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

[Bigtex]

Here are some more pictures from hiking Creek #1.......a cave of some type, not going in there, dog doesn't want to either:) Here's a very old fender off a '39 Ford truck I think, been out there a very long time, and was probably stolen & stripped. There are no roads of any kind back in this area now, completely over grown, but there are signs of very old dirt roads that I find sign of. Here's a very aggressive baby Buzzard, came up from the cliff face just below to face the dogs.......you never heard such a sound as this thing made, sounded like something much bigger, and the dogs wanted no part of this critter. And lastly, a baby Starling I think, and had fallen from his nest.

 

 

[Bigtex]

More interesting pictures from the East side......I find these throughout the area, and always on high ground with good visibility of the area below. These most likely were made/used by Indians for lookouts and/or defensive positions. Even though very old, they could be used today.

 

Here's a weird alter deal that I have posted before, and went by there again the other day. First pick of alter is an older one, and showing various items on and around, and a few from the other day, with nothing on or around. Large stone blocks are scattered half buried all around it. This is just a strange area, and has a bad vibe.....hard to explain. Not sure if it means anything, but the alter is on the top edge of a ravine, kinda hidden (now), but over looking the beautiful waterfall/spring/pool, and is one of the few places to maintain water during July & August heat. Also, there is an obvious sitting stone (red arrow), and my butt has been on it many times. There are two caves under the ledges, and Lucy was very interested in one of them the other day. This place has a great vibe, and I always bleed getting there......perfect:)

 

As far as caves go........and this might sound a bit crazy, but BF's have a definite subterranean side to them IMO, and if you find the entrances, your life is in danger, especially alone. 

[Bigtex]

Hiked over to an area near the BF Trail, above and along a ridge line over the top on the West side of bridge. I have referred to this area before as the Kill Zone 2. Hadn't been up there in several months, and plenty of new arrivals. Also a cool tree picture.......this Live Oak lost a limb many years ago, fell in the bottom split of the tree, and over the years has been reabsorbed. 

[Bigtex]

Here's a rock stack that I add to every so often, and a clear message from nature......probably a Raccoon, and glad he has a sense of humor:)

[Bigtex]

This is from yesterday, and continuing along Creek #2 this time. Lordy, it was 92 degrees, and I wasn't quite used to the heat yet.....took a bit longer than usual.

 

All 3 Creeks on the East side of the bridge are mostly dry in the hotter months, except for a few spring fed pools, and flowing during decent rain. However, the flow of these creeks has been few and far between the last 6 years of this current drought.

 

Some of the pictures are repeats of the bridge, lookout, and pool area, but are along the way for this particular Creek, so best to include in sequence, and taken yesterday.

 

Also, on the way back under the Bridge/Funnel, the dogs found a Raccoon getting water, and the fight was on. I would have taken pictures, but was to busy helping the Raccoon against the dogs. He knew I was on his side, and got right behind me.......which in hind sight, doesn't seem too smart, but at the time, I felt totally in sinc with him, and was kinda cool......we had a mini bond moment when I drove the dogs off:)  

 

Key for pictures is : 'BFT Creek 2-1' means 'Bigfoot Trail Creek 2 Pic #1.

Edited May 5, 2014 by Bigtex

[Bigtex]

Here are two print pictures that I have posted before, but wanted to make a comment about them, and any others that fall under the same category. I have always tried to analyze my own prints while hiking to make sure that I can tell the difference, and have done some barefoot as well. These two tracks pictured below tell me that they were made barefoot, as the small leaf litter and rocks on the other tend to lift-off on a sticky heavy bare foot. This stuff won't stick to shoes very well, even when wet.......something about a bare foot makes it stick, and leaves a nice print.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Bigtex

[WSA]

Nice mid-tarsal pressure ridge on that second one, I think.

 

I like your observation about small debris sticking to bare feet. I hadn't ever considered that.

 

One thing I'm pondering though...when does all the stuff picked up by a bare foot release, if not in the next print? If it didn't release, you'd be ten foot high after a couple of miles of walking! Does it merely pick up and then drop, mid-stride? I wonder.

[Bigtex]

Good question WSA and I often wondered that myself. I don't find good track-ways through this type of ground surface, more ground disturbances in a logical direction with the occasional track.......IMO, the stuff falls off within several more steps, and/or another hard step, leaving a very slight area of disturbance in between good prints. I have looked at these potential track-ways for many years, and have found sign of the material dropping off between the discernible prints, as this material is often still damp, and much more noticeable.  

Edited May 9, 2014 by Bigtex

[Bigtex]

Continuing along the Bigfoot Trail, this time down Creek #3 on the Eastside. First, I gotta laugh a bit.......did anyone see the commercial promo for the new Finding Bigfoot season, and also featuring none other than The Turtle Man? Lordy, I'm all in for watching anything Bigfoot, good, bad, ugly, or cheezie, and this should be cheezie fun:) 

 

This trail is steep in most parts, and follows the creek closely. It rarely has flow, and only runs during continued rain, which we haven't had in 6 years, so the occasional ;'flash run' during this drought. I rarely find any decent prints along this trail, as the ground is usually dry, hard, and rocky as it follows along creek. 

 

Notice the downed twigs & limbs all along the more wooded trails, pulled down over the years, keeping the pathway relatively clear. These trails often look like tunnels, and if you move off center either way, they won't visually line up and disappear. 

 

Note......I put the pictures in order, but didn't post that way, map was first, and the rest are numbered '3-1' thru '3-15'. 

Edited May 12, 2014 by Bigtex

[Bigtex]

Here are some recent hiking pictures......these are for Mesabe, a couple of posts back I had a picture from a ridge over looking a creek with prints below that you commented on, and climbed down there yesterday to check the area more closely. The first pick shows the area now, with lots of spring growth in the recent weeks. The red arrow in the second pick shows where I was standing on top looking down, and the blue line shows the path down. It's a little steep & unstable, so I usually don't climb down too much. 

And more unfortunate victims. 

[Bigtex]

Here's an interesting print, and would have had me completely baffled had I not seen it made in front of me. My Wolf was running down a game trail that had a sharp right hand turn, with thick brush to either side. This is her front inside paw to the right hand turn........she slid into the turn - marked in green - and in an instant, pivoted the paw 90 degrees, planted claws and took off. The next picture is her normal track on softer dirt, which allows her paws to splay out the toes.

[mesabe]

Awesome Bigtex, thanks for sharing. You are blessed with some very interesting, hiking real estate.

[Bigtex]

I posted this picture before, and still just blows my own mind. Thought I would post it again because my lil Bushnell that took this with has gone missing. I set it up further and deeper along the same trail, well hidden, and now gone........very strange. Coulda been humans of course, and I would want to meet them because they are good hikers with keen eyes:)

[Bigtex]

Here's an interesting trail marker......IMO, notice the healthy tree and limb pulled over. It is twisted almost completely around, shown with the red arrow and in second photo, pulled down over the trail entrance. I'm 6 feet and can walk under it with a few inches to spare. Also, it's the 'twist' that makes it stay in position, and seems deliberate. This is a sub-BF Trail, and going into a fairly dense area along a creek.

[Sunflower]

I posted this picture before, and still just blows my own mind. Thought I would post it again because my lil Bushnell that took this with has gone missing. I set it up further and deeper along the same trail, well hidden, and now gone........very strange. Coulda been humans of course, and I would want to meet them because they are good hikers with keen eyes:)

 

Wow, looks very hairy.  Can you darken it and enhance it?