How Are "research Groups" & Expeditions Legally Organized? I Might Have An Idea...

[Guest BFSleuth]

Know anything about building DIY Thermal cameras?

I certainly do. By the time I got the fire extinguisher it was a total loss.

[Guest shoot1]

I certainly do. By the time I got the fire extinguisher it was a total loss.

Care to elaborate? I've started saving a list of tutorials and resources, and would like to know what not to do when i get around to it.

[Guest BFSleuth]

Just a joke... the camera got too close to the fire...

[Guest shoot1]

[Guest thermalman]

That's one of the things I think should be taught/standardized and having a national organization would make that relatively simple.

Wish I could attend. Know anything about building DIY Thermal cameras?

Hopefully, you might find a group near you. No, I don't know how to build a DIY thermal camera, sorry. But you can find some great deals on second hand ones for cheap, on the interent. They're basic but good enough for squatching.

Edited June 3, 2012 by thermalman

[Guest shoot1]

Virginia and PA have nearby groups that I might like to work with. Thermals are expensive!!

[Northern Lights]

Northern MN.

I'm heading out to northern MN on Friday for a weekend of squatchin'. I've had good encounters in the past, so we'll see what is in store next week.

[Guest Cervelo]

Northern,

I'm going to be spending a week in here at the end of the month any suggestions?

http://www.nps.gov/voya/index.htm

[Northern Lights]

^I've not been up to that area, but it looks absolutely beautiful. The squatches in the area we've been targeting further south of there are very curious and like to come into our camps after we've gone to bed. Last time out, I set out a recorder and have about 6 hours of footsteps around our tents. Our MO is to get their attention, let them know we are in the area and see if they will come to investigate.

It is so thick with growth that it allows them to get in close because they have so much cover. Thermal and night vision don't work so well because of the thickness of the woods, so we use lots of sound recording devices.

If I'm not mistaken, the area you are going is relatively close to the three mile trackway video shot last winter. There are some good reports in the area, so you never know. Keep a close eye out for signs and you might get lucky. Enjoy and be safe.

[Guest shoot1]

I'm bumping this thread. If a significant number of people express interest I am willing to legally organize this.

[Guest shoot1]

I'm going to just start posting actionable ideas to this thread. Contributions from others would be most welcome.

 

Idea # 1 was to organize local groups like Hackerspaces. They're basically clubs that are loosely connected using a central legally structured Nonprofit "head office" (which is actually how the NFL works) and member dues are paid and used to lease local meeting places + buy equipment usable by all members.  Local Groups and collectives of nearby groups can pool their resources to pay for training by experts and to pay for ongoing field activities or even to manage habituation areas if that is what the group decides upon.  The structure of the group is up to the group itself, but something fairly democratic that discourages political games and promotes scientific rigor would probably work best.  

 

 

Idea #2: Training and Standard Operating Procedures. http://keepingtrack.org/wildlife-monitoring-programs is a good place to start. An NRA safety course and a tracking course should probably also be required - even if members don't intend to "Shoot1", that course would make them safer around members who do.  Training could be provided by commercial courses/seminars, consultants or highly skilled group members.  An organized workshop / camping trip to teach basic outdoor skills might be in order, and large scale / nationwide group-buys of commonly used items / standardized packing lists could be made to equip members with the essentials (tents, sleeping bags, etc.) Actually purchases could be organized in such a way that they fund the head office (through an online affiliate store).

Edited October 29, 2013 by shoot1

[Guest]

Shoot1 I think these are excellent ideas, and boundaries, of sorts.  But, the devil is in the details...and members.

 

There are so many groups, and small groups, that I think somehow connecting them all, on a level playing field and agenda of sorts is paramount for the community to move forward meaningfully.

 

I had this idea..hold on, it's wild.....but it addresses quickly, the membership issue and also 'voice"...b/c we already have a model..our Congress/constitution

 

"..The Sasquatch Congress....."   (change name later by membership!)  is initially developed to select two "senators" and many "reps" (by human or Bf pops?..haha) by election of the membership for a term....  as well as the other three branches of gov..represented by our view of what we need...a disciplinary committee...hahaha!

 

 intitially everyone is in..by open invitation..and from that hopefully 1000 or so voices...arise elected Congress members (across groups/affiliations..no two party system!) and so on...from this Congress arise bills/laws then...the Constitution of Bfers, or code of ethics (and a way to vote on bills by membership, or introduce are included) ...

 

as it developed  it could then graduate to committes to address topical issues..such as education, field advances, grants, so on....an equipment rental group!

 

and the voting membership is so broad. created by the many (that's important..perhaps elected volunteers intitially) reps and so on....  if it succeeded (as a society really) then it might be a real Congress, with annual meetings to present new research, etc...or a venue..on a website with everyone connected...

 

crazy idea...but...many of us immediately recognize on entering Bigfoootery..the chaos..every man for himself, no boundaries, no ethics committes...etc  no professional society..that doesn't end up being "exclusive"..

 

there ya go!   the promoters and financials/kick start committes etc....already have standing ethics/organization in many disciplines....but it takes.. I calculated..to do right (i just did a whole thing last week...) about a $25K start ...to pay out to consultants/lawyers/web admin and stipends to contributors...to run for one year...  imagine that Kickstart request..set it high, so if the number isn't reached..ya know..a no go

 

also... this Congress would ultimately find a way to provide reward to researchers and significant contributors...   to counter the real costs of doing all this...and also keep us together...rather than so openly competitive?

 

 

we don't b/c IMO the memebrs don't want it...not enough anyway... many like BF ing b/c they are their own boss..answer to no one...like BF haha Homo indomitus!!    or hope for personal reward? no reason they can't still gain personal reward within such a constituion..we do as citizens within ours...

 

also..and this is key...there must be a Secratary (Bod..or Executive Cabinet) to confirm membership identity and also preserve anonimity....that must be water tight... if not, we won't get the professionals to join, or many really...it is still a seriously taboo subject...

Edited November 3, 2013 by apehuman

[Guest shoot1]

Apehuman, I think that an American congressional model would be an outdated model for a new organization. I think that recent events have demonstrated that what we have (in the USA) is an institutionalized bureaucracy that has not been able to resist the subte control of powerful special interest groups. If you want to create a modern, responsive organization that is not a bureaucracy and that is nimble, I think it should be an open community and any greater decisions could be put to vote using direct, online democracy, like the Swiss Model of Direct Democracy. This will prevent special interests or celebrities from dominating the field. Voting can be done directly and online instead of through "representatives" who may or may not choose to truly act upon what their constituents want. There is no reason why state-level, regional and national conventions could not be organized and coordinated by people who are interested in doing this.  Funding can be crowd-sourced for individual projects and not institutionalized, and, running with this idea, larger groups can fund group-purchases as needed, when they are needed or when they are least expensive (i.e. end-of-season clearance sales or when other opportunities are found). I'm still interested in a hackerspace style organization.

Edited November 3, 2013 by shoot1

[bipedalist]

I think BFRO is setup as an LLC (I think they are listed as Bigfoot Adventure Tours LLC but a rep. could tell you exactly) (see Sec. of State California with bigfoot names in licenses to be sure).  I know they require or highly suggest trip insurance, medical insurance and such for their expeditions and you do sign a waiver and an NDA as to hazards of outdoor expeditions and all that an NDA entails.  

 

What little they spend on fees for accessing areas can't be much as most of the organization is through volunteers (most unreimbursed).  Your local BFRO people can tell you more.  

 

Inherent in setting up such an organization as a multstate venture would be articles of dissolution and what all that entails so nobody gets stuck being out huge investments in equipment.  

 

My fear would be local groups that would be ripped off by less than reputable people (call me jaded when it comes to trust and Bigfoot lately).  

 

Otherwise, I see this as a good discussion.  Local and state game laws would dictate alot of what SOP could be performed in the search of course but I do agree with tracking element of things when it comes to basic wildlife.  SAR and EMT or wilderness EMT might not be bad to consider too. 

Edited November 3, 2013 by bipedalist

[indiefoot]

Do you think the no kill folks are going to want to associate officially with the pro kill groups? That always seems to be the big divide.