Impact of Hunting Season on BF Sighting Reports

[Explorer]

It is not clear to me if hunting season with guns (which started in Sept. 16 in CA in 2023) affects the number of sightings reports from folks who go outdoors to camp, hike, ride horses, or fish.

I am not a hunter, so I don't know if hunting season starts the same date every year or whether it is the same in other states like Washington and Oregon.

Nonetheless, I decided to look at data from the SSR database and examine the % decline in reports from non-hunting season (July and August) to hunting season (September and October). And then to compare that decline to the expected seasonal decline in recreational visitors to National Forests and Parks.

In CA, archery hunting season starts the 3rd Saturday of August, but I will assume it has less of an impact than hunting with guns.

 

The table below shows the number of BFRO Class A Reports in CA, OR, and WA while camping, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding (the outdoor activities that I assumed were in National Forests or Parks).  I assumed that July and August were non-hunting months and added their cases.  I assumed that September and October were hunting months and added those cases.  Then I calculated the % decline.  In CA, the decline in Class A reports was 54%, while in OR and WA it was 38% and 18% respectively.  Nonetheless, once we add the hunting reports (which are also outdoors), the CA decline is only 34%, while OR reports increase by 5% and WA reports increase by 42%.

 

The BFRO Class A table excludes reports from the following activities:  ATV, driving, 4-wheeling, boating/kayaking/canoeing , normal activity at home, playing outside house, swimming, farming, tending livestock and other.

 

Given that the number of visitors to the Western National Forests and Parks decline in the Fall compared to the Summer, we need to compare seasonal visitor declines to the declines in Class A reports between seasons (to remove or adjust for that effect).

I used statistics from the National Park Service website to estimate the decline in recreational visitors between July-August and September-October.

The table below shows the 2022 statistics for 5 National Parks.

While each park is unique and results in different % reduction in visitors, they all show a reduction ranging from 12% for Yosemite NP to 55% to Olympic NP.  The average decline in visitors is about 40%. 

 

If we expect a normal seasonal decline in recreational visitors of about 40% (or a range from 10% to 55%), then the results shown on the BFRO Class A reports table suggest no negative impact from hunters but instead a positive impact from additional sightings from hunters.

 

This is counter-intuitive, because I thought having hunters with guns in the wilderness would scare the sasquatches away from people and reduce the number of encounters.

But it appears that the large number of hunters during the hunting season yields more outdoor encounters.  

However, the number of encounters for those who are not hunting but just camping, hiking, fishing or horseback riding stays about the same (as a % of those visiting) and their decline in reports is consistent with the decline in visitors during the fall.

This might suggest that it does not matter if it is hunting season or not for a Class A BFRO report and what matters is the number of people going into the forest/wilderness area.

 

What I have noticed when going to the same hotspots in July/August vs. Sept/Oct, is that when hunting season starts there are more people camping and looking for deer and the dispersed camping sites are more crowded.

Nonetheless, I don't know if the hunting crowd will increase or decrease the odds of a BF sighting.  My gut feeling tells me that it will decrease the odds, but the stats suggest that it does not matter.

 

 

 

Source of NP visitor data by month and year:

https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/Park Specific Reports/Summary of Visitor Use By Month and Year (1979 - Last Calendar Year)?RptYears=2014,2013,2012,2011,2010,2009,2008,2007,2006,2005,2004,2003,2002,2001,2000,1999,1998,1997,1996,1995,1994,1993,1992,1991,1990,1989,1988,1987,1986,1985,1984,1983,1982,1981,1980,1979&Park=CRLA

 

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by Explorer

[Catmandoo]

Hunters have to be monitored for opportunistic food gathering possibilities and they are a threat since they have weapons, make noise and smell.

A gun shot can be the dinner bell to many animals. How many hunters gut shoot an animal and it runs off into the forest to bleed out? How many hunters can not find the animal that they shot?

A Sasquatch that intercepts a wounded target does not have to do an exhaustive run down and capture procedure.  They have to be careful with their dining habits and not bite down on the lead too hard.

Driving on Forest Service roads with motor vehicles, especially diesels, glassing the surroundings  drives the game away from roads, back further into the forest. Ever think of that as driving the prey to the predator?

Archery is quiet. One would need to check the number of archers versus modern firearms and compare that percentage to the hunting report stats.

How many sightings are not reported?   The stats are rough numbers but there is a pattern.

[Rooster-T]

I've always thought that Sasquatch, like other game animals, notice when there is increased traffic deeper in the woods than normal and change their habits accordingly. Normal visitors stick to roads and trails so are somewhat predictable. Hunters go off trail more often so would be noticed as being different so I think that the Sasquatch react to that by going even deeper away from where humans frequent. Of course, this brings up the thought of whether Sasquatch migrate or hibernate to some degree?

[Will]

As a Hunter I’m amazed that eye witness accounts aren’t through the roof. Cameras are everywhere and have the added feature of cellular connection…..And still nothing.

[georgerm]

23 hours ago, Will said:

As a Hunter I’m amazed that eye witness accounts aren’t through the roof. Cameras are everywhere and have the added feature of cellular connection…..And still nothing.

My hunch is bigfoots know about hunting season through observation.  Bigfoots are smart enough to hunt at night during hunting season since they most likely have great night vision. I would think most bigfoots build their homes or underground dens on the most inaccessible mountains with dense tree and brush cover where most hunters don't go.  

[Will]

53 minutes ago, georgerm said:

My hunch is bigfoots know about hunting season through observation.  Bigfoots are smart enough to hunt at night during hunting season since they most likely have great night vision. I would think most bigfoots build their homes or underground dens on the most inaccessible mountains with dense tree and brush cover where most hunters don't go.  

Possibly but with so many cameras out….with cell connection and instant pics.

[Twist]

I’m told BF can see, smell, or hear cameras. 🤷🏻

[xspider1]

And, they can see/smell/hear people who set cameras in the areas where they live.  And, unless the Sasquatch vacate those areas, they will again see/smell/hear the same people when they return periodically to retrieve camera SD cards and change the batteries.