Sasquatch Genetics and Dr. Todd Disotell

[Huntster]

I think that people like Meldrum and Munns are successfully pounding the line with effective, determined ball carrying with the best evidence we've seen from the past half century. Yes, trying to extract dna from trace evidence might prove helpful in a few more yards, but it's not going to score. I still even hold out hope that a dead body might not be required up front since efforts like the Olympic Project might get enough evidence to attract funding. 

[hiflier]

17 minutes ago, Huntster said:

I still even hold out hope that a dead body might not be required up front since efforts like the Olympic Project might get enough evidence to attract funding.

 

I agree 100% with that, Huntster, but it still goes to what exactly IS the evidence that will attract funding? It isn't the nests, the howls, the tree knocks, the foot prints, fingerprints, or even the hand prints. None of those things have ever been enough for anyone before, and apparently they aren't any good for the OP now. But what WILL get the funding? We all know what will, it's been said a thousand times. The "new kid" of the Forum has been me pushing to seriously deploy efforts to collect environmental samples. And now I've included footprint debris from casts. What's the difference? soil samples from under nesting sites, or soil samples from the bottoms of cast prints? Of course if the casts were faked then it falls apart. But recent prints from the nesting areas are more than likely legit. So, dumb idea? Or not?

[Huntster]

17 minutes ago, hiflier said:

.......But what WILL get the funding? We all know what will, it's been said a thousand times. The "new kid" of the Forum has been me pushing to seriously deploy efforts to collect environmental samples. And now I've included footprint debris from casts. What's the difference? soil samples from under nesting sites, or soil samples from the bottoms of cast prints? Of course if the casts were faked then it falls apart. But recent prints from the nesting areas are more than likely legit. So, dumb idea? Or not?

 

Well, the Olympic Project is working an area with current and ongoing activity. The casted handprint that BobbyO referenced is pretty impressive. And all you need is some dirt? Why can't you get some from a fresh print there? 

[hiflier]

41 minutes ago, Huntster said:

And all you need is some dirt? Why can't you get some from a fresh print there?

 

What is it about what I've been saying that you didn't understand? That's exactly what I've been trying to get across. DNA should be in the print, either in the dirt within the imprint or from the dirt/debris stuck to the cast of the print. Dr. Meldrum and others have MANY casts which means that opportunities to collect any DNA from cast debris is now lost. DNA testing has been around for over 20 years and no one has thought to do this?

 

Granted the idea is pretty new to me, but I haven't been a dedicated DNA investigating Bigfoot researcher until about a year ago. But now that my focus is looking for samples to collect? The ways in which DNA CAN be collected are becoming clearer. And prints in soil or snow....OR from natural residues on a cast after it is lifted... would sure seem like a very good possible candidate for DNA. Lift the cast, and even plow up a bit of soil from underneath it, especially from the toe/ball of the foot area, take the cast along the soil to the lab, scrape the residue from the bottom of the cast and test the residue. If anyone has already been doing this I certainly haven't heard of it.

Edited December 1, 2021 by hiflier

[Huntster]

12 minutes ago, hiflier said:

......If anyone has already been doing this I certainly haven't heard of it.

 

Maybe YOU can do it? Give the Olympic Project folks a call and talk to them about it. All you need is some soil from a fresh print that is not defined enough to cast. If you're willing to pay for the dna lab work, they might well be amenable, especially if you're willing to give them the fame.

[hiflier]

Well, Huntster? I liked all of that. Mr. Hersom can pay for the lab work. And I'm sure BobbyO and others, who no doubt have read this thread, know the OP's people and might bring it up to them. In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion that maybe it has already been brought up? I would like to hear any opinion that may come of it, though if it has. As an add-on, even if a print IS defined enough to cast there will be choices: cast the print, dig the soil out of the print instead and forget about casting since, historically casting hasn't moved the needle. Or do three things: cast the print, dig into the soil that's left behind, and then also scrape any soil from the bottom of the cast. Then one has the cast plus two potential sources of SASQUATCH DNA, from soil and from cast residue, and probably fairly fresh DNA at that. Could be the game changer right there I'm thinking it could have been the game changer all along, or one of them. But it's never too late to try.

Edited December 1, 2021 by hiflier

[Huntster]

1 hour ago, hiflier said:

.......Mr. Hersom can pay for the lab work.........

 

He might. Give him a call.

 

Quote

......And I'm sure BobbyO and others, who no doubt have read this thread, know the OP's people and might bring it up to them. In fact, I have the sneaking suspicion that maybe it has already been brought up?.......

 

Maybe. They might have already tried the approach. 

[hiflier]

2 hours ago, Huntster said:

He might. Give him a call.

 

LMAO! I only want him to fund my movie as I'm sure that in doing so he can recoup some, if not all of his investments, past and current, in Bigfoot World  

 

2 hours ago, Huntster said:

.....They might have already tried the approach.

 

If they have then great. I'll wait and leave it up to them to see how much they want to rock the boat, and when. Still have a month left in 2021 so we'll have to see whether or not this is the year. Seems like we do that a lot around here anyway On the other hand, my own endeavors, like everyone else's, will stay the course.

Edited December 2, 2021 by hiflier

[Twist]

Wash, Rinse, Repeat!

[hiflier]

Indeed! Until the job is finished

[Darby Orcutt]

I think I may have asked this question in another thread, but just finding this one now....Has Todd Disotell ever released any data on his analyses of alleged Sasquatch samples or of eDNA from the alleged nests? Or has it all just been summary conclusions given in media statements? I've reached out directly to him, but don't expect an answer anytime soon now that he's retired. Thank you.

[hiflier]

Didn't know he has retired. If Dr. Disotell did release any data I am unaware of it. And yes, only a summary conclusion that was announce in December of 2018 on Laura Krantz's Wild Thing podcast after much hyped anticipation in the two months leading up to it. HOWEVER, Dr. Meldrum scooped Dr. Disotell, as was his right,, by initially making the announcement himself on a small BF podcast just a few months before in September 2018. And even though the nest find did originally make some major TV news outlets, the final outcome of the test results did not. So the public forgot about the discovery in typical the public fashon.

[Annie Nore]

On 11/22/2021 at 4:50 PM, hiflier said:

Well, it does beg the question (the real elephant in the room) WHY?

 

I come here to air out such thoughts....not to make trouble, but to keep active the thought processes going on behind the status quo- in fact, IN SPITE of the status quo. Seems a shame that there doesn't seem to be anyone but a Bigfoot community to actually have such a conversation with. Glad you folks are here or I don't know what else I'd be doing in order to find an outlet that, lately, has me buried in ever more questions without solutions.  And for that I sincerely thank you.

Nicely said.

[Darby Orcutt]

On 2/17/2022 at 1:56 PM, hiflier said:

Didn't know he has retired. If Dr. Disotell did release any data I am unaware of it. And yes, only a summary conclusion that was announce in December of 2018 on Laura Krantz's Wild Thing podcast after much hyped anticipation in the two months leading up to it. HOWEVER, Dr. Meldrum scooped Dr. Disotell, as was his right,, by initially making the announcement himself on a small BF podcast just a few months before in September 2018. And even though the nest find did originally make some major TV news outlets, the final outcome of the test results did not. So the public forgot about the discovery in typical the public fashon.

I just learned that he retired from NYU, but is now at UMASS-Amherst, so I am writing to him there...

[hiflier]

Thank you, Annie Nore, one question that has been nagging at me is back when Dr. Disotell said that the DNA from the soil samples taken from under the centers of the nests that the Olympic Project has been dealing with. He mentioned that the samples detected DNA from all of the normal in the area PLUS degraded Human DNA which he said was too degraded to show a novel primate. My sort of private question has always been centered on what SPECIFICALLY would Dr. Disotell be looking for in the DNA? As in what markers? If he looking for something in the DNA that wasn't present in the Homo Sapiens sapiens genome? That may seem obvious but what would it be? Some other kind of Great Ape sequence not found in the Human genome? Something perhaps closer to Chimps or gorillas or Orangutans?

 

These are examples of details that are missing that I think we need to know. I mean, it would have been nice if he had said the Human DNA was too degraded to show a novel primate, but if it hadn't been then this is what I would be looking for. Where is that info and why wasn't it freely offered? I'm bringing this up because there may be other labs who may do testing on soils or water samples that researchers bring to them and his expert opinion on the matter would be helpful.