Opinions on the BFRO?

[Redbone]

I'd say lack of effort, if I have to guess, or maybe a lack of technical skills. Maybe they didn't know HOW to add a picture..

I read Carter's book. I enjoyed it, except now I've already forgotten most of what was in it. It's an easy read.

 

They did not use any pictures from my report, but that's ok by me. I did my own follow up on the forum.

We took a bunch of pictures when we were trying to get the height figured out.

 

TK Bell is the investigator (pray for her - she's going through something horrific this week)

She recorded the interview for mine and several other sightings on the Omaha Rez. Problem is that I don't think anybody else ever submitted the other sightings to get them published.

 

Some day I will get my own interview of the other witness to my encounter, something I should have done that day.

My head was not on straight though. I didn't even take a picture of the location until 20 minutes later, and should have bush-whacked in there to look for tracks or hair.

 

I also had audio that was recorded the next morning, near the sighting location. They didn't use that in the report either, but I cannot be certain it was not people out squatching that made the yells.

 

[BlackRockBigfoot]

14 minutes ago, Redbone said:

I'd say lack of effort, if I have to guess, or maybe a lack of technical skills. Maybe they didn't know HOW to add a picture..

I read Carter's book. I enjoyed it, except now I've already forgotten most of what was in it. It's an easy read.

 

They did not use any pictures from my report, but that's ok by me. I did my own follow up on the forum.

We took a bunch of pictures when we were trying to get the height figured out.

 

TK Bell is the investigator (pray for her - she's going through something horrific this week)

She recorded the interview for mine and several other sightings on the Omaha Rez. Problem is that I don't think anybody else ever submitted the other sightings to get them published.

 

Some day I will get my own interview of the other witness to my encounter, something I should have done that day.

My head was not on straight though. I didn't even take a picture of the location until 20 minutes later, and should have bush-whacked in there to look for tracks or hair.

 

I also had audio recorded the next morning near the sighting location. They didn't use that in the report either, but I cannot be certain it was not people out squatching that made the yells.

 

Thanks for your perspective.

 

And also thanks for the link to your encounter.  I know that you have mentioned it before, but I have not read it.  I will remedy that now.

[Trogluddite]

Just my 2 cents more on BFRO's published reports. Notwithstanding any or all of the problems the published BFRO reports may have, they are far and away the most comprehensive, detailed, and useful reports.  

 

I'm doing my own database for the northeast US (and that part of Canada next to us).  To get data, I read reports (1600+ so far) from BFRO, this forum, the original (old guard Excel) JG database, Bobbi Short's (RIP) Bigfoot encounters, books, and numerous bigfoot "research" websites, some with their own tv shows, etc., etc., etc.  I note this simply to point out that I've had the opportunity to evaluate reports from multiple different sources and compare the quality of those source's reports.

 

A lot collections of information are just that - collections with little to no additional information other than what was in a random newspaper clipping, a note from a witness, or what a guy told a guy who told a guy.

 

In the modern internet and computer era, most other "research" website's are horrendous.  Someone sends in a report that is essentially, "I was in Maine last year and saw a bigfoot at my friend's cabin in the woods."  And that is what gets posted, along with a redacted e-mail address to show that the serious "researcher" had a bona fide witness who provided the information.

 

Well rather than posting that silly report, why didn't the researcher e-mail back and get the 5 W's of the encounter and then post that information?  Even if they had to muddle some of it up to protect the witness's privacy (i.e., the encounter happened about 5 miles west of Anytown rather than giving the witness's street address), the community as a whole would have more concrete information to deal with.

 

And don't even get me going about the lack of concrete Bigfoot details in these le se reports - "my friend and I watched it walk across an open field from only 100 yards away for two minutes, then ran away."  Really? then the report should provide how tall, how wide, hair color/length, mannerisms, vocalizations observed during that time, etc.  Its understandable that someone typing out a quick e-mail not think of all those details as important, but a "researcher" posting an account certainly should run through a checklist of questions and be able to pull that information from the witness or be able to judge the explanation for why the witness can't provide the information.

 

Short version of this rant - the BFRO published reports are likely the best we're going to get for a long time.

 

Edited to do the proofreading I should have done before hitting "Publish"

Edited February 25, 2021 by Trogluddite

[vinchyfoot]

22 hours ago, BlackRockBigfoot said:

It looks like it was chosen for ease of access and convenience.  

 

 

and likley poached from a local researcher who didnt keep the place to themselves.

20 hours ago, Redbone said:

 

Rick Reles is one of the SC expedition leaders. He is among the best you will find at BFRO. He would know areas because of reports, but I don't believe he would go into someone else's area without cooperation and consent.

If you ever get on any expeditions with Rick, make sure you take the opportunity to go on a night op with him. He has a good success rate, and it's my opinion that it's because he listened to what my Omaha Nation friends had to say, and took it to heart. Plus, he's just a good guy.

BFRO (the organization) is filled with wonderful people, who (like all of us) are not perfect. Some are more "not perfect" then others

 

 

 

As long as long things BFRO flow through Moneymaker, the group will be very flawed, essentially the Walmart of Bigfooting

[hiflier]

Trogluddite, so much of what you said rang true. Back when I was trying to get an SRN (Sasquatch Research Network) together in my state I wrote out a witness questionnaire to help jar witness memory and fill in details. This was supposed to be filled out one on one with the witness while the rest of the team canvassed the roads around the sighting with good photo and video devices. Initially there was some interest but it never really took hold.

 

But you, right, the old somebody saw something reports without details does hinder things. But if those pared down reports are true it does still give a sense of location as well as frequency. Then again, anyone can submit a short false statement that gets attention. Having details can say more than simply a better description but, even then, how much is really true? Or thoroughly vetted. 

[cmknight]

On 9/5/2020 at 5:18 PM, VAfooter said:

 

I have also heard that they do mot publish some reports to keep the area private for their own investigations. Fact is that only part of the database has been opened for public review. I am unaware of what the percentage is at this point. Do their investigators have access to the whole database?

Not true at all. Reports are kept private for different reasons but for the sole use of BFRO investigators is not one of them. Some reporters do not wish their reports made public, for various reasons (trespassers, reporter is high profile, etc.), and those wishes are honoured. Reports that have not been entered into the database because they haven't been investigated yet (there are quite a few of those) are also not publicly accessible. As are the number of fake reports ("I saw a bigfoot yesterday. I just finished some shrooms with my buddy Billy, and it was making a sandwich in his kitchen. It had big b**bs, like Billy's mom"). You wouldn't believe how many of those ones the investigators run across.

 

I was their investigator in China for a while, but since I came back in 2015, They saw no need for one anymore and was dropped. I am no longer a member of that organization.

[Huntster]

Seems to me that an increasing number of the more recent high quality sightings reports have been investigated, entered, and commented upon by Moneymaker himself. I found that interesting. I assume that with Finding Bigfoot not being filmed, he has more time for such work. I also find those particular reports to be very recent, and top quality, usually with multiple witnesses, indicating that he is choosing them out of more mundane and questionable reports. Much more than expeditions, such investigations and reports are the best of what BFRO has to offer, IMHO.

[hiflier]

In all of this I only have one thing to say, biggest discovery in 200 years?...solve it.

 

When will enough reports be enough reports? I mean, saying, "See? That person saw one too," has happened a thousand times. Groups like the Olympic Project has (or had) 40 members including Dr. Meldrum and others and they haven't succeeded yet. But the thing is, we already KNOW how to prove the creature exists. Shouldn't that enough to put the matter to rest in fairly short order? We need science in a big way in order to do that, though. Meldrum is a scientist, and he knows that, too.

[Marty]

The problem is, the people spearheading research, the people with the money like, ahem...Moneymaker, are uninterested in proving the species but moreso expanding his business. This does more damage to the cause than good. Instead, he could be using that money to spearhead a true expedition, a real investigation that turns up actual results. Funding is a major obstacle in this field and he is sitting on a perfect opportunity. 

[Twist]

It’s his money to do how he chooses, he’s not obligated to spend it on spearheading a true expedition just because that’s what you want or would do.

 

The BFRO provides a large free database of sightings.  
 

How does his free database do harm? 

Edited February 25, 2021 by Twist

[hiflier]

44 minutes ago, Marty said:

The problem is, the people spearheading research, the people with the money like, ahem...Moneymaker, are uninterested in proving the species but moreso expanding his business. This does more damage to the cause than good. Instead, he could be using that money to spearhead a true expedition, a real investigation that turns up actual results. Funding is a major obstacle in this field and he is sitting on a perfect opportunity. 

 

^^^This

 

30 minutes ago, Twist said:

It’s his money to do how he chooses, he’s not obligated to spend it on spearheading a true expedition just because that’s what you want or would do.

 

What you say is true, Twist. The point Marty is making, though, goes to the heart of why doesn't he? Obligated or not. I'll go one further, how come when I see these photos of trackways in snow, I never hear of a single scientists going out to scoop up any snow for DNA testing. It should be common knowledge among field researchers that that is what needs to be done. Good enough for Polar Bears, Canada Lynx, and Wolves? Then good enough for BF's. But nope, never hear about it even from our own BF chief science people. It tells me there is STILL something wrong with this picture and it needs to stop.

Edited February 25, 2021 by hiflier

[Twist]

My question is, how is he doing harm by providing the database, especially considering it’s free. 
 

Sounds like the response is because he is not doing enough?   I don’t buy that, he’s done an essential part, providing data.  He could choose to do more but he’s not obligated to.  
 

If someone does spearhead an expedition are you then going to ask why they don’t provide a database?  If they choose not to are they doing harm?

Edited February 25, 2021 by Twist

[VAfooter]

5 hours ago, cmknight said:

Not true at all. Reports are kept private for different reasons but for the sole use of BFRO investigators is not one of them.

 

Thank you for the update. Not even sure where I heard that some were kept private for research purposes, but it was a long time ago that I heard it. I appreciate the clarification.

[bipedalist]

I know I made a private report with updates and the investigators were respectful of my desires as far as I was concerned.  I know the expeditions/outings portion of BFRO needed to covet certain report areas to conserve the setting for upcoming expeditions it seems.  If that is wrong I would appreciate being corrected.

 

Anecdotally, during an after expedition extended outing, I witnessed an utter disregard to attempting to do follow=up to the smell of decay in a prospective area where apparent action had occurred nearby during the expedition (not witnessed by me), it could be that someone needed to catch a plane which was more important it seems.  It's not because there wasn't backup armament that's for sure. Not naming any names. 

Edited February 25, 2021 by bipedalist

[BobbyO]

4 hours ago, hiflier said:

 

 

4 hours ago, hiflier said:

In all of this I only have one thing to say, biggest discovery in 200 years?...solve it.

 

When will enough reports be enough reports? I mean, saying, "See? That person saw one too," has happened a thousand times. Groups like the Olympic Project has (or had) 40 members including Dr. Meldrum and others and they haven't succeeded yet. But the thing is, we already KNOW how to prove the creature exists. Shouldn't that enough to put the matter to rest in fairly short order? We need science in a big way in order to do that, though. Meldrum is a scientist, and he knows that, too.

 

 

Yep, there's only one way of proving this animals exists and that's by putting one on a slab, no matter how that happens.

 

We all (should) know that by now.

 

Like it or not, there are people out there that research this subject that don't necessarily want to do either of those things however, for a number of different reasons, and many of whom 'know' anyway so don't need to prove anything to anyone.
 

As per usual with humans, it's all down to individual selfishness either way with how 'we' view this subject.