Leaderboard

I hear what you're saying, and congratulations on the book! But you simply can't just take the resource industries off the table, as they are undoubtedly one of the primary, if not the primary, reasons for any covert suppression of acknowledgement of the one or more species in question.

Yah, there are so many trees, but I did not think to try and locate it. I will look around for some fresh breaks. I recorded a bipedal approach, or at least it seems to be, and then something seems to be tossed at the recorder and bounces off. Then you hear the departure that is characteristically a bit faster than the approach. I lost my spot and will have to save that clip. I have had numerous odd approaches over the years, and that is why I think I should be able to find prints, but for some reason, possibly its juvenile size, it does not seem to leave them, or I do not pick up on them. That is the most frustrating aspect of the whole thing is that I need to find a print or two to have that correlation. It still could be a very unusual neighbor, but that is not realistic when you think of the whole body of stuff I have recorded. It would require someone to be up, and out in the marsh all hours of the night, and that is simply not the case. The initial whoops that caused me to become aware were certainly not human, although they suggested intelligence.

With all due respect, elk cross roads and use them for transit if people are not around. And, I have no doubts other animals do so too. So, an elk kneeling to bite an apple is reasonable. I make this respectful comment with two exceptions in mind: {1} I'm the one who drew the road intersection map accurate to 1/10 of a mile the expedition used. {2} With a high degree of certainty, I think partner Steve Kiley and I knew the area as well as anyone on the expedition and even more. So, no surprises our way. Due to personal considerations Steve Kiley and I declined to attend the expedition. However, at Thom Powells' house on Sunday {cast taken on Friday}, I was able to point to exactly where the cast was made on a map. This gives you an idea of my knowledge of the area, and the creatures within it. Thom Powell, who is a scientist, said the cast was the real deal. He and someone else put out the apples late at night and then in the morning, they were gone and so on ... Thom was of the strong opinion upon seeing the cast in early daylight, with earlier elk hoof prints in the immediate area, that the imprints were not elk. And, there was one other little thing all the learned scientists, researchers, and field investigators -- except for Richard Knoll and Thom Powell-- over looked. That was the hair patterns in the Skookum cast. Guess what sports fans? No you can't, I know that. Just joking. They exactly matched hair patterns in a photographic imprint site I found in the upper Clackamas as witnessed by Cliff Olson, Ray Crowe, and a gentleman visitor from France who I will leave nameless at this moment. Exact ! And guess what else?? Come on -- guess -- TRY? The hair imprints did not match any taxidermy samples we could find of elk hair. We tried bull, cow, calf, various times of the year {legal taken} etc. Then comes the Bellingham Conference in about 2002. I had never gone to a conference outside of the Portland area. We decided to go up and see the happening, and for me, to especially listen to Dr. Jeff Meldrum for the first time. It was a big deal, especially since I didn't hear him speak in person until 2015 in Portland Conference day: First, next to the Skookum Cast, I endeared myself to a BF group with an interest in the cast with many depreciative remarks aimed my way. Since I was very cool about it a tall professorial man took notice and after the groupies left to hear Dr. Meldrum, engaged me in conversation about why I knew what I knew. I, not thinking, produced my photograph enlargement folio and compared hair imprints from the upper Clackamas to those in the Skookum Cast. The professorial type, who I soon learned was Dr. Leroy Fish earnestly engaged me in deep converasation and ... guess what again? Come'on. You're smart lads and gals ... Yes! Right! I missed Dr. Meldrum's lecture, the reason I made the trip. But, I must say Dr. Fish became intensely interested in the upper Clackamas, especially when I compare it to the upper Wind River basin. He encouraged me to outline a book, which I did. He reviewed the concept and sample articles and wanted to co-author a volume with Cliff Olson and me. Then he had a heart attack way too soon. That was shocking. Anyway, without his guidance, we finally managed to get Oregon Bigfoot Highway published. So, that is a very long story of why I think the Skookum Cast is the real deal: Thom Powell, a scientist, says it is real. The area is rife with BF sighting reports, track finds, etc. And finally, the hair patterns match the upper Clackamas hair patterns, which we did not find after buying samples from several independent sources. Sincere regards, Joe Beelart, West Linn, Oregon Ps: Sure, in science, the easy answer is always the best, but probably not in the case of the Skookum Cast. PsPs: Sure, I'll attach clicks tomorrow. Done with Mr. Computer for the day.