Knowing What You Now Know, How Would You React To A Close Daylight Sighting?

[SWWASAS]

My first encounter I think I scared the BF as much as it scared me.    I think it did not know I was there and almost ran over me.    It might have been female because it was with a juvenile.    I  tried to approach but could only get so close because of down trees in the way so basically I gave them space to move away when they could.       I was an active researcher at the time so it was not like I had the encounter with something I did not know exists.     That is a big factor for fear on my part.     The second close encounter was a chest slapping when I had the audacity to urinate when it was watching.   Apparently that is a social no no for a BF, probably interpreted as a sign of disrespect.  That scared me a lot.   Since chest slapping is a male behavior that would be good guess that the BF was male.    Then the zapping thing, was unfriendly and I thought entirely unnecessary because it could have just let me walk past and be gone.   That scared me more than the first because at the time I thought they knew me, and were getting to the point where they were accepting me in the area.    When it zapped me, I could not understand why it thought it had to do that.    I just had a thought as I wrote this.       Since it was likely a female the first time,  I wonder if gender was an issue the other times.       Could it be that a male of the tribe was just warning me to keep my distance and stop looking for them?    At the time much of this was confusing as to the why they did what they did.   

Edited August 30, 2014 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[Sasfooty]

SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT, I have a friend, who was relatively friendly with her hairy guys, & used to get zapped pretty often at her home. She finally determined that a lot of the unprovoked zappings are juveniles that are just practicing.

 

I, or nobody in my family has ever been zapped by the ones around here, but Hubby got growled at one night for peeing in the presence of a female. He had no idea that she was there. Seems that if they want to hide & spy on us, they shouldn't be offended when they see something that they weren't expecting. I think they are much like some of us & just enjoy being insulted.

 

 

[Guest lightheart]

SW I don't know if it is possible to understand their actions. I said this to OZ the other day. ....We have to remember that they are wild, whether they are creatures or a people they are wild. I say this again to remind myself as well. I have been hiking for about 9 months in the same location. Today something growled a low growl and made a chuffing noise at me. (See chuffing thread) hard to figure them out....I know the feeling..

[SWWASAS]

Sasfooty: Interesting that your husband peeing would elicit the response too.     I had just parked near a county road and was desperate so I bared my bottom and squatted down to be out of sight of cars on the road.     Either it was the bare bottom or peeing that caused the reaction, maybe both.    Presenting bottom is common behavior in a lot of apes so who knows what the BF thought was going on.    If I had not already been doing it, the chest thumping would have scared it out of me anyway.   At least this way I did not end up with wet clothes. 

 

Lightheart:   Someone here or perhaps it was on a video I watched recently said they had gotten pretty consistent reaction from BF by chuffing so they have completely stopped doing any other vocalizations.     I have never done calls but do talk to them if I think they are nearby.    I have always been reluctant to imitate something that I have no idea what it might mean.    I might be telling BF that I want to challenge it's territory if I invent calls or howls.        

[Sasfooty]

"WooHoo" is always a safe choice.

 

I had a lot of fun with a juvenile that was here almost every morning for awhile. He would whistle, I'd answer with a woohoo & he'd toss a rock onto the roof. I recorded one of our exchanges one morning & found that he had a friend with him that was also whistling from farther away. He moved on about 4 years ago, but occasionally he comes by & that whistle can still be heard coming from the woods.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Sasfooty

[Guest]

They will forever make you question what is real and challenge your faith in away you can't imagine.

 

Challenge your faith?  I'm trying to understand what faith has to do with a bigfoot sighting.

[Guest Divergent1]

If I saw one it would certainly rock my world. Faith in science, the history of man, and what else is out there that isn't supposed to exist.

[Incorrigible1]

Science doesn't state the creature cannot exist. Science doesn't recognize its existence.

[Guest Divergent1]

Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

[Guest DWA]

^^^And the way the mainstream behaves about this, it might just as well believe the former, wouldn't make any difference.

[hiflier]

Hello All,

Ever since I first saw the title of this thread I've turned it over and over and I don't honestly have a reliable answer. If they exist and this did happen would I never go into the woods again? No, I'll keep going in but my age might say to bring someone else along. I can't imagine that there wouldn't be just a few things going on in this head of mine al at the same time though. You know how fast a mind can work even through inial shock. I do forsee at least a catch in my step at the moment of encounter. I can see a lot of automatic things kicking in like unconcous judging of distance between me and it and so forth. Ears perked for noises, checking posture, size, where it's looking etc.

It may not be instaneous but wondering why it showed itself at all could be part of it. Is it ahead of me? To the side? Does it have the high ground? Is it here to tell me not to go deeper in from the road? It might know when I got here and how. AM I SEEING THINGS? Probably wouldn't take long to determine that one. If it turns out that I am not then probably the most important consideration might be next....there can't be just one. The walk out to my vehicle might be more than a bit shakey.

[SWWASAS]

Based on my experience and hundreds of witness reports, if you see a BF it has made a mistake or intentionally wants to drive you out of the woods.    Most encounters are mistakes on the part of BF, only a small percentage are the intimidation type.    The road crossing thing is a good example.    They hear the vehicle coming and think they can cross before you see them but misjudge how fast you are approaching.      They are very adept at finding you when you enter their area but when they decide to investigate,  and move closer to watch, there is a period of time when they are unsure exactly where you are and until they establish visual contact, they are at risk of showing themselves.   They have to know exactly where you are to hide as they approach.       One of my encounters I had changed directions three times so they had no idea where I was until one almost ran over me.     When you are in a static situation like an encampment,   they can approach at their leisure, and unless you get up unexpectedly at night, there is little likelihood they will be seen.     What we do in camp is very predictable.     But when we move around,  until they establish visual contact,  there is always the chance you will see them before they see you.  

 

When someone with no previous experience has a sighting one of two things will happen.    It could indeed scare you out of the woods forever like has happened to many hunters.     But because you are here on this website and have some interest in BF research,  the more likely scenario will be that you become a witness and are hooked forever.     You will want further experiences and learn as much as you can.        Depending on family and friends acceptance, the second scenario may well be the worst for many people.    They are so elusive and hard to find that the potential of thousands of hours required to have further contact may take it's toll on relationships.      In either case it is certainly life changing.    

[Guest]

Having just finished reading the book Missing 411, I would probably freak-out and be much more fearful now than if I had seen one a few years ago.