Do any of you camp out in potential hot spots?...

[HeavyLoal]

Your original question actually got me thinking. I'm sure this has been discussed many times on this forum, if so apologies but if you were setting yourself up for an overnight stay in a Sasquatch hot spot, you would need to be very careful what food you bring and what creatures it could attract.

 

If you brought a left over lasagne you could quite easily become bear or even Sasquatch food. Perhaps this is how they get so big.

 

Heavy loal

[Rod Hunter]

 

10 hours ago, 7.62 said:

Hauling something  like a Gazebo out to a remote location is not something I would relish . 

My advice would be if you're camping out in an area  that is a recent hot spot where your goal is bigfoot research and spotting a bigfoot I wouldn't be sleeping at all during the night.

 

I would be up all night . I would nap during the day

 

 

Also as to the chickening out part of your post if you hear something ?  If you have done any kind of camping or back packing away from established camp grounds you will always hear things walking around at night . The woods come alive at night with all sorts of nocturnal creatures  if you stay quiet and listen around you.

 

 

Yeah it's not the easiest thing to carry, although the one I have access to is fairly lightweight in construction (hence why I worry about stability). Still fairly bulky though so awkward to carry. 

Thinking of inviting my friend Paul along he's got immense grip strength so I'm sure it would be an easy task for him. Although he still owes me £100 which makes things a bit awkward!

Totally get what you're saying about been up at night etc. I think the reality is I'd be too nervous/excited to sleep anyway, my imagination does tend to get the better of me!

 

 

 

10 hours ago, HeavyLoal said:

Greeting Rod.

 

I'm sorry to hear that your gazebo fell down! 

 

Camping in Sasquatch hotspots seems like quite a dangerous activity. You would be far safer in daylight. 

 

HeavyLoal

Hi HeavyLoal, thanks it was more 'blown away' than fell down, maybe need to weight it down next time but not sure what I'd use.

It sounds dangerous but that's what makes it exciting!
 

9 hours ago, VAfooter said:

99 times out of 100, your biggest enemy in the woods is your imagination....  Like 7.62 said, the woods come alive at night. It does pay to learn the sources of nocturnal sounds so that if you do happen to hear something out of the ordinary....  

 

As I say it does get the better of me! sounds like great advice thanks.

 

8 hours ago, Kiwakwe said:

Welcome to the BFF Rod Hunter!

By gazebo do you mean large screen tent?

I do a good bit of camping, my favorite by far is a cot under the sky but can't get away with that in buggy regions. I picked up but have not tried a mosquito netting to hang over it. Outside of that, there is a carpeted sleeping platform in the back of my truck which has a very nearly panoramic view. Screens for open windows knock that back a bit. My tent is mostly screen, the fly/vestibule providing the waterproofing but as you mentioned no view and difficult to get of quietly. I had something big come into camp with a stomp early one morning and left with knocking over an 8-10" dead tree. I just had to listen. That was back before I had BF on the brain. That scenario would have gone down differently today. I rarely use the Hennessy Hammock, It has some advantages but a bit claustrophobic. If the fly is needed and raised up enough visibility isn't too bad through the screen. But like most noseeum netting shining a light thru creates a glare. Good luck out there.

 

Thanks! The Gazebo is like a large folding shelter with alloy poles and a canvas top, there's no sides so it affords good visibility but a little bit awkward to carry long distance. Similar to the one in this picture:



 

 

8 hours ago, MIB said:

 

No, none of those.   It was not a throat noise, it was more like 3-4 people, not cooperating, trying to play the same xylophone that had it's keys muted so there was nothing musical left, just a weird cacophony of clicks, pops, scratchy sounds, etc, some drawn out rising and falling in pitch, some short and percussive, all overlapping rather than in sequence.    The nearest similar thing was from a sci fi movie 20 years or so ago and I can't think of the name or the cast so I can't find it to post a sound clip for illustration.    It was ... truly chilling.

 

That sounds truly terrifying but I bet is was a real buzz!

 

6 hours ago, hiflier said:

Uh, depends, Rod Hunter. And welcome to the BFF  I am not armed when I go into the field. Well, I should say I don't have a gun. I DO have an old army machete with a good blade. My plan? Oh, maybe something like this:

 

 

 

 

Thanks  We can't really carry anything like a Machete in the UK, unless you can prove in law that you had 'reasonable excuse' - I'm not so sure the authorities would accept 'Protection from Bigfoot' as a valid reason!!!
 

 

4 hours ago, BlackRockBigfoot said:

We go into active areas at night, but we are usually set up with equipment.  We don't try to sleep and usually hike out while it's still dark.  

 

It's strange, but in a few areas we seem to get more activity while we are on the move.  On our most recent outing (where we found that print that I posted in the research contest thread) we were having constant activity around us while we were on the move.  We started to hear a slapping sound...the closest thing that I can compare it to is a gorilla's chest beating (as stereotypical as that sounds).

 

We stopped to set up in that area for the night.  As soon as we got our cameras and recorders set... nothing.  It was like an off switch got flipped. 

 

We sat there for hours with nothing.  The only weird thing that happened was that the forest itself was much quieter than usual.  

 

Once we got packed up to leave and began moving, weird stuff started up again.  

 

I wouldn't attempt to go into an active area and spend the night in a tent.  I wouldn't want to be blinded by nylon walls.

 

As far as chickening out goes, @MIB is right.  Once you are in there, you are committed.  It's 8 or 10 miles back to our vehicle usually,  so we're not getting out of there quickly.  I'm not outrunning whatever is out there, even if I dropped my pack.  If it's something that I can't handle, I hope that I at least give it indigestion.

  

Very interesting, never thought of it like that, I'll be sure to be more observant next time I'm on the move thanks
 

4 hours ago, Catmandoo said:

I am in the Roof Top Tent (RTT) category. No brand recommendations. My tent has 2 ways to enter and leave. One side has the ladder and the other side is the emergency bail out door. I have views on 4 sides, bug mesh and covers. The door flaps have small diameter weight rods across the lower edge.  I recommend weighting the door flaps so that when the door flap is lifted and dropped in the middle of the night, it will wake you up.

 

I have an 8'X8' canopy where I cook away from the tent / vehicle. It is possible to erect a canopy by yourself.  Canopies usually come with a stake down kit with small cord.  Optional weight bags are available for the legs. Never leave food out. I fold the vehicle mirrors back and remove the rear wiper arm. Don't need pesky bears tearing up vehicle equipment.

 

Learning an animal inventory takes time. I take notes about the start and end times of bird activity. Small owls can make huge noises.  Unusual 'bird like' noises when it is pitch black are noted. A small bounding rabbitt on dry leaves sounds like bipedal type walking. Be patient. Stay safe.

 

Some sound advice thankyou, taking notes sounds like a good idea. I've been out camping before and been very startled by what I thought was another person which turned out to be a pesky Jackdaw/Revan!

 

4 hours ago, BC witness said:

Our group often overnights in BF areas (We hope, it's where I had a sighting and found a snow trackway years ago). The local night life includes black bear, cougar, deer, bobcat, lynx, and noisy owls. Some of us tent camp, but since I now have trouble bending/kneeling, I use the back of my SUV. It keeps the bugs off, and allows 360* vision. We usually carry bear spray and rifles/shotguns when hiking. Cougar visits at dusk have been the most exciting encounters so far.

We don't have the luxury of arms here in the UK but then again we don't have bears and cougars either! 

[VAfooter]

12 hours ago, MIB said:

It was the most chilling, "alien", crazy sound I've heard in over 50 years in the woods.

 

Thought you were going to say it sounded metallic, like a trap closing....  

[hiflier]

Bottom line here, Rod Hunter, go for it! Be strong, disregard your imagination with sound logic and enjoy what Nature has to offer to those that get out and experience her. The more you go the more you know.

[ShadowBorn]

@Rod Hunter

Welcome to the BFF. Like Hiflier has said just go into the area and enjoy the wilderness. If it happens then it happens you then have some thing to come back to talk to us about your encounter. There has been some reports out in the UK lately that I have heard off. So if you do go out into these hot spots just be carefull. No one has an idea on how they will react to humans.so you would be the first if you start to encounter one.  Just stay safe. Tent camping is not that bad especially when they have that netting open tent. Also take pictures since I sure would like to see some of the places you have gone. Just know that there are allot of us here that can help you across the pond. Look forward to seeing some photo's of your travels  

[wiiawiwb]

Welcome to the BFF Rod.  I think it's human nature to be reluctant to "look outside" when you hear something right outside, maybe even inches away. One way to eliminate that issue is to never allow yourself to be in a protected, opaque area where you can't see what's outside.

 

Big Agnes make several net tents. When you're inside, you can see everything outside. Everything can see you as well but whatever it out there already knows you're inside. With a net tent, nothing can sneak up on you as you will see it coming and prepare yourself accordingly.  TarpTent makes the Hogback and the fly can be peeled back to reveal its net tent underneath.

 

All of these are double-walled tents, with poles, and can moved around then staked down. Once staked, they're not going anywhere!

 

https://www.rei.com/product/150048/big-agnes-seedhouse-sl2-tent

 

https://www.rei.com/product/150049/big-agnes-seedhouse-sl3-tent

 

https://www.tarptent.com/product/hogback/

 

I just got back from a short backpacking adventure to a hot spot of mine. Ran into a very large Timber Rattler (twice now in a month) but never ran into a sasquatch, or had it run into me.

 

I think you go where the action is. I would not suggest nibbling around the edges unless you're completely inexperienced in the outdoors. If so, that's ok but be sure to bring someone along who has experience so you can learn as you go.

 

Good luck, have fun, ask questions, and keep up posted about your adventures.

[NCBFr]

1 hour ago, ShadowBorn said:

@Rod Hunter

Welcome to the BFF. Like Hiflier has said just go into the area and enjoy the wilderness. If it happens then it happens you then have some thing to come back to talk to us about your encounter. There has been some reports out in the UK lately that I have heard off. So if you do go out into these hot spots just be carefull. No one has an idea on how they will react to humans.so you would be the first if you start to encounter one.  Just stay safe. Tent camping is not that bad especially when they have that netting open tent. Also take pictures since I sure would like to see some of the places you have gone. Just know that there are allot of us here that can help you across the pond. Look forward to seeing some photo's of your travels  

 

Just make sure to read the first two missing 411 books before you go:}

[MIB]

45 minutes ago, NCBFr said:

 

Just make sure to read the first two missing 411 books before you go:}

 

Nah, save them to read at night in your tent as your flashlight batteries slowly fade.    What could possibly go wrong with that plan?  

[VAfooter]

^ Bad boys, bad boys.....

 

 

 

[Catmandoo]

8 hours ago, Rod Hunter said:

We don't have the luxury of arms here in the UK but then again we don't have bears and cougars either! 

 

You have 'big cats'.  Open several tins of tuna fish and wait and watch. You might get some foxes instead of cats. 

You also have the"Grey Man" or "Grey Ghost". 

You have not mentioned 'the little people' as in fairies, elves etc.. There is a special bush that fairies or the like hang out around. Location is important. 

Have a powerful torch and spare batteries.  I believe that the first electric torch was invented in the UK.

[Arvedis]

34 minutes ago, Catmandoo said:

I believe that the first electric torch was invented in the UK.

 

The UK has really cool crop circles too. The U.S only gets crop circles that look like hack jobs. What's the secret of mathematically precise crop circle imagery in the UK?

[hiflier]

I do hope you like our attempts at humor, Rod Hunter. Er're a pretty good bunch and there are other members here from the UK as well. Forming a kind of group there might be a lot of fun and you could all camp together to maximize your enjoyment and comradery.

[NCBFr]

RH -

 

First, welcome to the forum.  I am very interested in your thoughts on BF's in the UK.  There are a handful of credible sighting but nearly the numbers we see in the US.  If you think BF is a neaderthal-based wildman than I can certainly see them in a few very isolated regions.  Thoughts?

 

 

[Incorrigible1]

Where in the UK is there enough cover for a bigfoot to survive, make a living, and remain out of sight? Let alone a small group?

 

And welcome to our members across the pond!

[Catmandoo]

^^^^ I think London.