Need Help In Central Texas.........

[NorthWind]

Thanks for the update, @Bigtex!  Always interesting stuff you find!

 

Remember to trust your gut feelings about things. Just because you want to ignore, doesn't make things go away. Please be careful, sounds like you have some weird stuff going on out there. I wish I could come down and see! 

[Bigtex]

LOL....never say never, was catching up on some TV reruns and watching that BF show Expedition Bigfoot, which is one of the better ones IMO. Anyway Season 3 Episode 5 had some video and they discussed the 'cloaking' phenom, interesting!

[WanderingLorax]

I just spent a couple days reading this from page 1. What a wild ride! If something was following you “cloaked” recently, I would think that you have been followed the entire time you’ve been out there. Maybe now that it is just you, whatever it is feels braver and feels that it can approach closer now. Just a thought.

 

It was a pleasure watching Lulu grow up these last few days, and I am so sorry for her passing. 

[Bigtex]

Hey WL......appreciate the post and thanks for reading! Since Lulu's passing, it has been different hiking alone....it was not only Lulu but my male Rhodesian Ridgeback Duncan that went with me......he's still alive but 17 now and can't hike anymore. As stated before, I truly believe Lulu was interacting with the hairyman, and in particular 'the kid', as I think he was in charge of keeping an eye on me. She knew what I was looking for, and found a lot of the tracks and other interesting things just by following her. Yep, I need another Lulu!

[wiiawiwb]

@Bigtex    Lulu was a blessing and your partner in the woods. She had your back and that's hard to come by.

                  You're doing a great job sasquatching and I look forward to your posts.

                  Keep the faith, brother. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by wiiawiwb

[Bigtex]

You guys are the best.....TGIF to everyone! Followed a nice trackway yesterday evening, took several pics, and this is the best one.

 

Here's a random question....how many of you hike in minimalist footwear, with each footfall on the balls of your feet instead of your heel, like an Indian? You can really sneak up on some stuff without the infrasound that your heel causes, sometimes that's not a good idea, lol. 

 

[wiiawiwb]

All of my adult life I've worn running shoes or trail runners to hike or backpack in. That was until the summer of 2020 when I encountered two Timber Rattlers. Now, much to my chagrin, I wear heavy leather boots and snake gaiters.  Whenever I am away from this area, which is where I go sasquatching, I use my lightweight trail runners (INOV-8).

 

It has taken away a lot of the absolute joy of moving stealthfully and easily through the woods.  I entertained getting a pair of Catskill Moccasins or Sodhoppers but where I go for sasquatching is too wet for them. The Catskill Moccasins are made in Woodstock, NY (think of the concert in 1969) and are the ones were worn by both Tommy Lee Jones and Benacio Del Toro in the movie "The Hunted". Very pricey but would be amazing to wear.

 

https://www.catskillmoccasins.com/index.html

 

Here are some stealthy offerings from Sodhoppers:

 

https://sodhoppersmoccasins.com/moccasins/

 

[Catmandoo]

On 5/20/2022 at 9:37 AM, Bigtex said:

You can really sneak up on some stuff.................. sometimes that's not a good idea, lol. 

 

Many years ago, I was wearing made-in-Canada Sorel winter boots. I rounded a bend of a trail and walked up behind a large Black Tail doe. She was a knowing animal, turned her head and studied me, then walked into the brush. The situation could have gone badly as she could have severly stomped me. Scenarios with surprises have some risk.

 

Noise reduction is more than footwear choices. Synthetic fabrics used in outdoor clothing make a lot of noise when rubbed together and humans can't hear it.  Wool is very quiet.

 

Footwear  choice is based on many factors: age, arch & ankle support needs, snag resistance, insulation, water proof, critter proof, removable liners and hiking terrain to name  a few.

I wear 16" high waterproof, pull-on insulated boots. My boots have to tolerate forest debris, mud, dirt, rocks, insects, snow, ice, water in ponds, creeks and rivers and side-hill hiking and have a rubber sole for good traction on rocky terrain ( and be able to scrape the bear poop out of the sole pattern ). Running shoes / moccasins are terrain limited and are not suitable for me but suitable for some.

 

Brand name selection is difficult  because so many manufacturers have moved their factories over seas. I suspect that they do not use American sized shoe making Lasts. Some searching is required to find made in the US boots.  For those who operate in northern latitudes, potential cost effective footwear might be found at LL Bean and serious pursuit of mukluks is at Steger Mukluks in Ely Minnesota.

 

The previous post listed footwear that was used in a movie. Here goes:  In the movie "Wagons East",  RIP John Candy,  members of the wagon train were able to sneak up on a tribe of indians because they were wearing mocassins. That movie advanced wagon train formations in the way of 'getting the wagons in a square' to combat a cavalry attack.

Edited May 21, 2022 by Catmandoo
more text

[gigantor]

2 hours ago, Catmandoo said:

 

Many years ago, I was wearing made-in-Canada Sorel winter boots. I rounded a bend of a trail and walked up behind a large Black Tail doe. She was a knowing animal, turned her head and studied me, then walked into the brush. The situation could have gone badly as she could have severly stomped me. Scenarios with surprises have some risk.

 

Noise reduction is more than footwear choices. Synthetic fabrics used in outdoor clothing make a lot of noise when rubbed together and humans can't hear it.  Wool is very quiet.

 

Footwear  choice is based on many factors: age, arch & ankle support needs, snag resistance, insulation, water proof, critter proof, removable liners and hiking terrain to name  a few.

I wear 16" high waterproof, pull-on insulated boots. My boots have to tolerate forest debris, mud, dirt, rocks, insects, snow, ice, water in ponds, creeks and rivers and side-hill hiking and have a rubber sole for good traction on rocky terrain ( and be able to scrape the bear poop out of the sole pattern ). Running shoes / moccasins are terrain limited and are not suitable for me but suitable for some.

 

Brand name selection is difficult  because so many manufacturers have moved their factories over seas. I suspect that they do not use American sized shoe making Lasts. Some searching is required to find made in the US boots.  For those who operate in northern latitudes, potential cost effective footwear might be found at LL Bean and serious pursuit of mukluks is at Steger Mukluks in Ely Minnesota.

 

The previous post listed footwear that was used in a movie. Here goes:  In the movie "Wagons East",  RIP John Candy,  members of the wagon train were able to sneak up on a tribe of indians because they were wearing mocassins. That movie advanced wagon train formations in the way of 'getting the wagons in a square' to combat a cavalry attack.

 

You're a living encyclopedia Catmandoo, do you not worry about snakes?  or are you somewhere where you don't have to?

 

I have to worry about them.

 

 

[Catmandoo]

Western Washington does not have dangerous snakes. Eastern Washington has biters. Separation of snake habitat is due to the Cascade Mountains and climate.

Western Washington has Garter Snakes. They thrive from sea level to thousands of feet of altitude in mountainous areas. The image of the Garter Snake was taken under the forest canopy at over 3,000' above sea level. They are sluggish in dark environments. No teeth but they will 'gum' you.

[Bigtex]

I hear you about the snakes and minimal footwear....I've had some close calls with Rattlesnakes. Central Texas is arid and dry, with good visibility on the ground....if my foot disappears in the undergrowth, I don't go that way except in winter, and if I know that I will be, then boots & snake guards.

 

Here's a Sotol plant that I ran across yesterday....you can see in the first pic that the outer tougher leaves are peeled off and left behind, and the main plant broken off and carried away for future consumption (red arrow), they really seem to love eating this stuff, and it is good to the taste. 

[NorthWind]

Have you ever thought about planting a patch of that stuff in an area that would be conducive to good footprints?

 

[Bigtex]

Good morning NW.......there's so much of the Sotol growing where I hike that I haven't thought about it, great idea though! There are some good stands of Cattails growing this year along some of the creeks, and will be watching those, they seem to really like the roots.

[Bigtex]

Back to the minimalist footwear.....they help you jump & dance quickly, like the other day, and this was a big one!

 

[NorthWind]

On 5/27/2022 at 6:21 AM, Bigtex said:

Back to the minimalist footwear.....they help you jump & dance quickly, like the other day, and this was a big one!

 

Wow that camo!

 

I am so glad we don't have very many snakes to contend with here, but still I am always on the lookout. Be careful, BigTex. Those things will ruin your day. Take a look at a the damage a rattlesnake bite can inflict after, say, a week, on Google. Then get some snake boots!