Here's the thing; we just don't know anything useful about them. We have only rarely glimpsed them, never clearly caught an image of one and we have seen no elders or children at all, statistically. We have never found a camp or dwelling. We basically have seen them when they don't care or are distracted.
Since we know zip about their society or even if they have one, it is not unreasonable to suppose we only see scouts or youngsters sowing thier wild oats. Where are the adults? What do they look like? How tall are they? Suppose they are a race of giants, that is suffering from some genetic issue. Those suffering from this affliction sometimes reach beyond usual human boundaries, but suffer other afflictions attendant to the condition, like circulatory issues and bone distortions. This population's elderly would be quite lame as they grew older.
Suppose the real biggies don't hunt or even move around much. How would that look? I don't think it would look any different. There would be multiple reports of them escorting people away from the camp. We'd rarely see elders or kids.
I think the Patterson footage supports this, if anything. Leaving doubts aside, the film apparently shows an older individual surprised while taking on water. Like an old human she is arthritic and walks favoring her heels. This actually is kind of compelling. Big old men with arthritis walk like that. Hang around a football team and you'll see them. Notice she doesn't run, even though Gimlin had a rifle leveled at her. As an aside, if it was a hoax, they evidently completely took in Patterson's horse. LOL!
The woods might be full of twelve footers, we'd never know. We see errand runners and look outs and we sensibly run away when we spot them. I have never read or heard of someone ruching into the woods to track them to thier lair. I have heard of dogs declining to track them. I have heard of people insisting on a display, ignoring tree shakes and wood knocks until they are confronted. I have never heard of someone doggedly following a BF to thier home. I guess those that have tried haven't reported back, yet.