Welcome To Snow Country

[Terry]

Well, to say that the 67 reports for Ontario in the BFRO database are flat wrong because, why?, doesn't sound too respectful to me, now.

 

I was referring to my area of Ontario DWA, not the whole province.  We get lots of snow here and no bf tracks, ever. 

 

t,

[Guest DWA]

...that you see.

[Terry]

Well that's true for sure.  Wildlife have to make a living though.  Making a living means you have to travel.  If you travel in snow you leave tracks.  

 

t.

[Guest DWA]

Yes, but that doesn't mean that one person not seeing them means there are none.  That's all I'm saying.

[norseman]

Are you a biologist Terry?

[17x7]

I think that sometimes we think of bad weather as a time of hardship for all animals.  I don't think that is necessarily true when talking about predators.  Herbivores have it bad when it gets snowy, but I think it can be a time of plenty for hunters.  Prey species are all bunched up where there is food.  It is harder for them to run to get away and poor diet means they are down on strength and stamina.  This adds up to a boon for top predators.  They don't have to travel all over for food.  Deer are where there is food and shelter.  BF will be where the deer are.  BF (and other predators) can wait instead of having to travel all over.  The prey have to come to them or starve.  That equals fewer tracks.

 

17x7

[Terry]

I hear you DWA.

 

No Norse.  I was a forest technician (they used to call it a forest ranger here in Canada) for 33 years.  Worked with a lot of bios though.

 

t.

[coffee2go]

I am not sure how long the snow stays around in the southern areas, but any tracks would probably be gone by the time people started to look for them.  (Not like here in Minnesota.) The toe prints would probably not be recognizable for long.  I think in most of those areas melting is almost immediate once the storm has passed. 

 

I also think that if anyone in the south has seen a bf they don't need to convince themselves that they exist by hunting for tracks in the snow.  Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

 

[Guest JiggyPotamus]

I think you are mistaken in your logic, for the following reason. To gauge whether bigfoot are in an area based on tracks found in the snow, one would have to scout a whole lot of area, more than one person could probably do, even if they had ample time to do it. I mean I could go to an area where I know there are sasquatch, yet still find absolutely zero sign of them. Not because they are not there, but because the area we are talking about is so large.

 

Then there is the fact that fresh snowfall will cover old snowfall, obscuring any tracks that may have been present. Then there is the fact that we have no idea whether bigfoot alter their behavior during the winter months.

[Guest DWA]

Then there is the fact of light on snow, which can obscure from only a few yards away a trackway that would be plain as day were one right on top of it.

[Terry]

Many times we see folks asking those that habituate why they don't have photos.  Some say because they're building trust, etc. which is understandable I suppose.  If one of those folks were sitting amongst their forest friends right after the recent storms, there would be lots of tracks of the whole family.  Taking photos of those tracks would be pretty interesting to the rest of us.  At least that's what I'd do.

 

t.

[Guest DWA]

^^^And I admit that's why I can't put any more into a habituator's story than I can into anyone else's.

 

It's your right to submit evidence or not as you choose, but not to do it and to expect folks to buy it ...well, not exactly playing by the rules there.

[norseman]

Terry,

Understood.

[Terry]

^^^And I admit that's why I can't put any more into a habituator's story than I can into anyone else's.

 

It's your right to submit evidence or not as you choose, but not to do it and to expect folks to buy it ...well, not exactly playing by the rules there.

 

Not only that, it would be a neat thing for those of us interested in the subject to see.  If I belonged to a group of enthusiasts trying to photograph or show that a family of wolverines were visiting my woodlot, I'd take photos of their tracks in the snow from that visit if I had the chance.  Not only to show that they had in fact been there as I had claimed but also for the enjoyment and interest of the other enthusiasts.   

 

t.

[southernyahoo]

No not by a long shot.  I've flown a lot of wildlife surveys though where we track the targeted animals in fresh snow by helicopter.  That gives you a pretty good idea of what's moving in the area.

 

Norseman, I'm wondering about those in the South who think they have a population around them.  If snow is a rare occurrence, I'm wondering if this is a chance for them to see good tracks.  A creature makes a lot of tracks in snow if it's trying to make a living as you know.

 

t.

 

What we got down here is a couple inches of sleet and freezing rain. This stuff doesn't make very detailed tracks, and typically freezes hard enough to walk on after a mid day melt and subsequent refreeze. It's also not on the ground for more than a couple days before it's gone as we hit 40 to 50 degree's as a high most days in December.  We had nearly a foot of snow in 2010, and that would make some good tracks. I think Sasfooty found some around her place. 

 

It would take a very concerted effort for most researchers down here to get out and find tracks in snow. On one front, you have the drive to get to Sas habitat, and the roads will be a mess, then there is the stay in the area, (i don't go camping in the snow) and then it won't be there but for a few days. 

 

More trouble than it's worth for someone who doesn't live in bigfoot's living room.