Bigfoot Makes House Calls?

[Guest]

::pssst: I think it's Wickie::

Hey! I never been to Alabama, but if that's what they got to offer, I'm there!

[Guest]

That's a good answer...as to how you know which bird makes what noise, but it doesn't explain how you can get a good count by only seeing 5% of what you are counting. How do you know you aren't counting the same ones over & over.

That's actually pretty easy to work around. If you're doing a stationary count you #1 only count the singing males on territory and #2 base your estimate on the maximum number you can hear at any one time. If you hear 3 during your timed count but only heard two at the same time during that count, you report 2, not 3. The apparent 3rd could have been one of the other two that changed location while you were counting. If you're doing a moving count, you keep track of singing birds that might be in front of you and then be behind you as you pass by. You don't count a new bird you hear in front of you unless you can still hear the one that's behind you (or if you traveled a long distance - much longer than the territory size) without hearing any individuals of that species.

No magic, just method.

Say you're sitting at a window about 2:30 one morning.

I'm already suspicious - there's no better time than 2:30 am for our brains to lead us astray, but I'm willing to play along . . .

Then you hear a knock, not very loud, but in a few seconds, up a little closer, you hear another one.

Tree trunks "checking?" That'd be the thing I'd want to rule out first.

Then, within seconds, you hear a whistle that sounds exactly like a mocking bird, & then an owl hooting.

I'd think I heard a mockingbird and an owl. Both are likely to be heard in the middle of the night.

This time, you hear "crunch, crunch...crunch....KNOCK, not 100 feet from where you are sitting.

I'd think there is an animal walking around in the leaf litter. I'd want to rule out skunks, possums, raccoons, mice, shrews, deer, foxes, bears, bobcats, housecats, flying squirrels, uh what else . . .armadillos, box turtles, dogs, coyotes, humans, etc. before entertaining the notion that it might be something else.

There might also be some whoops & coyote calls that move around off in the distance, but not coming close to the house.

I'd conclude that there were coyotes out there too.

Suppose it's a bright night, & while you're watching, you see a tall dark figure on two legs step from behind one tree to behind another one.

Well this might give me pause, but it would depend on how well I saw that tall, dark figure. If it's 2:30 and I've already convinced myself that there's "something out there", I'd be very suspicious of any shadowy figure I thought I had seen.

Maybe you have heard all these noises together many times before, & you lean out the window, & say "Hey guys, how's it going?" And for an answer, you hear a little rock hit the highest part of the roof & bounce down a couple of times & hit the ground.

If I didn't have any trees near my house then I might be puzzled by this; if I did, I'd rule out acorns, pecans, etc. before exploring other options.

And suppose different versions of this has been going on for 3 or 4 years, & you & 4 other people have all seen what they are convinced is BF on your property within that time.

If I was convinced I had bigfoot on my property, I would obtain evidence of that fact - photograph at a minimum.

What would you think? Just imagination? Coincidence? Not scientific enough?

It's interesting, but I see mundane explanations for these experiences that are far more likely than that you've got a resident population of an uncatalogued hominin on your property that has evaded all other forms of detection for centuries.

[Sasfooty]

I'll say one thing for you, you're amazingly tenacious in pursuit of disbelief.

But you still don't get to see the evidence, small & inconclusive as it may be.

Anybody with any sense at all should be able to tell the difference between a small animal rustling around in leaves, & something big on two feet walking in them...even at 2:30 am.

If I was convinced I had bigfoot on my property, I would obtain evidence of that fact - photograph at a minimum.

I don't think you would. You don't know what you would do until you are faced with trying to do it.

Do you have evidence to back up this statement? Big claims require big proof.

Edited November 3, 2010 by Sasfooty

[Guest]

Wait. Is this that old bait and switch routine? You made the claim Sasfooty. I'm fairly sure you're the one needing backup.

[Sasfooty]

Wait. Is this that old bait and switch routine? You made the claim Sasfooty. I'm fairly sure you're the one needing backup.

I've heard a lot of claims about what I would do if I was faced with getting proof, but I don't know of anybody with these big ideas that has displayed any evidence of what they have been doing. Surely somebody that is making all these claims must have something to show.

These beings are reported all over the country, even up in yankee land, so why aren't you experts out there getting something, instead of sitting at a computer dishing out worthless advice & criticizing people that are willing to tell a little of what they know on the subject?

What have you done? Show us, & then maybe we can consider your mountains of advice as possibly of some use to us bumbling amateurs.

[Guest]

I've heard a lot of claims about what I would do if I was faced with getting proof, but I don't know of anybody with these big ideas that has displayed any evidence of what they have been doing.

I submit that the reason that evidence is lacking is because there is nothing to provide that evidence.

[Sasfooty]

So, have you actually been looking, or do you spend all your time telling others that their eyes are lying, & counting "non visible" birds?

[Guest]

So, have you actually been looking, or do you spend all your time telling others that their eyes are lying, & counting "non visible" birds?

Ah the predictable "what do you know - you don't go squatching" argument. You're sounding awfully defensive, Sasfooty . . .

While it's true that as my career has progressed it's my graduate students who get to do the majority of the field work in my lab, I am a field biologist by training. I have about 20 years of experience in the field, plus another 10 or so in which my role has been increasingly relegated to behind a desk. I still do a lot of data collection myself, it's just more likely to be a day or two here or there rather than weeks or months at a time like I did when I was younger.

During my career, I have done extensive field data collection in remote areas that do crop up in the BFRO database as having a history of bigfoot sightings. Is it possible that I might have walked right past a cryptic cryptid at some point? Sure, but I've never experienced even a hint that there might be something bigfooty around while I was out in the field - and I do look. I've been interested in bigfoot since I was a boy, so I'm always thinking about it, trying to envision a spot in which such a creature might hole up, and checking it out. My experiences mirror those of literally thousands of field biologists doing similar work, every year, and not one of them - wait, lemme check - nope, still not one of them has returned from their field work with a definitive photograph or piece of a sasquatch. We find all manner of curious things in the field that weren't "what were looking for" but so far not one of those things has been a bigfoot.

So no, disparaging people who do not blindly accept your stories as "inexperienced" does not make your stories an accurate reflection of your experiences.

[Guest walkabout]

I admit I have been acting kind of douchey about this. My apologies. I usually don't let my emotions get the better of me, or try not too. I get anxious when there is possible evidence so close. Trust me, I'd hate to prove you wrong. I've never had an experience and I don't know for myself. I can't know as there are no reported sightings of sasquatch down on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. So I have no way to know anything. I believe they exist and that it is only a matter of time. So please excuse my actions. I was chomping at the bit rather hard and I shouldn't have. I'm sorry.

Well you know what Colossus, there are plenty of reported encounters in Georgia & Kentucky, neither of which are very far from you.

There are also quite a few reports from Mississippi: Mississippi Bigfoot reports

If you really WANT TO KNOW, then get off of your couch do a little driving, get out in the field and look/see for yourself.

Seems to me you are content to sit here and knitpick people trying to share their experiences rather then getting up off of your duff & expending a little energy to try & experience some of your own.

Thanks Sasfooty.

I enjoyed your pictures and your experiences that you shared, thanks for posting them.

Edited November 3, 2010 by walkabout

[Guest walkabout]

Ah the predictable "what do you know - you don't go squatching" argument. You're sounding awfully defensive, Sasfooty . . .

While it's true that as my career has progressed it's my graduate students who get to do the majority of the field work in my lab, I am a field biologist by training. I have about 20 years of experience in the field, plus another 10 or so in which my role has been increasingly relegated to behind a desk. I still do a lot of data collection myself, it's just more likely to be a day or two here or there rather than weeks or months at a time like I did when I was younger.

During my career, I have done extensive field data collection in remote areas that do crop up in the BFRO database as having a history of bigfoot sightings. Is it possible that I might have walked right past a cryptic cryptid at some point? Sure, but I've never experienced even a hint that there might be something bigfooty around while I was out in the field - and I do look. I've been interested in bigfoot since I was a boy, so I'm always thinking about it, trying to envision a spot in which such a creature might hole up, and checking it out. My experiences mirror those of literally thousands of field biologists doing similar work, every year, and not one of them - wait, lemme check - nope, still not one of them has returned from their field work with a definitive photograph or piece of a sasquatch. We find all manner of curious things in the field that weren't "what were looking for" but so far not one of those things has been a bigfoot.

So no, disparaging people who do not blindly accept your stories as "inexperienced" does not make your stories an accurate reflection of your experiences.

I'm curious Saskeptic.

Your resume aside, How often do you go out into national forrests or heavily wooded or swampy areas at night, alone?

You sound to me, exactly like what you said you are - someone who spends alot of time sitting behind a desk.

Edited November 3, 2010 by walkabout

[Sasfooty]

Thank you, Walkabout. It's nice to know that there are a few people out there that don't necessarily think I'm making this all up.

[Sasfooty]

Ah the predictable "what do you know - you don't go squatching" argument. You're sounding awfully defensive, Sasfooty . .

Ah, the predictable, "I'm running out of questions & arguments, & starting to look silly, so I'll accuse you of being defensive."

Actually, it makes you look defensive. You disappoint me.

[Guest walkabout]

Thank you, Walkabout. It's nice to know that there are a few people out there that don't necessarily think I'm making this all up.

You most definitely are not alone Sasfooty.

[georgerm]

Saskeptic and Sasfooty, why do you two combine your researh? You two are into animal sounds. Record from the bionic ear and send them to Saskeptic. This might be the beginning of documenting BF sounds for other researchers to use.

[Guest walkabout]

Saskeptic and Sasfooty, why do you two combine your researh? You two are into animal sounds. Record from the bionic ear and send them to Saskeptic. This might be the beginning of documenting BF sounds for other researchers to use.

Plausible idea if they are both agreeable to it & can workout the logistics.

That being said, if Sasfooty does not want to share his vocalizations with saskeptic (or anybody else) because of privacy concerns, that doesn't make him any less credible in my opinion.

Edited November 3, 2010 by walkabout