to have
seen. The sketches were close-hold information and no witnesses were allowed to see the other's sketches. I found this to be an excellent way to maintain the integrity of the project. If your are like me and have been force-fed all of the banter and theories about Bigfoot being some sort of giant primate, you are in for a surprise when you see the sketches and read the reports.

My issues with the book are few:
I would like to have seen larger charts, full page preferrably.
Same with some of the B/W photos. I think they would have reproduced better.
Due to the remote location of alot of the witnesses, I felt that Paulides could have briefly addressed how each witness communicates with others in general, i.e. telephones, CBs, shortwave radios, during emergencies.


As I said in the beginning, this book is touted as one of the best Bigfoot books to come out in 2008. I'll see that and raise you one. It is, without a doubt, one of the best books EVER written on the subject of Bigfoot! If you don't have it--GET IT!
It will change the way you view this creature and challenge everything you thought you knew.

**UPDATE**

After I posted this review, I sent an email to NABS letting them know how much I enjoyed the

book and that I was posting a review on my blog. I received the following response:

"Ty,

A sincere thank you for thoroughly reading the book. I understand that everyone has different tastes in writing style and have never objected to critique as long as the book is thoroughly read, thanks.

Your comments about the size of various graphs and charts is fair and something that I've spoken to the editor about.

Our next book will be out 6/1 (hopefully), it's at the editor now.

Thanks for posting the review, much appreciated.

David Paulides

North America Bigfoot Search

Executive Director

"Belief is not an excuse for critical thinking."

This level of professionalism and sincerety appears to be indicative of the organization, from top to bottom and Folks let me tell, they've set the bar pretty high!

Meet QUATCHI......

"Quatchi" is one of the mascots for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. I started looking over all of the cartoonie, clearly geared towards the kids promo information on the Olympic mascots site. What can I say, It's cheesy, childish and I can't stop smiling.............



Quatchi is a young sasquatch who comes from the mysterious forests of Canada. Quatchi is shy, but loves to explore new places and meet new friends.

Although Quatchi loves all winter sports, he’s especially fond of hockey. He dreams of becoming a world-famous goalie. Because of his large size, he can be a little clumsy. But no one can question his passion. He knows that if he works hard and always does his best, he might one day achieve his dream. Quatchi is always encouraging his friends to join him on journeys across Canada. He is also often recruiting others to play hockey – or at least to take shots at him!

The sasquatch is a popular figure in local native legends of the Pacific West Coast. The sasquatch reminds us of the mystery and wonder that exist in the natural world, igniting our imagination about the possibility of undiscovered creatures in the great Canadian wilderness.

Bigfoot, Kentucky and Pancakes........

There's been somewhat of a resurgence lately on inquiries about the Kentucky Pancake-eatin' Bigfoot incident. I encourage anyone interested in this topic to check DBD's blogsquatcher for up close and personal information which is outstanding. I also added the BFF thread on this topic which has a still frame or two of this alleged incident.
Here are the pertinent links:

ORV (part 1)

ORV (part 2)

ORV (part 3)

BFF Info on this topic

I'll offer this opinion. I sincerely hope that any further footage of this video is more compelling than the stills provided. I'm not encouraged by what I have seen and read so far, but I will remain objective. As usual, your opinions are always welcomed.

Sasquatch Watch Radio's Guest "Erick" of Georgia

Sorry that I haven't been posting much lately folks, but work's been a bear.

I tuned in to Billy Willard and DBD's show on 12/29/08 to listen to their interview with a guy named "Erick" from Georgia. Well, since I'm in Georgia it naturally peaked my curiosity. Let me briefly summarize some of the interview as I heard it:
"Erick" moved here from South Dade County Florida, where he allegedly had his first encounter. It went something like he and a friend were playing "ninja" stealth games near a strip mall when he heard something...etc...and makes reference to it possibly being a BF. This supposedly occured in 1992 or 1994 and I don't know if it was ever reported but could find no record of it at the BFRO database.

Fast forward, He moves to Georgia (specifically the Plunketts Rd area in Buford, Georgia--see the map link below) and at some point in August of 1999, has another encounter involving "very loud deep shrieks". This incident was apparently reported to the BFRO but not until March 01, 2007? A week or so after this alleged incident, he claims to have had a sighting of what he thought was a guy in a Ghillie suit (A Sniper's field garb, look it up) and later decided it was probably a BF. I found no follow up anywhere about THIS incident. Apparently, he decided just to include this bit of information on the radio program.
For Billy and DBD's part, they did a good job of just letting this chap talk away and sometimes it's best to let folks do just that, because it's a picture into their thought process. I didn't buy a minute of this guy's stories but I'll let you folks decide for yourselves. No photos or any other supporting evidence that any of this ever occured. He even admits that his wife didn't believe him.
This is just a rapid review of the interview and you really should listen to the tales he tells.

If I had one suggestion to make to the good folks at Sasquatch Watch Radio, it would be to consistently give the listeners a back story on their guests. Quite frankly, I don't know anything about this guy "Erick" making these claims, other than the fact that he works as a metal fabricator.
I've included a map of the area and the corresponding BFRO report links:

BFRO Report

MAP of the Area

ENJOY THE SHOW:

Primate rediscovered in Indonesia

Further proof that we don't know everything about every creature that inhabits or has inhabited this earth. Stories like this serve to fuel the search for Bigfoot and rightfully so:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – On a misty mountaintop on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, scientists for the first time in more than eight decades have observed a living pygmy tarsier, one of the planet's smallest and rarest primates.
Over a two-month period, the scientists used nets to trap three furry, mouse-sized pygmy tarsiers -- two males and one female -- on Mt. Rore Katimbo in Lore Lindu National Park in central Sulawesi, the researchers said on Tuesday.
They spotted a fourth one that got away.
The tarsiers, which some scientists believed were extinct, may not have been overly thrilled to be found. One of them chomped Sharon Gursky-Doyen, a Texas A&M University professor of anthropology who took part in the expedition.
"I'm the only person in the world to ever be bitten by a pygmy tarsier," Gursky-Doyen said in a telephone interview.
"My assistant was trying to hold him still while I was attaching a radio collar around its neck. It's very hard to hold them because they can turn their heads around 180 degrees. As I'm trying to close the radio collar, he turned his head and nipped my finger. And I yanked it and I was bleeding."
The collars were being attached so the tarsiers' movements could be tracked.
Tarsiers are unusual primates -- the mammalian group that includes lemurs, monkeys, apes and people. The handful of tarsier species live on various Asian islands.
As their name indicates, pygmy tarsiers are small -- weighing about 2 ounces (50 grammes). They have large eyes and large ears, and they have been described as looking a bit like one of the creatures in the 1984 Hollywood movie "Gremlins."
They are nocturnal insectivores and are unusual among primates in that they have claws rather than finger nails.
They had not been seen alive by scientists since 1921. In 2000, Indonesian scientists who were trapping rats in the Sulawesi highlands accidentally trapped and killed a pygmy tarsier.
"Until that time, everyone really didn't believe that they existed because people had been going out looking for them for decades and nobody had seen them or heard them," Gursky-Doyen said.
Her group observed the first live pygmy tarsier in August at an elevation of about 6,900 feet.
"Everything was covered in moss and the clouds are right at the top of that mountain. It's always very, very foggy, very, very dense. It's cold up there. When you're one degree from the equator, you expect to be hot. You don't expect to be shivering most of the time. That's what we were doing," she said.

MonsterQuest Sunday Sept. 28, 2008 10:00 PM

MonsterQuest : Sasquatch Attack?

Airs on Sunday September 28 10:00 PM

Does Canada have its own Bigfoot? Owners of a fly-in fishing cabin report attacks by an unknown creature. Can DNA tests on blood and tissue from the alleged beast reveal its true identity? The test results will surprise you. One-part history, one-part science and one part monster, discover the truth behind these beasts and take a scientific look at legendary creatures around the world. The best evidence available will be examined, from pictures and video, to hair and bones. Scientists will be brought in to tell viewers what the evidence reveals. Ultimately the evidence will reveal the truth....or in some cases continue the mystery.

I'll be watching this show and wondering WHAT DID THEY COMPARE THIS EVIDENCE TO?
I don't really expect to be surprised by the results but I haven't seen this episode yet so I'll reserve any in-depth comments until afterwards. At the very least, it should be entertaining.

**UPDATE**

After watching this episode, I realized that I have seen it before. I've included the most important video clip of the show at the end of this post, the part dealing with the DNA testing.

I found it interesting that Nelson was able to extract DNA showing mostly human but part Chimpanzee and made the statement that there is a 1 in 5000 chance that this sample came from a Human. I can't help but wonder if there may have been some cross contamination of the sample because of the way it was collected- a plastic knife held by Meldrum's bare hand...........but Where would the CHIMP come into the equation?

The entire show is available on youtube in segments. You be the judge:

Ohio Grassman on MonsterQuest

Excellent MonsterQuest episode on the Ohio Grassman and Don Keating's operation:

Two Bigfoot Research Organizations "Kick it Up a Knotch"

In almost every field of research there are those that simply poke along and are content to follow the path that has been carved out for them by their predecessors.

Then there are those who make their own path...............

Two such commited organizations are the TBRC (Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy) and the VBRO (Virginia Bigfoot Research Organization).

Since 2006, The TBRC have been operating a long term remote camera trap operation, called Operation Forest Vigil. I am personally not an advocate of these trail cam setups, however this organization seems to be commited to following through with a PLAN and that is the "Meat and Potatoes" of every successful endeavor. I wish them all the best and I encourage everyone to check out their site and the wealth of information included. I'm willing to bet you'll never see these guys posting a "Blobsquatch"!


In 1995, William Dranginis (VBRO) had a sighting of a Bigfoot Creature while metal detecting with friends in the forests near Culpeper Virginia and has since then dedicated his free time and efforts to capturing video and or audio evidence as proof of the creatures existence. Since that time he has purchased a 24 foot mobile veterinary unit and converted it into the worlds only Bigfoot Research Lab. Bill spent over $50,000 to outfit the vehicle with state-of-the-art gear, most of it custom built. He mounted a Raytheon NightSight 200 thermal camera on a 25-foot-tall crank up mast that could detect an animal in the dark 800 yards away. The vehicle also had two night-vision scopes, a surface-to-aircraft radio, and TV monitors that can combine images from roof-mounted video cams into one 360-degree view, or receive feeds from remote cams in the woods.

Bill sold the Bigfoot Research vehicle to purchase a more permanent Bigfoot research station in the hills of West Virginia. Bill is a highly respected researcher in the field and will be discussing his latest creation, the "EyeGotcha" Digital Video surveillance system. This system is virtually sound proof and can be deployed in the forests for long periods of time. The camera captures full motion video and audio that can be uploaded to a computer for later analysis.

I encourage everyone to visit Bill's site and to check back for updates to his on going operations and innovative technological advances in detection gear.

Organizations like these two are the "Cream of the Crop" because of the level of commitment, persistance and the character of the individuals involved.

Your comments are always welcomed and if you know of any other groups that are striving for excellence in Bigfoot Research then please let us know.

2008 East Coast Bigfoot Conference

The Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society is hosting the 2008 East Coast Bigfoot conference this Saturday (Sept. 27, 2008).
Reserved seats are sold out but General Admission is still available.
Just follow this link for further information:

BFRO Investigator obtains first thermal footage (very brief) outside Phillips

Let me preface this post by letting you know ahead of time, that this supposed "thermal image" of the "big hairy one" has pretty much been diffused by the bright folks over at the BFF, however you can read the full report here at the BFRO site.



My opinion?

A "Thermo-Blobsquatch" is of no more use than a "Blob-squatch"............NEXT!

SasquatchWatch Radio

I'm posting these two back-to-back, due to my being out of town. Give these two shows a listen, they are great. Don Keating and Luke Gross (from the Northeast Texas Bigfoot Research) are the guests. Billy and DBD continue to put forth a relevant and informative show.

Don Keating:



Luke Gross:

Patterson-Gimlin Film...........41 years later

October 20, 2008 will be Forty One Years since the historic PGF was taken. I say "historic" because even in the face of all the hoaxes, blobsquatches and Ray Wallace types, No one has been able to recreate or even convincingly explain "How" what is seen on this film was achieved, if it was a hoax.

http://www.rfthomas.clara.net/bf_pgfilm.html

By today's standards, with all of the CGI programs and artists available, that's still an astounding feat.

Science takes a cold, no nonsence and in most cases an unfortunetly pessimistic approach to the subject of Bigfoot. We, as layman, should not blame these scientists because they are correct in their conclusion that this species cannot and will not be legitimized as such without a specimen, i.e. Body, corpse, etc...

What is needed?

MONEY!

Our mission, as a community of researchers and layman, must be to secure financial backing for prolonged field research. We need to do more in exploring Government Grant opportunities.

In order to do that, we need to have tangible "standards" such as data collection and networking for the sake of information exchange. Quite honestly, I have seen little to none of this.

In my opinion this is where the REAL focus should be. Not on some, well meaning weekend camping trip(s).

We can post all of the Camera traps we want, take all the video and photos and footprint casts we want, but to what end? Do we believe that this will somehow PROVE this creature's existence to a skeptical world?

Absolutely not!

Benjamin Radford "explains" The Top Ten Reasons Bigfoot's a Bust

While perusing my fellow blogger in arms' (psychic bigfoot) site, I found this little tidbit from Radford. I'll have a crack at some excerpts of his thoughts, mine will be in BLUE:

Ten Reasons Why Bigfoot's a Bust:

1.) The Empty Fossil Record:

First on his list: the fossil record. Why, he asked, would a legacy of large mammals reported to exist throughout North America (and beyond) simply disappear from the same soil that has preserved everything from the dinosaur bones pictured here, to wooly mammoths, to tiny marine crustaceans?

"There's no fossil record of anything fitting the description" of Bigfoot, said Radford. "There's simply nothing there."

He makes an excellent observation here, however I would prefer more objectivity and critical thinking because WE don't know everything and have yet to discover Everything:

American Primate Fossil

Can you see what I mean? Yea, It's an ancient monkey and not a Bigfoot, but did SCIENCE know this primate existed in N. America until just recently?

2.) Forget Fossils, Where Are the Bodies?

Putting aside paleontology, Radford points out that today, if Bigfoot exists, it must disappear when it dies. "There's no hard evidence in the form of bones. There are no hair samples, there are no live or dead specimens," he said.

Bigfoot believers argue that the soil in areas where the creatures live -- such as the region surrounding Bellingham, Wash., seen here -- is acidic and quickly breaks down the bones. Nonsense, says Radford: "There's nothing to that, because Bigfoot has been reported in every state but Hawaii."

Very valid argument, however dismissing soil acidity, decomposition characteristics and environment with a simple "There's nothing to that" is more of a pessimist's point of view. Good, No Nonsense, Critical thinking is the KEY.


3.) Where Do Bigfoot Babies Come From?

Even for mammals that are relatively rare in global terms, such as the chimpanzee, it takes a decent population size to maintain a species. "If Bigfoot is a zoological reality," said Radford, "there has to be a breeding population."

For that population to be big enough to account for even a fraction of the sightings, there would need to be tens of thousands of the creatures in North America alone. "Think about that for a second. Tens of thousands of Bigfoot, living, breathing, doing what they do. Where are they? Why don't they get hit by a car?" asked Bradford. "The numbers just simply don't add up."

Think about this for a moment. In Georgia, for example, the estimated population of Black Bear is calculated on an average of 1 Bear per every 25,000 acres of Wilderness. Bears certainly maintain a species and they have a "breeding population", so I don't really think that it requires "tens of thousands" to maintain a Bigfoot species. I would like to see where Radford obtained this data.


4.) Your Lying Eyes

The majority of "evidence" for Bigfoot, says Radford, consists of eyewitness accounts. Yet as psychologists and schooled juries know, such accounts are famously inaccurate.

What's more, says Radford, "the problem is, that's not evidence, it's an anecdote....It's interesting and you shouldn't dismiss it out of hand, but it's not evidence."

Congratulations, Mr. Radford. You have officially earned the Southern Bigfooter's title of Skepti-pessimist. Let me remind the good readers that some of these "famously inaccurate" sightings were submitted by Forestry, Law Enforcement and Military Personnel who, in most cases, are TRAINED in OBSERVATION.


5.) The Ever-Mysterious Blobsquatch

Radford calls it a Blobsquatch. Aside from eyewitness reports, blurry images like this are what most Bigfoot believers rely on.

But it's no proof, said Radford: "These photos show something that is probably alive, it's probably dark, it's not a cat, it's not a camel. It could be a Bigfoot, or it could be a deer or it could be a guy in a suit."

"Ultimately," he concludes, "it's a two-dimensional image. It's pixels."

The "Blobsquatch" is without a doubt MY biggest pet-peeve, but not because I think there is always intent to defraud. In some cases, I believe that it's no more complicated than the lack of proper equipment. In an earlier post, I have stated that a researcher should arm themselves with the appropriate photography equipment and this will serve them well at "crunch" time.

6.) Doctor Who?

For Radford and other skeptics, the only acceptable standard of proof is the scientific one. Why, when there are countless researchers probing the far corners of every continent, is there no rigorous, documented, peer-reviewed evidence for Bigfoot? Only one answer makes sense, says Radford: Bigfoot isn't real.

Jeffrey Meldrum, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Anatomy & Anthropology

Adjunct Associate Professor, Dept. of Anthropology,
Dept. of Occupational and Physical Therapy

Affiliate Curator, Idaho Museum of Natural History

meldd@isu.edu

Room 308/9 Gale Life Sciences Bldg

Evolutionary Morphology Lab
Functional morphology, Evolutionary Anthropology

Send this gentleman an email and I think he can supply a list of his peers that are on board with the reality of a Bigfoot species in N. America.


7.) The Case of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

Speaking of science, Bigfoot believers sometimes complain that funding for Sasquatch Studies is hard to find. But scientists are notoriously good note-takers, Radford points out, even about subjects they aren't directly studying.

Consider this league of biologists scouting for the elusive ivory-billed woodbecker in Arkansas' White River National Wildlife Refuge, an area where Bigfoot sightings have been made.

"There was a huge, hardcore investigation. They were well-equipped, well-funded and made a sustained search," noted Radford. "What I found interesting was, what didn't they find? They didn't find Bigfoot."


Woah, Since this group DIDN'T find Bigfoot, that must mean they don't exist.
I can read the headlines now, "SKEPTI-PESSIMIST Proves Bigfoot doesn't exist after studying Ivory-billed Woodpecker expedition".




8.) This Katydid Couldn't Hide

Dozens of new species, previously unknown to science, are discovered each year. But for the most part, they are tiny: microorganisms and insects such as the newly discovered katydid pictured here. Could Bigfoot really hide in such a peopled world?

Come on down to North Georgia and let me show you the vastness of the wilderness. Any way, it'll be a nice break for you.


9.) If It Walks Like a Hoax ...

This ruddy strand, about 70 micrometers in diameter, could be taken as a hair. But it isn't -- it's a carpet fiber.

A similar thread was once claimed to have fallen from Bigfoot's back. Later, it was shown to be synthetic Dynel fiber, said Radford. An alleged vial of Bigfoot blood once turned out to be transmission fluid, and many Bigfoot sightings, in the end, are admitted fakes.

"There is no category of Bigfoot evidence that doesn't have a string of hoaxes attached to it," said Radford. "If you're studying a subject in which virtually all the evidence either comes down to being inconclusive or a hoax, something's wrong."


Carpet fiber and hoaxers aside, Bigfoot doesn't really walk like a hoax in this little piece of film, or you'd have been able to prove that by now, right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJjUt2sXo5o&feature=related


10.) The Case of the Missing Footprint

Authentic or not, footprints and other physical artifacts are meaningless scientifically, says Radford, when there is no standard to measure them by.

"Some of the footprints have three toes, some have four toes, and some of course have five," he noted. "Even if I'm certain a certain track wasn't made by anything else, how do I know it's Bigfoot? You can't."



Once again, contact:

Jeffrey Meldrum, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Anatomy & Anthropology

Adjunct Associate Professor, Dept. of Anthropology,
Dept. of Occupational and Physical Therapy

Affiliate Curator, Idaho Museum of Natural History

meldd@isu.edu

Room 308/9 Gale Life Sciences Bldg

Evolutionary Morphology Lab
Functional morphology, Evolutionary Anthropology

Athens, Georgia Nature Center hosts Bigfoot Exhibit

How does this question grab you?

"Could an undiscovered ape live in Georgia?"

A really big one, as tall as your ceiling at home, maybe more, with feet the size of car mats.

That's what naturalists at Sandy Creek Nature Center are asking those who dare slip into the corner of its interpretive science area, where one exhibit challenges conventional thoughts on, you guessed it, Bigfoot.

"We think it's fun from kind of a natural science standpoint," said Randy Smith, the facility supervisor. "Why couldn't there be one? We're kind of arrogant to say we know everything."

But he and his staff certainly understand why people do question the legitimacy of what's believed to be an unidentified hairy species that appears more man than ape and is expert at hiding from people.

The exhibit probes the cultural intrigue surrounding the mystery, as well.

Part of the encased-glass display includes a bottle of Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot beer, a movie poster for "Harry and the Hendersons" and a reference to a popular television advertisement for beef jerky titled "Messin' with Sasquatch." The takeaway line: "Feed your wild side."

What the center is encouraging, however, is visitors feed their minds. Camouflaged material, life-size cutouts, leaves and tree shrubs provide the display's backdrop. Replica footprint casts of those collected by credible scientists as well as images isolated from the 1967 Patterson-Gimlin film are presented as possible evidence.

Perhaps the most compelling context clues show other mysterious species, which were once considered fiction before being found. Among them: Photos and explainers on the Laotian rock rat as well as a particular fish that stymied scientists for decades until 1938. It's called a coelacanth.

"It's a really fascinating story," Davis said. "There were all these stories about these strange fish. Smart, sciency people didn't believe it until the '30s, when (someone) actually caught one in South Africa."

In the same vein is a photo taken of a model developed from actual fossil finds from Southeast Asia named Gigantopithecus blacki. And yes, the replica looks a lot like what we perceive today as a Bigfoot.

"I don't see any reason why there can't be," said Berkeley Boone, a naturalist who helped put together the exhibit. "It would be fun and add a lot to science."

A flat-screen video that plays an hour-long loop of a Discovery Channel documentary probing the Bigfoot mystery accompanies the display at Sandy Creek.

But what most captivates visitors, Boone said, is the chart relative to Georgia. All sightings reported to Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization are referenced.

There is only one sighting listed for Athens-Clarke, according to the organization's Web site, www.bfro.net.

"People seem to take the, 'Hmm, that's interesting (approach),'" Davis said. "That's the kind of the response we hoped for."

The sightings listed on the chart do not include the national hoax launched last month in Georgia. Two Clayton County men claimed they recovered the corpse of a Bigfoot, before selling their ice-covered "creature" to a promoter in California. But when the freezer contents melted, a rubber costume emerged.

Naturalists at Sandy Creek put up the display months before the firestorm that captivated serious researchers as well as nonbelievers.

It's a good thing.

Just as their exhibit suggests, Bigfoot remains a scientific mystery.

"No one can make a decision," Boone said. "We'll leave it up to you."




• Erin Rossiter is a staff writer for the Athens Banner-Herald and can be reached at erin.rossiter@onlineathens.com.

Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, September 06, 2008

Sasquatch Watch Radio

Billy Willard's new radio show seems to be off and running. I missed his initial debut broadcast but I listened to the episode from last night (09-08-08) posted below and I must say it was well done.
I'm glad Billy's decided to continue being an informed and informative source in the BF community and I know that he'll maintain the level of integrity required to remain a viable resource to all listeners. The fact that he's cut all professional ties with the "Hoax Crew" is a big plus in my book.

Enjoy the show:

DNA Evidence Collection and the Bigfoot Hunter

DNA collection and analysis has been praised by Science and Law Enforcement since it's discovery.
Let's take a brief look at what DNA analysis can and can't do for the Bigfoot Hunter.

You're on an expedition in the woods and you find some unknown hair or stool (scat) sample(s). If this is something you feel you need to collect then you need to treat the area in exactly the same fashion as a crime scene, i.e. secure the area and control access into the scene. The manner of collecting the specimen is also important to minimize any cross contamination, a common problem to both the crime scene processor and the avid Bigfoot hunter. The use of gloves, slip-on surgical "footies" for shoes, sterile implements (tweezers, etc...) and a sealable collection container/bag must be used to minimize tainting the sample. You also need to document when, where, who and under what conditions the "sample" was found and collected. It is imperative to maintain a "chain of custody" (who collected and/or had access to the sample) from the time the sample is discovered and collected until it reaches it's final destination in a lab for processing.

So you see, that simply the discovery and collection of this potential "evidence" requires extreme care.

Now, let's assume that you have taken the proper steps in the collection of this sample, you've sent it off to a reputable lab for testing. What can you expect?
Law Enforcement generally use DNA analysis data for "EXCLUSIONARY" purposes in criminal cases. It has been shown to be arguably 99.9% accurate in the exclusion of a potential suspect(s) during these investigations.

In the world of Bigfoot, DNA's evidentiary value is significantly more mundane.
It will NOT tell you whether there is a large, bipel primate living in the woods in North America. It MAY exclude certain other known animals, but ONLY if there are existing samples to compare it with. The KEY is in the COMPARISON.

What would one compare a Bigfoot's DNA to?

My point being that instead of roaming the woods searching for samples which may yield some DNA, your time would be wiser spent looking for the elusive creature itself--in the physical sense. Science will correctly maintain that the creature's existence cannot be verified without a "body" and any legitimate BF Hunter will agree with this point of view.

In a nutshell, Stop sifting through manure and put your complete focus on finding what is required for "proof positive"!