Sierra Shooting from A-Z

[BobbyO]

I don't believe that these accidents come from seeing someone wearing orange, THEN thinking it was an animal.

This is in New Zealand, a country with only 4.5m people in it.

http://www.investiga...m/jul03hunt.htm

On average, since 1979 there has been one accidental shooting of a hunter by another hunter every nine months.

Laws similar to those in the United States, requiring hunters to wear portions of highly visible clothing, have been floated here as a possible means of preventing hunters being shot in this way. But both Leathwick and Harland were wearing brightly coloured clothing, specifically to avoid being mistaken as deer. In a bitter irony, Davies bullet even went straight through Leathwick’s "blaze orange" cap. Harland had the same ‘protective’ colouring across the top half of his bush jacket.

Edited July 17, 2012 by BobbyO

[southernyahoo]

southernyahoo- When I talked to Justin he matter of factly stated that he was sure that the subjects he shot were NOT anything close to a human, just saying. ptangier

After watching the video, it appears Justin's perceptions went from bear, to guy in a suit, to monster, to very very human. When he says "it shouldn't be there" I think he is intimating that at the time, bigfoot had no place in his understanding of "known" and shouldn't exist on earth, as if to say "I should know about these creatures".

@Sunflower, I don't that was to deny their right to live anywhere.

I can understand getting freaked out in an encounter, but for most who encounter one of these beings, there is no immenent threat, and caution prevails.

Perceptions seem to flipflop around , even with those who look for them or encounter them. Some depictions look human, others don't. Could Smeja simply mean "not sapiens sapiens"? It's difficult to know if that also means "not genus homo" or if he has any concept of what qualifies as within or outside that distinction, and this is the rub against a prokill stance. Who among witnesses would qualify as judge and jury on that distinction?

[Terry]

Now I don't hunt, so I am wondering if hunters might answer this: is is likely that a hunter with Justin's level of experience in at least Texas and California would never have heard of bigfoot since he watched Harry and the Hendersons? Do hunters talk about it or not?

I'm in Ontario, Canada and no, hunters (in my experience) don't talk or even think about bf. It appears to be more of an American thing. Even my friends who hunt on the west coast don't talk about it...at all.

[See-Te-Cah NC]

Now I don't hunt, so I am wondering if hunters might answer this: is is likely that a hunter with Justin's level of experience in at least Texas and California would never have heard of bigfoot since he watched Harry and the Hendersons? Do hunters talk about it or not?

Around these parts, people talk about it in a joking sort of way... sort of in a teasing manner. We have an area on our farm called "The Bottom" that's spooky as all get out. The older hunters will tell the newer guys to "watch out for that Booger when you go down there." Boogers, Booger-bears and Hanks are what we call them around here. You may hear any of these names bandied about, but everyone knows what they're talking about. But you'll rarely hear them called Bigfoot due to the stigma attached to it among the macho hunters.

That changed to a degree when I started setting up in different areas of the farm. Cameras, salt and animal remains - as well as several other goodies - initially convinced the other members that I was nuts, but now the older guys ask me if I've found any evidence of "Bigfoot." The youngest hunter (14) thinks it is just too cool. The others? They know about Bigfoot, but they don't want to risk their "coolness" by showing interest in my endeavors. They're also a bit upset that they can no longer go into The Bottom because that's where my stuff is. It's been deemed off-limits during deer season and I've removed the markers for the 4 stands in the area.

I find it hard to believe that anyone with any history of hunting hasn't heard of Bigfoot.

[Cotter]

Hi Terry!

1 out of 5 of your friends is lying to you! :-)

http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/03/01/americans-more-likely-than-canadians-to-believe-in-bigfoot-sasquatch/

However, it is indicated that people in America are more apt to believe.

And isn't there a BC Proviencial Law that makes it illegal to kill a sasquatch? People are indeed talking about it quite seriously if they are passing laws, no? (Oh, and there's a hang-up on type-specimen collection).

Oh, and Mr. Smeja will have some problems with the law under California Fish and Game Code Section 415.

[Guest]

Wow, where to start? I'm extremely pissed off at the moment. I should probably give it a few more days before I post, but I guess I need to vent.

Even though I decided to take this on with full commitment, I'm sick to my stomach watching this interview. I am also an avid hunter and wilderness guide. I would rather hunt deer than just about anything else. Justin's told me this story probably 100 times at least, and each time it sickens me. If I shot something that I couldn't identify my father would come back from the grave and beat my head in. Honestly, if I would have been there on site when it happened I would have inflicted bottley harm on Justin and done everything in my power to stop him. That being said, what's done is done. Hopefully some good can come from this tragic event, and hopefully a law can be put in place with stiff penalty's for shooting at a Sasquatch. As I've stated here on this forum before, I know Justin feels bad about what he's done and would hit the rewind button if he could.

A couple months ago I asked Justin to please not do anymore interviews until the study was complete. Apparently he didn't want to take my advise. He speaks very un-filtered and in a graphic nature and it can be very alarming. It's not that I wanted him to hold the truth back, I was just concerned for his safety. Every time he opens his mouth people attack. People are mad at him for doing it, and they get mad at me for working with him. This has been difficult to say the least. I've always conducted my research with honesty and integrity, but this event has stretched my reputation and my nerves to their very limit.

There are a few things I'd like to clarify about this interview that are not consistent with his statements to me. Most of it was dead on, but he never told me that he wanted to shoot a small one, and was trying to resist the temptation. He told me that it was when he started feeling threatened and it started moving it's shoulders up and down that he decided to shoot. That might have been a deal breaker for me. That makes me ill. He never told me that he thought the large one was a man in a suit, he only said that's what his partner said. He told me that he thought it was either a very strange large bear, or a monster. That too might have been a deal breaker. Also, I NEVER told him we'd fill his pockets full of money. I did tell him that there could be significant money involved if he were to recover a body. That goes without saying. I also told him that the authorities would be contacted if a body was recovered. I never dangled a bag of money in front of his face and said fetch!

Yes, the flesh sample has been outsourced to another prominent lab, and the results are looking good so far. This was not my doing. I told Melba we'd wait and that's what I meant. It was done anyways. I knew Justin wanted to do this, and he is his own man, but I did convince him to wait until May. He took it upon himself to outsource it. If the results continue to look positive it will only help and back up Melbas study. I had nothing to do with it, and if it were up to me I'd have waited.

Justin, I know you'll be reading this. A lot of people are happy you did this interview. I for one am not. You present yourself like a gun toting redneck idiot. I'm sorry if this offends you, but I can't stand it any longer. It simply goes against everything I'm about. Please send the cameras back, you are officially out of the Olympic Project

Derek Randles

[Guest OntarioSquatch]

I have a few questions. It's rumoured Justin told someone on the forum over the phone that the adult he shot was a pregnant female. Is there any truth to that? Also, were there ANY bodies recovered? It's rumoured there was.

[BobbyO]

Fair play to you Derek..

Through this whole thing from the very beginning, you've shown that you are clearly a Man of honour and integrity and i personally take my hat off to you for the way you've conducted yourself throughout, undoubtedly..

I have a few questions. It's rumoured Justin told someone on the forum over the phone that the adult he shot was a pregnant female. Is there any truth to that? Also, were there ANY bodies recovered? It's rumoured there was.

Ontario, give the Guy a break Man and see it for what it is right now yeah ?

There's a time and a place, and i don't think that now is neither, trust me.

[Guest OntarioSquatch]

I can understand that, but believe me these are urgent questions.

[Guest]

No bodies were recovered that I'm aware of. I led the recovery effort and the only thing found was a bone frag with some hair on it. I do believe Justins story. I have all along and I have my reasons. I will not speak to the sex of the adult, I'm under an NDA

DR

[bipedalist]

Pardon me, but there is nothing urgent in Bigfoot. Took me all of five years to figure that out.

Sasquatch will be here as long as they write the rules, which they continue to do.

There is nothing wrong with being optimistic and hopeful, but there is no emergency in bigfootery.

It is unfortunate that this thing plays out in the way it has. I will not watch Justin's interview. I will not buy the book

and I will not offer anything up for a movie on the matter.

Derek, I gather you have counseled the young man as best as you could. It is a fine man that does not give up on another, no matter how onerous one's deeds. There comes a point in time where you must gather your own resources and move along, I believe (from what I understand) that you are doing that.

Again, there is NO BF 911. Human beings will be human beings. Sasquatch will outlast the worst of them.

Edited July 17, 2012 by bipedalist

[Guest]

Derek I am going to keep my feelings about the entire situation to myself and simply say, you have once again proved what a class act you are. My hat goes off to you and I hope for nothing but the best in your future.

[Guest]

I recall he said as he held the little one in front of himself something happened. Whatever it was changed his attidude about what they were and he suddenly realized he had killed a "Cousin". Then he got scared and hid the body.

i find it interesting that he would have thrown the dead body " a good distance" at his friend the Driver? does that seem indicative of someone who just realized that they may have killed something similar to, a human being. what did he say... "screw this"? and he threw it at the Driver who was walking up to him. that is scary. anyway you look at it. But in defense of this, if he has hunted and killed many animals over the years, then perhaps he is a bit desensitized to dead animals.

Perhaps that is a unique way of showing frustration or anger at himself. and i guess, it happened the way he says.

also the part where he reiterates in this most recent interview, that " a bunch of stuff happened" ? right after killing the smaller one(s) what is that all about? if he cried, he ought to just say it?

for what its worth, I believe most of his story, and look forward to the good that might come from this messy messy situation.

Lots of Bad PR by almost everyone involved with this thing.

except for you Derek, class act, man.

Edited July 17, 2012 by Skunkfoot

[indiefoot]

Derek, there are a lot of things in this life we can't choose and Justin is one of those things. He's the guy that opened the box and there is no unopening it. Folks shouldn't put his problems on you.

Edited July 17, 2012 by indiefoot

[Guest]

Don't blame you for being mad but in the interview in January he contradicted the original story, I believe you did know, but as with all things, we tend to overlook what we don't want to see. Best of luck to you.