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This preoccupation with how other people spend their time is so odd to me. A bunch of people lining up to get Matt Moneymaker’s autograph has no real bearing on me or my efforts. Please don’t tell me that it causes image problems and that’s why ‘science will never take us seriously’. Are we really that self-unaware? Let’s just take a second to look at some of the more high profile ‘serious researchers’. They, too, can do what they want…but, let’s not kid ourselves that it doesn’t look silly to the general public. Who cares? I think bird watching sounds pretty ridiculous, but I don’t care if others enjoy it. If you can’t accept that what we do doesn’t look a bit silly to the average person…then you are honestly not the most perceptive person. Let’s be honest here…A lot of the people who are consumed by bitterness because someone is a ‘Bigfoot celebrity’ are just upset that someone else is getting the attention that they feel they deserve. Or, because people are having fun doing something that they themselves don’t like. Like @Skinwalker13said, it’s a good gateway drug and gets more people interested in and involved with the subject. And no one has a monopoly on the interest in and involvement with the subject. This is like fans of a previously unsuccessful professional sports team who are complaining about the influx of new fans when the team has a successful season. A lot of the people who go to these things are not able to go out into the deep forest for days…hiking in equipment for miles…. These conventions are how they involve themselves. Also, the two are not mutually exclusive. I am more than capable of rucking equipment in and staying out for days…and I also had a ball at the conference that I just went to. I am not a huge consumer of Bigfoot knickknacks, but I honestly had a good time discussing the topic with like minded people. There was a huge amount of cringe…but, I myself am not everyone’s cup of tea, so who cares? That little old lady who goes to the convention, buys her t-shirt, watches all of the shows…maybe she has a grandkid that she introduces to all this. Maybe that’s the kid who grows up to finally prove the existence of these creatures. Familiar with the concept of ‘for want of a nail’? Maybe that child sized ‘Hide And Seek Champion’ t-shirt is the catalyst that finally settles this whole thing. More people interested in and involved with the subject is a net positive. It may diminish the ‘uniqueness’ of the people Involved in research, but it exposes more people to the possibility of the existence of these creatures. Are we in this to feel like we are a member of some sort of special club? Or are we in this to help find the truth?

Is there reason to call a Bigfoot Conference when it's actually more like a convention. It seems like the same speakers appear every year (because maybe there's just not that much to say thats new), and after a while it's basically a convention or even a Bigfoot themed Comicon esque event. By that same token, how much damage to the "Influencers" do to the larger cause? The Moneymakers, and other large group leaders? The Podcasters and the Conventioneers, the oh so common Youtuber as well. Is a "Conference" more than a Comicon at this point. Is an Influencer more than just some chump trying to get their own Finding Bigfoot show, or sell their own likeness as an Action figure? (This is actually a thing btw)

I absolutely love Lesley the Bird Nerd........and she even has the humility to call herself a bird nerd. I'm not one to go on bird watching expeditions, but I love observing them while in the field for other reasons, and I love watching Lesley's videos, letting her do all the work, and learning from her experience and teaching. I would love to meet her if I had the opportunity. She's a bird celebrity.

Getting and staying in the field is always good but it really helps to share ideas. Let's say there are 500 people in the field who would attend an event. That's 500 ideas about how to locate a trailcam, setup a camp, work with audio/video equipment, how to communicate to a sasquatch, and much more. 1,000 eyes and ears are better than two and, speaking solely for me, I have a lot to learn and am eager to try new ideas from creative and thoughtful people.

I'd much rather go to an event where people share ideas, field techniques, and experiences rather than focus on the sizzle. I'd enjoy going to one. Would you mind sharing the four events that you've found to be the old PNW-style ones?

Wow, im really late to the party here but figured its 1am so why not throw my own 2 cents on the pile. There are two different animals at play here, one which revolves around a convention base where its all about para- celebrities and bringing in the biggest crowd to pad a wallet somewhere. Then theres the actual confrence where the focus is on research, networking, workshops, and finding like minded folks who have a general intrest in the subject or even in getting involved in the field. I only know of 4 such events and only 1 on each coast are still running today. The confrence is costly, becuase in most cases your not getting the celebrites but rather the muddy boots on the ground types to come share their techniques, research, and experiance. The Con is just like a comic-con style event, just as the OP stated, but theres plenty of room for that becuase they do serve as a gateway into the weird world we are all apart of. Its kinda like the shallow end of the pool for the most part, with the exception of a handful of lecturers on the circuit, but the confrences and workshops are a totally different ball game, being a confrence and workshop host myself our events probably look more like the old PNW round ups from the 90s and a lot less like the more modern conventions.

I would just go for this: https://www.ericaltman.net/

Blue, because it's the real world, sorry so many have been poisoned by the Community narrative, be they hoaxer, "celebrity", podcaster, youtuber...... I'm still right. Are you suggesting the current model is the only model? It's an industry not research. Replace moose hunting with back packing outdoorsy stuff, and we would be on the same page.