When You Are Squatching...

[Guest Flatlander]

Do you use similar techniques to the guys on Finding Bigfoot? Do you get similar results?

 

Its getting nearly unbearable to watch the show and see them do the same thing every week and get almost no results, but just keep doing it over and over.

 

I don't get to do any Squatching here near Amarillo, so I have zero experience. I was wondering if this is typical. I would think sooner or later they would do something different. And I don't mean having raves or luaus. Just curious.

[daveedoe]

wouldn't have much of a show if I was being filmed. It would be an old guy hiking through the forest, just observing.

 

When I was younger I would jog through the forest quietly as possible. I've encountered black bears and elk just being stealthy. I like to sit up high and observe with binoculars, watching for movement. I have never hollered or wood knocked. I have whistled (cupping my hands blowing through my thumbs) getting owls to respond at night. 

 

Maybe that is why I've never seen a Bigfoot. I have had some strange creatures around at night out side my tent solo camping, I know I've had bears, deer, elk and raccoon but a couple times just to afraid to peek out, thinking if it was Bigfoot. I would have freaked if it was, so I never looked.

[Guest TexasTracker]

I refuse to scream out into the darkness. I've knocked on trees before, but quickly realized that I had no idea what I might be saying. 

 

I kinda feel like they know we are in the area as soon as we arrive in the woods. Hiking in the areas around here (southeastern Okla), I'm much more likely to get a response from someone else out squatchin'.

 

Soft whoops work when they are close.. again, I don't know what I might be saying, but it seems appropriate.... kinda calming.

 

I'd like to hear what others have to say.

 

CG

[Guest]

I can honestly say, that I use a few of the techniques used on the show.. and did so, before the show aired. I'm limiting, what I used to try doing.. and have become much more passive. Anything too loud or aggressive... just attracts Animal Planet watchers, anyhow.

Not tried any of the more advanced techniques, though... like meat covered deer manikins, pig guts, bushwacking through forest and yelling out.. in a line of 60 people, or a baboon or rabbit in a cage. 

The results are similar.. and hardly any. The responses I did get, were interesting, but inconclusive. Most came, when they were not expected, and I had all but given up.

Bottom line.. I'm not trying to make a TV series out of it

Edited January 7, 2014 by imonacan

[Branco]

In one area in the river bottoms I can usually get a response - sometimes a PO'ed one - by playing back a recorded call of one of the three males that prowl around at night down there. Have never seen any one of the three in the daytime, just eye shine. 

 

A female walked out in the open late one afternoon in the mountains to watch me while I was playing the entire Sierra Sounds CD while I was sitting and eating on the tailgate of my truck.

 

Called the young male in in the afternoon by short whoops, then some "rock cracking". He met me on the trail as I was leaving the hollow.

 

Just consistently camping at the same spot in a group's area (alone), acting naturally, and leaving a bit of food worked for me. If you do it routinely, they will recognize your vehicle a mile away and be waiting if they are not foraging out of hearing. They'll catch up when they complete their rounds.

 

They get real nosy  when it's after midnight and they think you are asleep. 

[JDL]

In my experience the females tend to show a lot of interest if you're gathering, preparing, or eating meat items.  They seem more likely to expose themselves or toss a pebble at you to let you know they're there if meat is in evidence.

 

I get the impression that they're generally hungrier than the males, may be that the males get their share of a kill first.  Also, a pregnant female will have some fairly imperative nutritional needs that may not be fully met.

[Guest]

Branco, I agree with you. I too have a spot In the river bottoms and went there both days this weekend for hours. Saturday I had a axe and tapped on it with my 2"x2"x4' stick. Tap tap taaap taap and did this several times and a whistle. I received a whistle response and heard footsteps in the brush but I could not see anything as it was after dark. I left some pistachios and waited a bit then drove home.

  Sunday I got there early, sat in my spot for 21/2 hours making rock clacks and a single whistle occasionally. Two times I heard a big rock thrown in the creek I was sitting by but it meanders so much I saw no ripples anywhere. I saw movement out of my periphery up the creek and decided to investigate. it was a bunch of wood ducks and they took off before I could get close. I decided to head back to the truck after I investigated a possible arch and x structure blocking a trail when I heard it. Tap tap taap taap, just like I had done the previous day! This tapping repeated itself several times until I  softly said "Hey, I hear you.." and then it stopped. I sat on a log for another 30 minutes hoping to hear it again before leaving. I know it was not a woodpecker because I had been there for over 4 hours and never heard this before or since. Leaftalker, I tried talking to them and I hope I didn't mess up!! I was not scared and I have no doubt they know my white '86 4runner with its promaster exhaust.. The tapping was not tree knocking, it was subtle and there was no other person I  saw in the woods that day. In fact, according to my tire tracks, I was the only person on that trail this weekend. It had rained some and ground was soft..

 Edited for spelling.

Edited January 7, 2014 by Hellbilly

[Guest Darrell]

They seem more likely to expose themselves

Better be carefull, that may not be the response you want. We are still talking bigfoot right?

[Guest]

very interesting stuff branco and HB.

[Guest JiggyPotamus]

I posted yesterday in another thread regarding the likelihood of some sort of interaction with a sasquatch upon entering into territory that they would attempt to protect, and expanding on this idea a bit, I think it could apply to what you have brought up in this thread. We would probably all agree that if sasquatch are protective over certain territories, even just temporarily, any of these locations are not going to be located in an area that is frequented by humans. If there are areas nearby to the location where humans do go somewhat often, even just a couple of humans, then I also think that any protected sasquatch areas in he vicinity would likely be located somewhere that humans could not easily access. Terrain, elevations, and foliage can be used by sasquatch as natural barriers for protection.

 

In my view of sasquatch, even if this animals are transient, or do a lot of moving around, they likely choose an area for their "camp." There must certainly be some amount of protection of such an area, as almost all species have a territorial drive of sorts. Now what I am getting at is that I've seen the areas on FB, where the team goes. Rarely have I seen them traversing through thick brush, and like most other researchers, they travel in areas where walking is a bit easier. Not necessarily wide open areas, but sometimes even this is the case. Now in my mind that is not a good way to find a sasquatch. While these animals do come into such areas, they are not going to do so when they hear humans around. If they get curious and wish to see what is going on, you can bet they will do so from the safety and protection of the surrounding environment. I believe that even if a small percentage of sasquatch videos are legitimate, then at least one of the videos that show them hiding and moving behind trees is probably authentic.

 

So even if a researcher gets close, they likely will not see the bigfoot, especially in the dark. My point is that it would take a whole lot of luck to find a sasquatch utilizing the method of walking around and making sasquatch calls. Another point I was trying to make is that a person's odds would at least be increased if they did their walking around in more sketchy terrain, or in thicker woods. Because not only do you have the same chance of happening upon a sasquatch, there is also the chance that you could enter one of these protected areas, which may just cause the sasquatch to interact with you, in an attempt to get you to leave the area.

 

I remember reading at least two reports of lone hikers who were off the beaten path, just out in the woods somewhere, and apparently they entered one of these types of areas. I think one of them actually saw the sasquatch, and in another instance they just heard it, or something like that. Anyway, they were "escorted," or "scared" from the area in each instance, followed until they had gone a good distance. Obviously, if the stories are true, the sasquatch are attempting to achieve the goal of getting the person out of the area. I cannot imagine a sasquatch doing this unless the area where the human had entered was important to the animal for some reason. Perhaps they had family there or something, and maybe the reasoning is important, since possibly we could learn a little more that may be useful in the future.

 

I am not saying that getting off the beaten path will work very often, but I am saying that I believe a researcher's odds are better in such an instance, as opposed to sticking to known trails, open areas, and easily traversed terrain, since bigfoot is not going to bed down out in the open. I firmly believe that anything a bigfoot is doing out in the open is a short term activity, and it will not be there all that long.

 

To answer your question, yes, I get frustrated watching the FB cast do the same things over and over again. I am reminded of the episode where they brought in the "primate tracking" dog, which apparently hit on something in some thick brush. Maybe that is just adding some weight to what I am saying here, although it is not really anything new to be honest. People have been saying virtually the same thing for decades I'm sure.

 

Then there are the methods they use to draw the animals in. I personally do not believe that vocalizations and tree knocks are drawing the animals in. I actually think it could be hurting their chances in fact. But some of the other stuff they've tried are not necessarily bad ideas overall, but they are still not likely to succeed. In the past I have detailed how I believed smell is the best way to draw them in, but I didn't leave it at that. Because drawing them in is only part of the battle. Once you get them close, you actually have to see them. And doing so with the naked eye is going to usually be impossible, as they will be hiding in the brush. For this reason I had proposed, if you were going to try to draw them to an area, that cameras should be set up in the woods around the perimeter of the camp.

 

These cameras should be placed quite high in the trees, and should be angled downward. But the most important thing is this...The cameras should NOT be facing where the bigfoot could see them while approaching, but instead they should be facing towards the camp. Hopefully they will catch the back of the bigfoot as it approaches to see what is going on. It may notice the camera when it turns around to leave, but that is no matter if it has already been captured on film. That is just my two cents, and it is something that is a little different from what most people are doing. To my knowledge nobody has attempted to utilize such a system.

 

And another important thing imo would be to de-scent the cameras, and the area upon leaving. And I wouldn't set up the cameras near obvious approach paths, because I would be the bigfoot would take another, less obvious, route.

[Guest]

I really like your idea about putting game cams high in a tree facing the camp , jiggy. That is awesome..

do you think young sasquatch utilize trees the way other primates do ? Certainly the adults would be too heavy.

[Sunflower]

Branco, I agree with you. I too have a spot In the river bottoms and went there both days this weekend for hours. Saturday I had a axe and tapped on it with my 2"x2"x4' stick. Tap tap taaap taap and did this several times and a whistle. I received a whistle response and heard footsteps in the brush but I could not see anything as it was after dark. I left some pistachios and waited a bit then drove home.

  Sunday I got there early, sat in my spot for 21/2 hours making rock clacks and a single whistle occasionally. Two times I heard a big rock thrown in the creek I was sitting by but it meanders so much I saw no ripples anywhere. I saw movement out of my periphery up the creek and decided to investigate. it was a bunch of wood ducks and they took off before I could get close. I decided to head back to the truck after I investigated a possible arch and x structure blocking a trail when I heard it. Tap tap taap taap, just like I had done the previous day! This tapping repeated itself several times until I  softly said "Hey, I hear you.." and then it stopped. I sat on a log for another 30 minutes hoping to hear it again before leaving. I know it was not a woodpecker because I had been there for over 4 hours and never heard this before or since. Leaftalker, I tried talking to them and I hope I didn't mess up!! I was not scared and I have no doubt they know my white '86 4runner with its promaster exhaust.. The tapping was not tree knocking, it was subtle and there was no other person I  saw in the woods that day. In fact, according to my tire tracks, I was the only person on that trail this weekend. It had rained some and ground was soft..

 Edited for spelling.

 

We have heard the tapping as well.   And we were also near water, in fact, we were standing on a low water bridge precisely in the middle.  Tal Branco has also heard the tapping and he thinks that it's a message to their friends that hairless humans are near their water source.  I tend to agree with that explanation.

 

Good visit for you!  Whistling is the way I announce that we've come with gifts. 

[georgerm]

Good ideas Jiggy and thanks for the read. It makes sense that BF is going to be found in the most inacessable parts of the forest. The single males looking for new territory may be wandering in the commonly hiked areas, but the large clans will be where hiking is next to impossible. This is probably why we don't see them. We have many brushy rocky, hills in Oregon that I'll bet noone has ever climbed and bigfoot knows this. If you do try to climb, it knows you are coming up, so the clan moves to another hill to watch you slip and slide while it cracks up laughing.

[norseman]

I've tried tree knocking before......nada.

I've also done quite abit of varmint calling as well, and while I did not have any luck I think it may hold some promise. I even use cow elk calls in my sets.

[Guest]

  I finally figured out how to post pictures after months, yeah! I would like to start a thread to share some of what I see in the field for everyone who is snowed in or can't get out themselves. Lemme know...

I was looking at this when the tapping started. I took this picture on a previous visit. I know not every arched tree is from BF but this one really stood out as it was weaved together

Edited January 8, 2014 by Hellbilly