Winter - Where Do They Go

[Guest Crowlogic]

In winter where do they go?  Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?  Better to nail down positively where they are in summer in the form of some tissue samples that a real lab can validate.  Then worry about where they are in winter.

[BigTreeWalker]

You're right Crow. A validation does need to be done. But does it really matter whether it's summer or winter. However, the question posed was why we don't see their tracks or them from the air in winter. Maybe the answer is as simple as, they don't like cold feet.

Besides if they do move into lower elevation areas during the winter; that would make getting the validation you speak of simpler. Just because they would be more consolidated.

[Guest]

I, (me speaking personally) agree Crow, maybe a better way of asking where they aren’t reported is the best first step means of learning where they go in the winter. More people are active in warmer climates and seasons rather than harsh winter months could be one possible explanation and another could be that they move to warmer parts.

 

From what I see:

 

38 percent of the reported encounters occur during warmer Summer seasons

14 percent of the reported encounters occur during colder Winter seasons

 

 

• Continued

30 percent of the reported encounters occur during Fall seasons

19 percent of the reported encounters occur during Spring seasons (roughly)

Edited February 25, 2016 by Gumshoeye

[BobbyO]

I truly hope this doesn't turn in to a "do they/don't they exist" thread like seemingly every other thread.

Fingers crossed as it's a good thread and doesn't need to be polluted like so many others with Crow's never ending, unfunny, sarcastic and off topic posts.

Edited February 25, 2016 by BobbyO

[Guest]

@ Bobby O -  Curious to know, how do your figures stack up?  Do you see any contrast in numbers comparing Summer and Winter seasons?  They may not be exact but do they reflect some close similarities?  Something I recall by somebody at one of the conferences that always stuck with me pertaining to this topic was trees in winter and mountains in the summer due to the heavy coat of hair. That seems to go against the figures.  

Edited February 25, 2016 by Gumshoeye

[Guest Cryptic Megafauna]

Heavy coat of hair means they live up in the cold. Hominids in the cold semi hibernate.

Native stories indicate they live in lava tubes and can disguise the entrance. 

Other likely candidates are in the root area of hollow trees.

Just released was a podcast relating to platform nests up trees very similar to ape nests in the PNW that was seasonal.

This will be a talk at an upcoming conference so you will hear more on that.

The branches from many acres of shrubs had been broken down to build the nests.

Due to avoidance of us Sapiens I would expect that highland areas are where you would find them.

Deep snow would be too hard for a heavy animal to move around in so seeking shelter and living of fat reserves and some stored food (nuts, roots) might make the most sense. Again hinted at in Native story cycles. Still would need access to water an occasional hunting opportunities so likely in high altitude canyons below the snow line. If driven by hunger they might descend to lower elevation for a time, I would think along large rivers in remote areas and into ungulate yarding areas or searching for birds and small mammals and fish. Also scavenging for carcasses of winter killed animals or remains from carnivore catches.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Cryptic Megafauna

[ShadowBorn]

I, (me speaking personally) agree Crow, maybe a better way of asking where they aren’t reported is the best first step means of learning where they go in the winter. More people are active in warmer climates and seasons rather than harsh winter months could be one possible explanation and another could be that they move to warmer parts.

 

From what I see:

 

38 percent of the reported encounters occur during warmer Summer seasons

14 percent of the reported encounters occur during colder Winter seasons

 

 

• Continued

30 percent of the reported encounters occur during Fall seasons

19 percent of the reported encounters occur during Spring seasons (roughly)

These numbers do show that they are active ,just like the game animals are. If you are out in the field during these times of seasons that one is most likely to see one of these creatures, and may roughly predict a time frame of a sighting. Now it would be to narrow it down to an area of predictable movement and one should be able to encounter them over and over. 

[southernyahoo]

I think winter might simply drive them to be more active at night. If you can't sleep because it's too cold, especially at night, then it makes sense to get out and get some food. The activity would keep you warmer and digestion of food is also warming. Sleeping during the day would likely be easier with the sun on you. A large animal such as the hypothetical BF would also overheat here in texas in the summer time, so again night time activity would be favored along with a river to swim in.

 

The question is not just where but also when they go. In the North, they'd probably need a hole in the ground, with brief ventures for food and water.

 

If they can learn, they might imitate the actions of other animals like canines that make dens.

 

This would also work as a human avoidance strategy occupying a range that overlaps human active areas.

Edited February 26, 2016 by southernyahoo

[BigTreeWalker]

Found this yesterday when we were out. It's a huge cedar stump. It actually had a front and back room. If I was in a situation where I had to get out of the weather for awhile this is what I would look for visibility was excellent into the surrounding areas. If there were two of you, you could easily keep watch in 360°. My walking stick is about 4' long. From the shape of the earth under it you could tell it had been occupied previously.

[Guest WesT]

BigTreeWalker, no doubt it's in a state of decomposition and generating at least some heat. It would be interesting to know the inside temperature vs outside temperature.

[SWWASAS]

I truly hope this doesn't turn in to a "do they/don't they exist" thread like seemingly every other thread.

Fingers crossed as it's a good thread and doesn't need to be polluted like so many others with Crow's never ending, unfunny, sarcastic and off topic posts.

Agreed but that requires reporting those that seek to derail the thread and turn it into a existence debate.   I think we are entirely too tolerant of some of these rants.  

 

WesT  you just reminded me to get an instant read thermometer to carry in my pack.     Can check out the decomposition thing and also know if some warm body has been laying in a depression just before you get there.  I think of things like that out in the field then forget about it when I am in town and can do anything about it.  

 

I think deer and elk are even more important in their diet in the winter when nutrition from plant sources becomes limited.    Perhaps all we need to do is follow the elk herds around to figure out where they go.   

Edited February 26, 2016 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[BigTreeWalker]

BigTreeWalker, no doubt it's in a state of decomposition and generating at least some heat. It would be interesting to know the inside temperature vs outside temperature.

I don't know how much heat it's generating. It's probably been laying like that for a hundred years now. Those old growth cedar stumps take a long time to decay. It will probably be there for another hundred years. There were some decayed leaves under it. They could have blown in from last fall. It would also reflect body heat if you crawled back against the stump. I was thinking more along the lines of temporary shelter from say a snowstorm or big rain storm. Just to get out of the elements. I don't think bigfoot has a problem with hypothermia like we do or else they have found ways to deal with it. Just as other animals don't have that problem.

[CMBigfoot]

Winter-Where do they go? That's a good question.

 

In the 23 years I've been looking I haven't found any evidence of BF moving to lower elevations or following elk herds in the winter.

 

It's been snowing off and on here in Marion County, Oregon the past several weeks so I've been out looking for their tracks or other evidence and I haven't found anything. There's over a hundred head of elk on my friends property just down the canyon from Silver Falls State Park and no BF tracks around. We have found cougar, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, raccoon, elk, deer, rabbit, and boomer tracks. But no BF tracks.

 

I live further down the canyon around 500ft elevation and there is a couple inches of snow right now. And the only tracks that I've seen is a lot of deer, coyote, bobcat, raccoon, and gray squirrel. So my opinion so far from my personal experiences over the years is the BF don't move to lower elevation or follow elk herds at least here in Marion County, Oregon.

 

The few times that I have found BF tracks in winter have been a lot higher in elevation.

 

Has anyone else been out looking for BF tracks in the snow this winter? Any luck?

[BigTreeWalker]

Been out a couple times. But I've been limited by time. So that means a person can't penetrate far into the more remote areas. Where we usually go in the lower elevations, valley floor to 2000', is state land. It's surrounded by gated Weyerhaeuser land, permit only. Snowshoes only, into the upper drainages and ridges, so very limited access. And no, because of the limitations, I haven't seen anything other than the usual animal tracks. The elk are still spread out though, rather than herded up. So I suppose if something wanted an elk dinner it would be hard for us to locate. Bigfoot are probably aware that we humans don't get into the hard to reach areas this time of the year. 

[dlaw]

In my neck of the woods, there are a lot of limestone caverns.  I think the BF use them in winter, and possibly for storage of food.