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I have great respect for the researchers using this forum, and have read (and re-read) the many threads where you kindly offer your advice regarding a myriad of research-related matters, be it knives, backpacks, appropriate chilling techniques, tents, thermals, flashlights, protecting the campsite, etc. Thank you for sharing what you have learned during your endeavors, I very much appreciate it. My adult son and I are preparing ourselves for launching field research activities in 2022, and want to be as ready as we can be. I had the great fortune of growing up in a family that loved the outdoors. So I'm able to most of the time tell up from down, but I am old enough to know that I would be smart to leverage, if possible, great advice from experts before launching a new activity. I'm a scientist by training (biochemistry and public health) so appreciate being prepared when possible! So...if you would be so kind, please share your top three suggestions for new researchers. What are the must haves, or must do recommendations that you would suggest for those new to field research? Apologies if this specific topic has previously been addressed. I appreciate your suggestions in advance. And an almost happy new year to everyone.

First thing I'd do, part a) is to download / install mangani's bigfoot overlay for Google Earth, and part b) is study up on our SSR. Look for areas with concentrations of bigfoot activity .. ignore the year, group by season. Figure out what the most likely thing that has brought them to the area is. Key your activities on that "thing". Second thing is to maximize your time in your chosen location. It's like fishin' .. you catch more with a line in the water than you do wishing you had a line in the water. A corollary to that is to find something else you truly enjoy doing in that location so that you're not getting frustrated and giving up if the bigfooting is slow .. and it almost certainly will be. Third thing is to purchase clothing and camping gear appropriate to being comfortable in that specific location at the time of year that coincides with the activity concentration. Then go enjoy yourself. I don't really look for bigfoot. I've done my research to know where, and when, are most likely. I go there, then, and do something else .. usually fish, but sometimes hunt, explore, take pictures of scenery .. in other words, be available for something to happen but don't try to force it ('cause you can't). One thing I do not do is try to be sneaky. Be obvious. Don't be obnoxious, but don't bother trying to stay hidden. Failed furtiveness is about the worst thing that can happen 'cause it means you're dangerous .. you're up to something. Best o' luck out there ...

I see that the old thread on this subject has been locked, probably because I've been lazy about posting to it in over a year, so here we go with a new one. Please feel free to tell us about any outings that you make, whether for serious research, or just to get out there and enjoy nature's beauty. You don't have to give specific locations, but a general idea of the place would be nice, and pictures even better. I'll kick it off with my group's most recent one, today, Sunday, July 15th. Our usual small group of 4 has made a number of trips into the field in the past year, some to investigate sightings, and others to look for evidence, and today's was a combination of both. Our first objective was to visit the scene of a sighting that was just recently reported to Thomas by an acquaintance of his from the Harrison Lake region. Unfortunately, it occurred about a year ago, so there was no expectation of finding any hard evidence, but we did want to check out the site to get a feel for the story. The witness had been canoeing on a small lake about 5km north of Hwy 7, between Mission and Hope, and reported seeing a large dark figure cross a rocky area at the north end of the lake. That was all we knew of the event as we drove to that lake today. We stopped along the west shore of the lake, to look north for the rocky area he had mentioned. There are a couple of rock outcrops on the east shore, accessible only by canoe, and another exposed rockface higher on the steep slope on the north end of the lake, beyond the marshy shore there. We continued along the logging road on the west side, and a few hundred meters past the marsh, found a deactivated road, blocked by large boulders, heading east across the rise at the end of the lake. Thomas and I parked, and hiked in on that trail, soon finding ourselves crossing the base of the rockface that is visible from the lake. We came to the conclusion that the witness had probably seen someone/something walking the same path we were on. Thomas plans to contact the witness again, to confirm that we were in the spot where he saw the figure, so this is still inconclusive. After heading back to the highway for lunch, the others headed home, but I wanted to check out an area I hadn't been able to access for about 3 years, due to a locked gate at the branch I wanted to explore. Today the gate was open, with a warning that it is an active logging block, and the gate is locked at sunset. I still had lots of time, so I proceeded to the end of both the north and south branches of the roads along the large creek valley. There is plenty of good habitat in this valley, though the fact that it is currently being logged has likely spooked most wildlife deep into the forests. I'll definitely come back here a year or two after the loggers are done, and see what sign can be found in there. Some pics of the top end of the side valley, taken from the active cutting site:

I want to harvest one. So take my slant with a grain of salt. I will skip the general camping-Survival gear. And just focus on Bigfoot specifics. My set up looks like a cross between a big game hunter and a predator hunter. An appropriate hunting license for the state your in. Depending on the predator you may or may not need a tag also depending on state Appropriate rifle for a large animal that your comfortable to shoot with Appropriate butchering implement A ruck or pack board Game bags Predator calls (I don’t whoop or knock,etc) I attempt to appeal to its stomach. A recon ghillie Face paint Decoys (I had a fawn now trying a cow elk 2D) Binoculars (I use vortex) Navigation tools. (I’m running OnX hunt maps right now) Bear Spray (In case you want something to go away without killing it) Flashlight Additional items A sidearm Thermal or night vision Tac light and attachment to weapon (check state laws) Game scent (to mask your own, if your sounding like a Elk? May as well smell like one. Deer, whatever) Pruning shears drone (great scouting tool) Scouting What MIB said about reports. Also place names. Such as Devils ridge or Skookum lakes, etc. I choose locations not well traveled also. Think like a hunter. Busy campgrounds are not the place to fire rifles off or wound a potentially dangerous creature. I also try to identify ridges and saddles that are easier traveling. Work dark creek bottoms as well. Stuff usually needs to come to water at some point. Look for lots of deer and elk sign. Berry patches and other food sources. I have had a few reports of lairs. Be on the lookout for a protected place full of ungulate bones. Setup Apes have trichromatic vision including Homo Sapiens. Hide your outline, get rid of shine. Be aware of wind direction. Setup where you are concealed and yet can see out. A good call set will have multiple shooting lanes. Don’t be afraid to make some by clipping vegetation. If you plan on staying awhile? Use vegetation to make a hide. Weave branches together for further concealment. If your gonna use a decoy? Make sure it’s deployed in an open area where you can spot something stalking it. Your hunting the hunter! Calling This is tricky. You can scare Coyotes and Bobcats away with too much calling. A Bear? They typically are afraid of only bigger bears and have the attention span of a gnat. If you don't call enough? They will lose interest. What are Bigfoot like? I don’t know. Start with a lower volume calling and then slowly get louder. You don’t want to sound like a 800 lbs dying rabbit to something you setup on unaware. If your trying to sound like Elk? Multiple different calls in multiple different direction. Cows and calves all talking together. There are hundreds of different call setups and combos. I use both mouth calls and a electronic caller. Regardless your gonna see animals. Sets are usually 1/2 to an 1 hr. Then typically I pack up and move on. The danger is real too. It’s best to have a buddy watching your six. If not? Keep your head on a swivel! Predators can respond to calls on you in the wrong direction. Either for whatever the reason they don’t wind you or they just don’t care. Some of the scariest encounters are with predators that fully know your human and they just don’t care. E callers and decoys are better because your not drawing the animal right onto your lap. Now. This is an experiment. Maybe a Bigfoot only eats berries and walks the other way when they hear your calls. Dunno. If your completely against killing one? This system still has the potential to work! A person could replace the rifle with a pneumatic dart gun armed with a biopsy dart. DNA is important, your just not harvesting a 800 lbs sample…. Lastly (I guess) you could be armed with a camera. I don’t think cool video will prove the animals existence but whatever. It’s your choice. Catmandoo is gonna come by and tell you that you don’t find Bigfoot, Bigfoot finds you. Well, how did Roger and Bob ride up on Patty? There are many examples of these things being bewildered by chance encounters. But this could also be used against Bigfoot. Setting up a tradition camp and a fire and talking with someone over watching the camp camouflaged could work as well. The bait isn’t Elk or Rabbits….. but Humans. Slightly morbid, but if everyone knows the risks going in? It has potential. Hopefully this helps give you some ideas! Be safe out there!

Thank you for posting.

I think the BFF is being hosed.

Thanks BC my favorite kind of thread. Nice picture of some beautiful country. I'll try to get out there and get some pictures and look for tracks. Looking forward to more and update, thanks again

Good luck to you and your son. @DrPSH! Any excuse to get out in the woods is a good one, and doing field research is a great reason! 1. There's enough sites out there with the 10 C's of bushcraft, and I'd recommend those things to carry at all times, or at least most of those. Being safe is your #1 goal so you can return and do it all over again another time. 2. Buy the best gear that you can afford and know how to use it. Run a recorder at your vehicle while you're out on the trail/in the woods. If you can figure out a back-cam, do that. 3. Finally, do research on your particular area. Look online EVERYWHERE for sightings reports, local legends, look at maps for squatchy sounding names etc. Make your own map and see what is in your area. 4. No rocks. Added: I like the recommendation to be "doing something else" while also researching. Take photos. Hunt mushrooms. Do some bushcraft stuff. Go fishing. Go camping. Have fun and keep your ears open. Agreed - Make sure you and your son are on the "same page" on your goals and abilities. Also agreed - don't bother being sneaky.