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Forget the scientists; just get in the woods and prove their existences to yourself and friends that are also woods rats and seriously interested enough to spend the time and money to see and interact with a few. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to do that, although I know two who have. Who cares what others think or believe? If they don't have the guts and interest to do that; what is their opinion actually worth? Just over a week ago, a good friend - who is also a "knower" - took four semi-interested male college students to one of the active group's areas I have been working for years. They got cute with one of the resident males that typically come into that remote camp area when people are there at night. The boys were noisy and laughing when they heard a growling, stick breaking approach. One boy thought the sounds were made by others in the group, and walked around their truck and growled loudly. Immediately the male growled deeply and a lot louder and more aggressively and bluff charged him through the brush to within about ten feet of the truck. They all piled in it and left in a hurry. What the boy did - without knowing it - was to challenge and insult the male. I and a another "knower" spent some time up there night before last before last to make amends, although the wind and the nearby river's high water flow prevented us from hearing anything except their distant "gathering call" about dark, and that was only possible through an amplified sound system. Several night visitors/camper who have been at that site have left in a hurry, sometimes leaving the bulk of their gear behind.

Cool opinion, with a weight and value of a dung beetle's trophy.

I don't think it Giganto at all. I think it is some very close offshoot of humans.

How so? Our ancestors made stone tools. A byproduct of that is stone flakes? Is this just more knee jerk science bashing? Or are you truly trying to share something germane to the discussion?