FarArcher Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 So we're all familiar with the reports and recordings of what's been termed, "tree knocking." I'm unaware of reports in North America of these critters walking around with selected sticks that they would need to make good knocks on trees - and yet - the sounds of the tree knocking appear to be relatively crisp and consistent. A sharp, crisp knock. You woodsmen know that if you were at any random location in the woods or forests, and heard a "knock," and wished to respond in a timely manner, you'd need to be able to lay at hand a solid, relatively dry piece of wood. And yet, most of the stuff laying around is rotten or half-rotten, long, and unwieldy in its natural form. Sounds are not heard of cracking a longer limb to whack against a tree - just a fairly quick, crisp, sharp knock. I know how we humans would create knocks, but does anyone else question how these knocks may be made? Is there another method I'm not aware of - to make that sound - one that would allow a reply where there's a fairly low percentage of suitable wood at hand? Ever thought about that?
MIB Posted January 9, 2017 Moderator Posted January 9, 2017 Considerably. Several thoughts here in no particular order: The first night of camp visits in Aug 2011 included two apparent wood knocks. The first was slightly "mushy" as if punky wood rather than solid wood were hit. The second was a more "ringing" rap as from solid wood on solid wood. There are also rock clacks to consider. One of my friends, the guy who took me on that camping trip, says that he's heard a lot more anomalous rock clacks than wood knocks over the years out there. Some wood knocks may be hand claps, not wood on wood. Some of the rock clacks may be "tongue pops" ... I can make them. MIB 4
hiflier Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) Yep, I have. I've heard pine cones drop onto lower still attached dead pine branches that when struck were quite loud. Mostly because the forest reverberates sound. I've been in campgrounds that are heavily treed and people's voices echo around the place to where there's a hollow sound to them. I would think a well aimed rock onto a standing dead pine would do the trick. Seems to work fine for Pileated Woodpeckers which can generate a pretty loud single knock. Edited January 9, 2017 by hiflier
FarArcher Posted January 9, 2017 Author Posted January 9, 2017 9 minutes ago, MIB said: Considerably. Several thoughts here in no particular order: The first night of camp visits in Aug 2011 included two apparent wood knocks. The first was slightly "mushy" as if punky wood rather than solid wood were hit. The second was a more "ringing" rap as from solid wood on solid wood. There are also rock clacks to consider. One of my friends, the guy who took me on that camping trip, says that he's heard a lot more anomalous rock clacks than wood knocks over the years out there. Some wood knocks may be hand claps, not wood on wood. Some of the rock clacks may be "tongue pops" ... I can make them. MIB All in all, that possibility of hand claps sounds highly likely. There's a lot of places where fair sized rocks are not readily available - but I can sure see them being used in areas where they ARE plentiful.
spacemonkeymafia Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) There's also the theory that hand clapping may be some of the sounds we take for wood knocks. Edited to add : Have you seen hand casts? They're the size of dinner plates. I could image clapping would be loud with hands that big. Edited January 9, 2017 by spacemonkeymafia One more thought.:) 1
NCBFr Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 FA - I am a little unclear on your question but here is my tree knock experience. Just moved in to a new home to me in NC in the suburbs around 2003. The house is at the end of 10 house neighborhood with a big lake to the South and two creeks to the east and west and wetlands in between and filled with deer. I had encountered a BF in NJ a few years earlier so I was not new to the phenomenon but not what you would call an interested party. Had a sick dog at about 3 AM that I needed to take outside. 30 seconds after walking out the front door I hear a huge wood knock from the woods across the street. Brain still asleep registers but is slow to catch up. 30 seconds later a second wood knock goes off. Brain awake and processing starts putting two and two together. As mentioned in a previous thread of yours, the knocks are really really loud. Beyond anything I could do with a baseball bat and a local Oak. 30 seconds later another knock goes off. I know I have the location triangulated to a few yards between two houses across the street in the woods. My choices are to investigate further or grab the dog and go back to bed. I chose plan B. Not sure if this helps you in your study but it is my story.
BobbyO Posted January 9, 2017 SSR Team Posted January 9, 2017 3 hours ago, MIB said: Considerably. Several thoughts here in no particular order: The first night of camp visits in Aug 2011 included two apparent wood knocks. The first was slightly "mushy" as if punky wood rather than solid wood were hit. The second was a more "ringing" rap as from solid wood on solid wood. There are also rock clacks to consider. One of my friends, the guy who took me on that camping trip, says that he's heard a lot more anomalous rock clacks than wood knocks over the years out there. Some wood knocks may be hand claps, not wood on wood. Some of the rock clacks may be "tongue pops" ... I can make them. MIB This. I don't believe all wood knocks, are wood knocks.
TritonTr196 Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 I've always thought and said most all knocks are hand claps. Now although a Bigfoot could easily break off a tree or limb to knock on a larger tree, there is never any evidence of this being done found. With all the supposed tree knocks going on, there would more beat up trees found. Not to be confused with trees that are snapped in two due to one being pissed off for some reason (which i have seen) and marking a trail or place. Not sure how much smacking rocks together has to do with knocks, as I don't personally think smacking rocks together has anything to do with the loud so called tree knocking that is reported. To many things says to me smacking rocks together isn't a viable knock option.
MIB Posted January 9, 2017 Moderator Posted January 9, 2017 A side note to consider ... if you are hearing claps instead of wood knocks and especially if you are hearing tongue pops instead of rock clacks, the bigfoot making them may be a whole lot closer to you than you imagine. Y' know ... something to ponder while laying there in your tent. MIB 1
spacemonkeymafia Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 29 minutes ago, MIB said: A side note to consider ... if you are hearing claps instead of wood knocks and especially if you are hearing tongue pops instead of rock clacks, the bigfoot making them may be a whole lot closer to you than you imagine. Y' know ... something to ponder while laying there in your tent. MIB Thanks. I'll sleep with one eye open now!
FarArcher Posted January 9, 2017 Author Posted January 9, 2017 3 hours ago, MIB said: A side note to consider ... if you are hearing claps instead of wood knocks and especially if you are hearing tongue pops instead of rock clacks, the bigfoot making them may be a whole lot closer to you than you imagine. Y' know ... something to ponder while laying there in your tent. MIB Thanks, MIB. If any other cheerful, comforting thoughts pop into your head - please! Share! It's not like I didn't already have a bit of trouble sleeping with those things out and about . . . now I can take great comfort in knowing that if I hear knocks - they're probably very close. Seriously, I never heard a wood knock, and my only exposure is some of the recordings heard. But then I got to thinking about all the years spent in every kind of swamp, woodland, savannah, alpine, or tundra location - and it hit me that most fallen wood is just not there for the taking. It's usually rotten or half-rotten, and especially unsuited to make a loud, crisp knock. And now, thanks to you, and others here - I learn that you don't believe they're all wood knocks! NCBFr, I find that narrative a bit of a surprise. Louder than wood on wood. But that goes along with my own observations that dry, seasoned wood is just not laying around for the grabbing.
spudsquatch Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 I've wondered about have fast some of the responses are. Almost immediate in some cases. Wouldn't it take them more time to find an appropriate stick to respond with a knock?
Incorrigible1 Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 I saw Dr. Bryan Sykes on Nat Geo channel, yesterday. Bigfoot: The New Evidence. In it, he made an aside comment to Mark Evans, wondering if sometimes bigfoot enthusiasts don't hear other enthusiasts responding to tree knocks.
hiflier Posted January 9, 2017 Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) I'm kind of curious when this whole tree knocking thing became so de rigueur. Seems more like it's experienced everywhere now but I see little if any of it in the older record. I'm not saying the knocks cannot be Bigfoot but when turkeys populations were once quite decimated and they can make some pretty loud knocks. Now that turkeys have bounced back they are in every state except for maybe Alaska and may be there too for all I know. Seems coincidental to have such widespread and fairly frequent knocking AND have the turkey populations now thriving everywhere. We could use a bit of research on this please? Edited January 9, 2017 by hiflier
Recommended Posts