Let's Narrow Down The "other" Possibilities For Snow Field Trackways

[Guest JiggyPotamus]

A number of tracks that have been found in snow show what appears to be bipedalism, but the distance between these tracks are what intrigues me. Obviously even if it was a quadrupedal animal that was responsible for bipedal-looking tracks, I can think of nothing that could create such a spread between the tracks. And the idea that some lean on to explain away bigfoot tracks that aren't in snow, which is that someone can get a running start and thus create such a distance between tracks, does not hold up when there is deep snow. One cannot gain the same momentum when the snow is deeper, and the other main reason that dispels such an idea is the fact that some of these tracks covered areas that would make such a feat impossible. We are talking obstacles that simply cannot be negotiated in such a way.

 

And it is obvious from some of the trackway videos that are available that the humans who attempt to follow them actually have to wade through the snow, meaning a person on foot would leave some evidence if these tracks were in fact a hoax. It seems to me that whatever created the tracks is not hindered by sinking into the snow. So when it sinks, it still has enough leg room to take a step without disturbing the surrounding snow. A human cannot do that, which like I said, is obvious from the videos. And we know that, since the tracks are on the surface of newly fallen snow, that they could not have been created while the snow was shallow.

 

Now I will admit that I have little experience with snow, since I grew up in Texas. I have visited places where it actually snows regularly, but have not actually gone out and played in it or whatever. So I am just basing these conclusions on common sense, but since common sense is experienced-based, I could be wrong.

 

Let's think about a bear, although again I have little experience with bears. Grinned a few down in the past, you know, but that is all. Their legs seem relatively short. So even if they were going to place two feet together, which would be necessary during each step to create a bipedal trackway, it seems to me that these short legs would cause other parts of their body to contact the snow. Now if I remember correctly, don't some of these tracks actually show what look to be finger indentations paralleling the trackway in various locations? As if a human or sasquatch was walking through the snow and their hand contacted the snow to the left and right.

 

So small marks like that obviously are not the result of a person walking, but were most likely created at the same time as the trackway, and by the same animal. So if these very light marks are present, I would think that it would rule out a quadrupedal animal that was placing both feet together to create a bipedal trackway.

 

Again, I think a bear's legs are too short to create a bipedal trackway, and I highly doubt that they would walk in such a manner anyway, and we would obviously see four individual footprints, at least in some locations. So the animal responsible would have to have longer legs. Lets take a deer. Longer legs, but smaller feet. I don't think an animal like that could create such large indentations. It would have to be something like a horse, or maybe a moose or something. But I cannot see them walking in such a way that only created two prints. Because if they did this, they probably would not have good balance. Don't animals like this tend to spread their four legs, or at least their back legs, to get better balance? I have more experience with horses than anything, and I cannot recall having ever seen a horse walk in such a strange way, leaving a bipedal trackway.

 

And then their hooves would have to contact the snow in such a precise way that they left only a single indentation, rather than having their hooves only close together, but still leaving two separate impressions. And the closer the feet are together when they contact the ground, the more likely the animal would actually tip over to the side.

 

So as I wrack my brain trying to think of an animal that could create such a trackway, I draw a blank. The only possibility in that regard would be if there was some animal who walked strangely in snow, that I didn't know about, since I don't have a lot of experience in such matters. Therefore it seems to me that the only remaining possibilities are a hoax, and a sasquatch. And like I already said, a hoax would be much more likely to leave tell-tale signs, especially when the snow is deep.

 

Someone mentioned that they think more tracks of sasquatch would be found in snow if the animals existed. I would like to address this argument from a few different sides. First off, there are not going to be as many people out there to witness such a trackway as there would be when there is no snow on the ground. As a species, humans tend to stay indoors more during such weather. The possibility that sasquatch hole up much more during the winter than summer is also a possibility. I mean think about it like this...There is not going to be as much animal movement during the snow season, which means less potential for hunting. Some reports suggest they actually store up food, and common sense dictates that if that much is true, it is probably for the winter months. I don't know if that is true, or if such behavior is widespread, but it is a possibility. Especially if they are intelligent animals.

 

The smarter they are, the more they will realize that hunting is difficult during the winter, and thus they will attempt to store food. I would think that they would come down to lower elevations during the winter, thus making a sighting more likely, but I believe this could be offset by the lower amount of human traffic. Another reason that might make a sasquatch less likely to move around during the winter is the lack of cover. The trees are bare, and they will lose some of their stealth abilities if the ground is covered in snow.

 

Obviously if trackways are found though, they are not hibernating. This is another reason why I think they probably just don't move around too much. It would help to know just why they seem to move around so much during non-winter months. Obviously they need food, but are they looking for food every single time someone sees them? I doubt it. So maybe part of the reason they might move around a lot during warmer months is based on some more intangible reason, a reason that they could neglect during the winter and yet still survive. In my opinion most sasquatch deaths likely occur during the winter. The older animals are not going to be able to go as long without food, or subsist on the small amounts of food the younger sasquatch likely could.

 

Maybe part of the reason they are so big is because they survive on fat reserves. It would not be unheard of in the animal kingdom. Or maybe they cannibalize their dead. Or living for all we know. There just seem to be numerous possibilities, most of which are in fact feasible.

 

This isn't a good argument for someone who doesn't know for a fact that sasquatch exist, but here is how I personally look at it...I know they exist, therefore there must be an explanation for such questions. Something else is the idea that we have no clue how many trackways are actually found during the winter. I know for a fact that not everyone actually reports an encounter. Plus, seeing bipedal tracks in the snow is not going to excite everyone who encounters them. Even if the spacing is large and could not have been made by a human, I would bet that more people would shrug it off than would connect it with sasquatch.

[Guest]

Also, Jiggy, in the PNW, the elk herds move to lower elevations in winter. Probably deer too, but the elk are very obvious as they live in herds or small groups. So they could be following their meat supply. The majority of trees here are evergreen so in this area at least, lack of cover wouldn't be an issue.

[Guest]

Hello All,

Just as a thought a rabbit's foot is designed more for keeping the animal only a couple of inches deep on the surface. Not six or more as it's simply not that heavy. In the meantime I ran across this:

http://bf-field-journal.blogspot.com/2014/02/do-bigfoot-cover-their-tracks.html

True? Don't know. Interesting though.

Those feet will not support a bunny that way if the snow is light and fluffy. After the tracks are made, more snow falling and some compression will solidify the snow a bit. Someone who didn't know the snow was previously light and fluffy might think it fell more firmly and suppose a rabbit couldn't have made the tracks.

[BobbyO]

In the PNW the lower elevations, say 1000 feet and lower, are not often snow covered in the winter. There are millions of acres of low elevation where a bigfoot could live in winter and leave very few tracks in the snow. Snow trackways intrigue me the same way the PGF does. Lots of folks cry hoax, but no one can replicate or explain how it was done.

 

I'll narrow that down even more too..

 

On the Olympic Peninsula, out of the 141 sighting reports in the SSR, only 15 of them are above 1,000ft ( 10% ).

 

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During the Winter season, afternoon temperatures are in the 40's and night time readings are usually in the upper 20's or lower 30's.  Wind storms can occur.   In lower elevations and near the water, snow seldom reaches a depth in excess of six to ten inches or remains on the ground more than a few days. However, snowfall and depth on the ground increases dramatically along the slopes and tops of the mountains, withHurricane Ridge averaging 400 inches of snowfall each year.  

 

http://www.olympicpeninsula.org/general-resources/olympic-peninsula-weather

 

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Break it down yet again and looking at Kitsap County, the County in WA that has the highest % of winter month reports in the State, and it may just be coincidence that it has one of the lowest snowfall averages in the State too.

 

http://www.usa.com/kitsap-county-wa-weather.htm#HistoricalSnow

Also, Jiggy, in the PNW, the elk herds move to lower elevations in winter. Probably deer too, but the elk are very obvious as they live in herds or small groups. So they could be following their meat supply. The majority of trees here are evergreen so in this area at least, lack of cover wouldn't be an issue.

 

As do the Sasquatch in ever single core area in Western WA State.

 

The Eastern part of the State is different as the topography is very different from the west.

 

And i say that regarding their movements as for the North Cascades, South Cascades, Gifford Pinchott and Olympic Peninsula, the average winter month sighting for every one of those areas, with a combined 500 plus reports, the winter months have the lowest average elevation of sightings when analysed for each individual area.

Edited March 9, 2014 by BobbyO

[roguefooter]

Riiiiiiight.   3 miles, 3000 tracks, and they all freeze-thaw producing identical length, identical width, 5 toed tracks.    Deeper spots, shallower spots, on top of logs, on top of rocks, open ground, under trees.   Riiiiiight.    

 

I'm attacking the argument ... and this the most ridiculous argument I've heard yet.  It doesn't work. I'm not sure what your intent is, but by so strongly supporting the ridiculous, you're improving the case for BF, not undermining it.  If you're using reverse psychology, good job!!

 

MIB

 

It only becomes ridiculous when you assume that all the tracks are "identical length, identical width, 5 toed tracks", which they aren't.

 

You can see in the video that the steps vary in size and number of toes. Unless Bigfoot is a shape-shifter, then it's no Bigfoot.

 

http://bigfootforums.com/index.php/topic/29727-minnesota-ontario-trackway-3-mile-snow-trail-video-clipsmulder/?p=820422

 

Looks more like cleft hooves to me, with multiple feet stepping into each track.

Edited March 10, 2014 by roguefooter

[Wheellug]

It would be  truly difficult to say 'It was identical' or ' they varied'... either way.

From the video I'd have to say, it was some guy just taking the video and not really doing measurements.

However.. the guy who was narrating hopefully was providing information as he saw it first hand.

The camera only provided a few close up views, while the guy talking seemed to state that all the foot prints were the same and toe impressions were present.

 

The moose prints that were provided in the other thread were pretty good. But looking at the break in the snow, they each appeared to have figure 8 impression.  That in itself was a unique identifier and differed from what was present in the other subjects tracks.  

[MIB]

Looks more like cleft hooves to me, with multiple feet stepping into each track.

 

Quadrapeds CAN step in their own tracks and leave what appears from a distance to be bipedal tracks.   They don't do it EVERY step across 3 miles while changing pace, stride, and direction.  You WILL get instances where separate tracks of all 4 feet appear.  There was no sign of that in the vid.   

 

More than that, I've spent a fair bit of time tracking quadrapeds in snow.    There should be toe-drag both in and out of the steps, not clean post-holes.   Quadrapeds like horses, cows, and elk can't walk in a way to leave the rather clean tracks the video demonstrates in the amount of snow that is shown.

 

It just doesn't work.

 

We may have to disagree here 'cause I don't think I see what I think you say you think you see. 

 

To my eye, it's either a hoax somehow perpetrated by someone with super-human stride and strength, absolutely flaw-free for 3 miles, or it's the real deal.  

MIB 

Edited March 10, 2014 by MIB

[salubrious]

^^ To that I'm adding the problem of where the footprints are found going atop a log. I can imagine a smaller creature doing that easily, but a moose?

[WSA]

I would just have to say a footprint in snow is a lot easier to explain away absent similar tracks not made in snow. We seem bent on dislocating our frontal lobes in our failures to comprehend this unavoidable conclusion.  If you can't explain the bare ground tracks, do you really think the snow tracks are explained by all the hand waving about bunnies?