Opinions on the BFRO?

[100Acre]

I've used their database to find new places to explore and do my own searches across the western US

[hiflier]

Here's the thing, you have an organization that exists, putting on BF expeditions with no guarantees for an encounter, giving people a chance to experience something that has never been proved to be real. It's not putting the cart before the horse, it's making money on the cart WITHOUT the horse. I does speak to where the organization's (Moneymaker's) focus is. Finding Bigfoot? the same. Want anything to do with the BFRO? You'll pay for it.

[VAfooter]

51 minutes ago, hiflier said:

Here's the thing, you have an organization that exists, putting on BF expeditions with no guarantees for an encounter, giving people a chance to experience something that has never been proved to be real.

 

 

From what I have read, they always encounter something on an expedition, whether aural, visual, smells, or evidence (tracks, structures, etc.). I may be wrong, but that is the impression I have gotten. I would be interested to hear if anyone has been on an expedition and nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

[Catmandoo]

49 minutes ago, hiflier said:

Here's the thing, you have an organization that exists, putting on BF expeditions with no guarantees for an encounter, giving people a chance to experience something that has never been proved to be real. It's not putting the cart before the horse, it's making money on the cart WITHOUT the horse.

 

Snipe hunting for adults.   And what is the price of admission?............$500?

[MIB]

1 hour ago, VAfooter said:

From what I have read, they always encounter something on an expedition, whether aural, visual, smells, or evidence (tracks, structures, etc.). I may be wrong, but that is the impression I have gotten. I would be interested to hear if anyone has been on an expedition and nothing out of the ordinary occurred.

 

I have heard that but it was not the case on the expedition I was on.    That means either people are maliciously attacking the BFRO for petty reasons or the group I went with is particularly good.    We did hear some interesting sounds which were investigated.   Those from a couple directions were deemed most likely coyote and those from one direction were deemed probably humans and dogs since there was a campground in that direction.   We found a couple interesting track-like shapes but they were in crushed lava cinder, indistinct, and no claims were made about their origin, rather, we formed a line and hiked down the hill slowly looking for more and better tracks which were never found.   We said "hmmmm."

 

About half of the total group was BFRO, a couple of official expedition leaders, the others in support roles.    Those in support roles did some presentations  including track casting and gear suggestions.     Of the paying participants, most were experienced local researchers, a couple were from out of area, there for brainstorming and connecting with others with similar interests.    I think there were 2-3 people total who where not already actively involved in bigfooting.    These are not people you'd "snow" or sell snake oil to and our BFRO hosts didn't try.     The expedition was 3 years ago I think, time flies ... and I"m still in touch with all but a couple people in one form or another.

 

I got what I expected, very definitely got my money's worth.    If you can't afford $300-$500 .. something is wrong or bigfoot isn't as much a priority as you make it out to be.   Honest truth, if you can't scratch that together within a month or two, never mind a couple years planning, you've taken a job that won't pay enough to retire on.

 

MIB

[hiflier]

56 minutes ago, Catmandoo said:

 

Snipe hunting for adults.   And what is the price of admission?............$500?

 

I guess to be fair, many of us have spent that several times over for our own research

[wiiawiwb]

Let's say someone has developed an interest in sasquatching. They see things on TV and want to participate but, never having led an outdoor life, they ask themselves -- where do I start?  None of my friends of family are believers.

 

I think a BFRO expedition would be an awesome way to segue into that world. How is it any different than paying a photographer to teach you how to use a manual camera, a ski instructor showing you how to downhill ski, an artist teaching how to paint, or even an attorney for advice?  We all have to begin somewhere and if no one in your life has any experience with sasquatching, you pay for it. I call that a smart thing to do.

 

People have to recognize, and accept, that they don't know what they don't know.  If it's a painting, and you do it on your own and fail, you've wasted some materials.  If you venture into the woods, trying to be emulate the bigfooting you saw on TV, and fail, you could end up on the ugly side of a SAR rescue.

 

In the end, they may develop friendships which allow them to go sasquatching again and again as a member of BFRO or a local group of similarly-interested people. Friendships develop and flourish. That, to me,  is a very small deposit to make for a large payoff in the future. 

[hiflier]

^^ Mind reader  

[Incorrigible1]

1 hour ago, hiflier said:

^^ Mind reader  

Um, those are found in the Paranormal section. Bigfoot whisperers.

 

Or not. YMMV

[norseman]

2 hours ago, wiiawiwb said:

Let's say someone has developed an interest in sasquatching. They see things on TV and want to participate but, never having led an outdoor life, they ask themselves -- where do I start?  None of my friends of family are believers.

 

I think a BFRO expedition would be an awesome way to segue into that world. How is it any different than paying a photographer to teach you how to use a manual camera, a ski instructor showing you how to downhill ski, an artist teaching how to paint, or even an attorney for advice?  We all have to begin somewhere and if no one in your life has any experience with sasquatching, you pay for it. I call that a smart thing to do.

 

People have to recognize, and accept, that they don't know what they don't know.  If it's a painting, and you do it on your own and fail, you've wasted some materials.  If you venture into the woods, trying to be emulate the bigfooting you saw on TV, and fail, you could end up on the ugly side of a SAR rescue.

 

In the end, they may develop friendships which allow them to go sasquatching again and again as a member of BFRO or a local group of similarly-interested people. Friendships develop and flourish. That, to me,  is a very small deposit to make for a large payoff in the future. 

Not trying to beat you up, but I have some points of contention to discuss. In some ways I agree that many people don’t even know how to start. They pay 500 bucks and every thing is taken care of for them. Easy.

 

But....

 

The BFRO is doing this on the QT. They do not have the permits to be doing what they are doing on US Forest Service land.

 

Hiring a pro photographer or ski instructor is not the same as going on a BFRO expedition. Why? Because the BFRO hasn’t produced definitive results. None of us have. So boiled down to brass tacks? It’s like your hiring a guy with boards strapped on his feet that is telling you this is the way he THINKS it’s gonna work when you get to the top of the hill.😬

 

The BFRO has some strange rules that make zero sense like a curfew where no one is allowed out of their tent after midnight or whatever. If something big is outside my tent at 2 am? I’m going out armed. Not into being the taco meat center in a nylon wrapped tortilla taco. 

[BlobSquatch]

On 8/3/2020 at 4:48 PM, wiiawiwb said:

 

What forum? There used to be one years ago but I can't find it any longer. Can you provide a link?

 

It looks like it's gone now. Hadn't been there in a few years.

[Huntster]

4 hours ago, Catmandoo said:

 

Snipe hunting for adults.   And what is the price of admission?............$500?

 

LOL! I still send adults on snipe hunts. When the snipe are winnowing in the spring, I tell people that it's bigfoot. When they look around and see nothing, I tell them it's either a snipe or a bigfoot. They can choose.

[Redbone]

On 8/3/2020 at 5:48 PM, wiiawiwb said:

 

What forum? There used to be one years ago but I can't find it any longer. Can you provide a link?

 

24 minutes ago, BlobSquatch said:

 

It looks like it's gone now. Hadn't been there in a few years.

 Here is a link... enjoy https://web.archive.org/web/20160411043615/http://s2.excoboard.com/BFRO

 

I've been on several BFRO Expeditions and don't regret spending the money. I learned a lot but more importantly, I found what will be lifelong friends who I still hang out with.

I am somewhat unlikely to join another BFRO exped in the future, not because of the money, but because I never want to sign another NDA.

I was somewhat upset when BFRO and Finding Bigfoot went ahead and gave away the best spot in Iowa, Yellow River State Forest. Pretty sure I recorded other squatchers hollering after that.

 

If that money helps keep the BFRO sightings database website alive, than I'm for them charging whatever they can get away with.

[hiflier]

1 hour ago, norseman said:

They pay 500 bucks and every thing is taken care of for them. Easy.

 

But that isn't the case. &300-500 gets you into the group and that's it. Someone who isn't a woodsperson STILL has to go and outfit themselves for camping overnight, feed themselves and get themselves to wherever the expedition is. In other words, sure, one gets to use the technology provided, like thermal equipment and such but getting to the location ready to camp one or two nights and feed oneself? All on the attendees. So it's actually $500 PLUS gear, food and travel expenses. If I'm wrong on any of that just let me know because I won't even go to the BFRO website to find out.

[Redbone]

When I couldn't afford it, I didn't go, but I also never paid $500 for a trip. I feel bad for anybody who has. People who didn't want to camp didn't have to. There was always a hotel a reasonable distance away.

 

There ARE some things about BFRO that bother me though. The fact that they seemingly only publish about 10% of the reports they get is disappointing. 

I've seen some drama that made no sense to me, but that may be more about people than the organization.

 

I don't recall exactly who I heard this from and I'm paraphrasing, not quoting, but I think it's a decent analogy.

BFRO is like grade school for bigfooting. You attend for a few years, learn some things, make some friends, and then move on to higher education.