Question For Serious Researchers, Biologists, Veterinarians, Etc.

[Guest ajciani]

Capturing is a rather lofty goal. BF seem to be rather cautious of the trappings and traps of humans, which makes the problem all that more difficult.

Capture requires either restraint or incapacitation. The trap itself will need to be highly covert, so I think restraint is right out. Anything that could physically restrain a BF would be far too obvious. The most workable solution would be a drop floor, but that requires a lot of time and effort. You would need to get the BF over the trap door, and you run a significant risk that the BF might be able to arrest its fall or even extricate itself from the trap. You will not get a second chance.

Incapacitation seems the best option. BF may be too animal to wince in pain, so the method will need to be entirely involuntary. Chemicals and nerve disruption are probably the best options.

Chemicals can be ingested, injected, or inhaled. Most of them require special permits to obtain, or chemical knowledge to synthesize. If the BF are coming into the area in pursuit of food, you may be able to offer food, build some trust, and then spike it. Make sure you know that it is the BF taking the food, and not the other wildlife. A bunch of sleeping (or more likely dead) raccoons lying around the apples is a good indication that you are not to be trusted. Did I forget to mention that chemicals can have some significant dosing issues? Injection is pretty much straight forward, along with its difficulties. For inhalation, an enclosed area is pretty much required, or a large amount of chemical in a large area with poor airflow. There is also a possibility of misting the chemical into the BF's face. You should always be present during the use of any inhaled chemical, which makes it more difficult to use in a trap.

Nerve disruption may work just as well on a BF as it does on humans and bears. The electrical pulses disrupt the nerve signals and make it impossible to move voluntarily. Tasers and other electrical means are also highly risky. The electrodes have to be in the correct places, otherwise instead of disruption, it causes nothing but pain. Taser type devices don't work so well for traps. You could rig one to a laser beam, so that it fires along the beam when the beam is interrupted, but these setups would probably be rather obvious. If the BF notice it, or worse, trip it and the electrodes hit wrong, they will never trust you again.

Ultimately, the biggest problem with capture is the other BF. My experience is that they are rarely completely alone. Certainly, others are probably within earshot. If you have a place and time, then that sounds like migration, and migration is a group thing.

As for knowing WHEN and WHERE, why would I tell a stranger that? Only when I TRUST someone will I share that which I've researched so hard for.

I think the questions were about how you know, not the actual when and where. Honestly, BFers seem to be more secretive about the knowledge they have gained than companies are about their trade secrets.

Please realize that you are far from unique in having a when and where. It is well known that BF have their preferred and reliable food sources. Streams with spawns at repeated times in the year, preferred fruit trees and berry patches, prairies and wetlands in which to dig for roots, and even trustworthy dumpsters may be routinely visited.

I have learned some of their favorite haunts near me, and I know some people for whom the "where" is their yard, and the "when" is anytime. Some places are seasonal and some are habitual.

[gigantor]

There have been many failed attempts at using bigfoot traps. Here is one which has been up for a while is Oregon.

Your best chance is to kill one, chop off some parts to establish a type specimen and get out of dodge fast.

Edited May 25, 2012 by gigantor

[Guest]

Your point about rarely being alone, Ajciani, is another worrisome aspect of the kill/capture scenario. Physically restraining a bf might be a tad hard with a couple other of the animals bearing down on you, and would most likely cause a kill scenario just to protect the people trying to do the capture.

Thinking about my post today, I tried to run through other scenarios that wouldn't involve having to actually shoot a live one. Make no mistake: as much as I like to talk about the scenarios, I know that at best it's 50/50 that I could actually pull the trigger. When it's all said and done, I don't know that I can pull the trigger on a human like animal, especially if there's a chance it's an idiot in a suit. I'm not going to trade my son's youth for the animal.

It crossed my mind that some lf these animals must be dying of natural causs or old age. If so, might they have a burial tradition? There have to be dead bf's somewhere, and I can't help but think existing ape species might identify how these creatures would bury their dead. If it's a Homonid, maybe the fossil record could indicate how past developmental Homonid species buried their dead. This could point to where a body could be located. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Guest toejam]

That trap is to try and catch a squatch? Ha, ridiculous. Show's how stupid humans can be.

I remember a story where a couple of trappers we're getting out of the area because of squatchy. I believe one of them had shot at one. One of them went to collect the traps, when he came back his buddy was dead with his neck broken.

Take a shot at one and you might not live to regret it. I have no sympathy for anyone that harms this species.

[Guest BFSleuth]

The story you are referring to was written by Teddy Roosevelt as told to him by someone else. They never took a shot at it. According to the story one trapper that stayed at camp was found by the other with this neck broken with four great fang wounds in the throat....

http://www.mysterycasebook.com/teddyroosevelt.html

[Guest]

I think the questions were about how you know, not the actual when and where. Honestly, BFers seem to be more secretive about the knowledge they have gained than companies are about their trade secrets.

Please realize that you are far from unique in having a when and where. It is well known that BF have their preferred and reliable food sources. Streams with spawns at repeated times in the year, preferred fruit trees and berry patches, prairies and wetlands in which to dig for roots, and even trustworthy dumpsters may be routinely visited.

I have learned some of their favorite haunts near me, and I know some people for whom the "where" is their yard, and the "when" is anytime. Some places are seasonal and some are habitual.

Thank you for these wonderful words of real wisdom. Just so you know, I've never had a WHEN and WHERE opportunity arise from my own research, and I'm certainly caught up in my own personal excitement of this. I am truly moving forward with the upmost humility, and I appreciate all of the experience you and others have shared.

When it comes to BF, everything is a long shot...even photographing one!

[Guest ajciani]

Perhaps a full capture is not the best option. It might be better to cause the BF to become impaired, and not care about being seen by a person. Maybe even reduce their ability to properly analyze the situation and react, such that you have a much better chance to do something like photograph one. There is a drug that can cause this, and no one needs any special license to procure it. It can be easily concealed in food, particularly of the liquid form. A drunk BF could be quite interesting.

There is also one physical trap you could try. BF will sometimes visit the doors of cabins and the like, especially when there is unusual human activity at the location. It might be a plan to simply turn off the lights, as if you have gone to bed, but actually wait at the door. When the BF pushes the door to see if it opens, starts fiddling with the knob, or taps on the door, that is when you swing it open and introduce the BF's head to a highly advanced, aluminum club. Of course, this plan has risks, not the least of which is that if the BF is not killed by the concussion, then conscious or unconscious, you will be inside the trap with it.

At least with the booze, if you fail to get what you wanted from the BF, the BF will have had a jolly time and maybe a bit of a hangover, so rather than be distrusting, they may come back for more.

ed: sp

Edited May 26, 2012 by ajciani

[Guest toejam]

Yeah, slug the BF in the head with a bat. When it rips the door off the hinge and you're found dead underneath it, don't say you weren't warned.

I'm sure you could slug it hard enough to **** it off.

[bipedalist]

...When the BF pushes the door to see if it opens, starts fiddling with the knob, or taps on the door, that is when you swing it open and introduce the BF's head to a highly advanced, aluminum club. Of course, this plan has risks, not the least of which is that if the BF is not killed by the concussion, then conscious or unconscious, you will be inside the trap with it.

And BF will likely in short order introduce you, the batter, to the historically longest T-62 aluminum probe in the form of a suppository....

[georgerm]

I've been researching the big guy for nearly 25 years. I came to this forum to get some real help but haven't received any yet. So I will make an appeal to all the professionals here...

I'm not going into the specifics of how I know what I know for obvious reasons, but I have discovered WHERE and WHEN one or more Bigfoot will be...within a 400 yards radius. If everyone is serious about capturing one alive, where is the plan?

I've tried getting help on this forum, but it appears that no one has a viable capture plan for anything over 30 yards.

Obviously, if I wanted to shoot to kill this animal, I wouldn't be here. But I'm finding the lack of answers discouraging....

Can you tell us about your experience for capturing large, dangerous animals? What animals have your captured?

What are your credentials for research of large primates? Where is your research area and what have your found so far?

Many of us are not into capturing or killing BF.

Edited May 26, 2012 by georgerm

[Guest]

_{I think catching one is a fantastic idea, just not feasible. Getting that awesome footage, while not neccesarily proving it to everyone, would be much more feasible and safer in the long run.}

_{On another note, I can't believe what a dirty word "pro kill" has become amongst a lot of bigfooters. It seems like I've seen such a huge shift from getting the neccesary evidence, like a body, to now trying to be these creatures forest friends, wtf? While I like to think that it would be an amazing experience to form some sort of a relationship with one of these creatures, it isn't going to prove jack you know what. But I guess if you are in one of these situations, who cares about proving it to anyone, I know I wouldn't.}

[Guest BFSleuth]

Live capture will need to have a very well thought out plan for containment and for some term of humane and sustainable living conditions. Otherwise all will be for naught...

[Guest]

Setting aside that a person should try to obviously first obtain the best footage possible from a situation and staying on topic to the ideas for temporary capture, here is another plan for everyone to dissect:

1. Position all team members (4-6 people) during the day in complete camouflage (de-scent, ghillie suit, the works) in an area where and when BF will cross to within 50-100 yards.
   
2. To temporarily immobilize a BF, fire one or more XREP taser shells from a smooth-bore 12 gauge semi-auto shotgun with Gen 3 scope. See my argument below on the XREP vs. Tranquilizer Darts.
   
3. As BF is incapacitated by the XREP, team members run up with several net guns (see link below) to completely cover BF
   
4. At close range, a large animal tranquilizer is shot with an air pistol to knock-out the creature.
   
5. Using spot-lights, flares, flash-bang gun shells, and high-powered rifles (just in case), team members encircle the 'incapacitation team' during the process
   
6. ATV vehicle is used to extract BF if truck can't be brought close to the creature.
   
7. Load BF, strap down with ratchet straps in truck.
   

After study and verification, release back in the area at night as soon as possible.

XREP Law-Enforcement Taser Shotgun shells. Here is why I think these little guys are the best incapacitating choice for BF in man's current technological arsenal.

• Set aside wimpy stun guns. Yes, Tasers can get a wider contact areas but still not enough- and proximity to subject is way too close (15-25 feet)
  
• Pronged Tranquilizers with long-range transmitters can be easily pulled out by a creature with opposable thumbs.
  
• When the XREP is fired (see link), it hits the subject first with a stunning, blunt force impact. However, what makes this AMAZING is that a strand of wire a few feet in length trails the device, and the natural instinct for people (and BF) is to pull out the device. As soon as the subject touches the wire, the LARGEST contact surface area possible is made (thus greatly increasing the chances of incapacitation)- from the hand, up the arms, shoulders, torso, head- to where ever the device made impact.
  
• IMMEDIATE incapacitation. Unlike even the best tranquilizers.
  
• Allows for enough time to bring in further immobilizing devices like nets, etc.
  

XREP info: http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2010/02/10/taser-xrep-up-close-and-pricing/

Net guns: http://www.wildlifecapture.com/net_gun.html

What does everyone think?

[Guest MikeG]

What do I think?

I think that this:

"Position all team members (4-6 people) during the day in complete camouflage (de-scent, ghillie suit, the works) in an area where and when BF will cross to within 50-100 yards"

.........is where your problems lie. If we could do that, we'd have great wildlife documentaries on sasquatch by now, as well as a type specimen, and there would probably be no such thing as the BFRO or the BFF.

Mike

[Guest]

You are certainly correct, Mike. Let's just ASSUME for a moment that we can-- just for giggles let's say. What do you think of the plan? Thanks!