Is There A Link Between Bigfoot Reproduction And Migration?

   

     What is being observed as migration patterns could be linked to the creatures reproduction habits.  Most Bigfoot sightings happen in the Spring and summer months.  Reports of the creature in a certain area, then subsequent reports in areas not too far from the initial sighting could form a route of sorts and be interpreted as a path of migration, going from one place to another.  It is also possible that these travels could be the traveling, or migration if you will, from areas that are being used as hunting and foraging grounds, to a safe place for them to breed and give birth to offspring.

     All animals, including man, seek safety when giving birth.  This is not only for them while in their most vulnerable state, but also for the offspring who are basically defenseless at this time.  Perhaps this movement from one area to another is being perceived as purely migratory, and not considering the movement to safety.  This migration would occur at approximately the same time each year and generally along the same route.  This natal philopatry is most common in salmon, tuna and puffins, but may be a factor for Bigfoot as well.

     If this follows, then when the young are strong enough to travel with the family unit, the reverse happens and the perception of a migration is set.

     In June of 1961, Warren Scott of Seattle said he was abducted by Bigfoot and taken to just such an area.  Scott claims he was snatched in the middle of the night by a Bigfoot and carried over 70 miles, through a tunnel in the mountains and to a cave.  He spent some time in this cave with a family of Bigfoot, a father, mother and son, and was basically kept, as what seemed to him, as a pet.  One day, Scott was able to leave the cave, and upon doing so was confronted with a sight, if it is to be believed , was astounding.  As he came out of the cave, he saw 50 or 60 Bigfoot milling around in what he perceived to be a box canyon.  The female of the family unit took him then to a cave that was used as a nursery.

     Yes, this, along with the well known tale from Albert Ostman, seem fantastical at the very least, but there could be a kernel of truth in these tall tales.  They follow a know patter of actions by breeding animals, and would provide an explanation to the perception of migration.  These reports, along with known human and primate breeding and birthing patterns raise questions to be answered. 

     This answers, or at least provides a possibility as to what appears to be migration patterns.  It also answers an aspect, aside from when people are in the mountain areas, as to why Bigfoot are seen during certain times of the year.  These patterns would follow the birthing patterns of spring and summer, and sometimes into the early fall months.  If Bigfoot is more closely related to man, this would not follow the indicated pattern,but if they are more closely related to the animal kingdom, they would fall into these timelines for breeding and birthing.  They may be more closely related to apes than to man.  I say this because out of the 633 species of primates, only human eyes show sclera.  Bigfoot sighting reports I have found relate that the eyes of Bigfoot do not show the whites of the eyes.

     So, I feel that these may lead us to perceive the path Bigfoot takes to and from his breeding/birthing grounds as a migration pattern.  Something we will only know for sure when we finally get a solid hit on the Bigfoot and their wanderings and travels.

Something Hairy Is Going On In The Desert

It's been seen by hikers, rock climbers, military personnel and around residences. It's been called The Cement Monster, Yucca man, Sandman, but the most common is Bigfoot or Sasquatch. The part that I find most interesting is that it has been reported by all of these folks....in the deserts of Southern California. Temperatures in this area regularly reach over 110 degrees in the height of summer, and water is scare at best. So why are we seeing reports of a large hairy creature in this area? Can a Bigfoot type creature exist in a desert environment? Is there sufficient shelter, water and food to sustain such a creature?

Let's take a look at the reports. The one that caught my attention was from the late 90's, but let's take them in chronological order, and we'll get to the one from the 90's a bit later.

There have been oral reports and tales of Yucca Man stretching back to the early 1900's but very little documented reports from that era. The earliest documented report that I could find was from 1971.

In early 1971, at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in 29 Palms California, a guard was standing guard at the armory when he saw a figure approaching his post. He ordered the figure to halt, but it did not heed the order. The figure then rushed the guard, knocking him unconscious. The guard was found the next morning, still unconscious and with his rifle bent nearly in half.

That same evening a few residents of a nearby neighborhood, being alerted to something being wrong by the dogs in the neighborhood incessantly barking, reported seeing two creatures roaming around. One was reported to be about 12 ft. tall, and the other was shorter, about 8 ft. was reported. One reported creatures crossing their yard, while a bit later a couple had reported that they saw two tall creatures around their horse corrals. This was in the neighborhood around Valley Vista Street and Utah Trail.

In 1979, in the Desert Hot Springs area, a couple driving through the desert at night, reported a sighting of a creature that stepped out from behind a Yucca tree about 150 ft in front of their vehicle. The driver turned on his high beams to get a better view and the creature sprinted away into the dark of the desert. The returned the next day to see if they could find any sign of the creature, but found nothing.

In March of 1988, after spending the day at Big Bear Lake, two Marines were traveling back to base. While passing the a cement factory caught sight of a creature crossing the road about 150 to 200 yards in front of their car. They hurriedly pulled over and gave chase, but lost the creature in the dark. The location of this sighting is one of the reasons for it's name “The Cement Monster”. It has been sighted by locals in the area of the local cement plants. There are two in the immediate area of the sightings, the Lehigh Cement Company and the Cal-Portland Cement Company.

The most recent report that I could find, but sadly detailed documentation is lacking, is from the late 1990's. I could find no had date for this sighting, and only anecdotal reporting at best, but here goes.

Reportedly, a rock climber returned from a recent rock climbing outing was going over some pictures he had taken during his climb, and upon examination of one of the pictures noticed a face looking back at him from between some rocks. The face was what he called “a primate face”. I could find no pictures from the climber to verify his sighting and scant reports. This sighting is the one that made me look further into this subject.

So, can a Bigfoot creature inhabit an area like this? This is a dry and barren area with little in the way of resources, and hotter than blazes. Granted, the time of these sightings, when reported, where not the hottest of times for that particular area, but still, little in the way of resources if we disregard the temperatures. Most will say that given the reasons I've stated and add to that the increased body heat from being covered with hair, it is impossible.

I say, not so fast.

The areas of the reports are in the valley areas of the region, but not that far away is the fingertip of a mountainous range that is so high in elevation as to have a ski resort which experiences snowfall as late in the year as April and May, and is of a high enough elevation to also have an observatory run by CalTech.

Plentiful shelter, water and food sources are in the area, and it is not that far from the valley that a creature could not venture down from the mountains to wander around the lowlands at night when the temperatures are cooler. The area goes from desert scrub to forested mountains with in a 10 to 15 mile span.

The sightings have dropped off to basically nothing since the late 90's. It would appear that if there were a creature, or creatures, roaming the 29 Palms / Desert Hot Springs area, they may well have moved on. I'm not absolutely sure of what these folks saw, if anything, but after looking a bit closer at the areas involved, I'm leaning towards this being a distinct possibility.

So what do you think? Do you think a desert Bigfoot is possible? Did a creature, or group of creatures, journey down to the valley area for a while? Why did they come, and why did they leave?

~Old Dog

Kathy Strain's Interview!

I would like to thank Kathy once again for taking time to answer questions from our forum!! Thank you my friend and may you be blessed with many more years in your endeavors!!

KB



Bipedalist – (3 part question)

1) So with the upcoming fire season in your region upon us early, what is the plan for trying to get some good BF evidence of sightings ala the Battle Mountain Fire incident in Nevada?  What about that incident?  Any truth to it?  Ever heard a colleague in the Forest Service (or fire incident command) make mention of it?  

Kathy- The Battle Mountain fire incident (where a bigfoot was supposedly burned and they called in a vet) never happened.  I investigated it at the time it was reported.  I have never heard any former or current employee talk about it (because there is nothing to talk about!).

2) What is it like being a bigfooter and a proud grandmother both? 

Kathy- It feels pretty awesome! I hope that one day my grandson, Matthew, can get this Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology with a concentration in Wood Ape!

3) How close do you feel you (or Bob) ever got to a Bigfoot, what makes you think you were that close?

Kathy-  Before my sighting in 2012 (see below), I was probably no more than 30 yards from two wood apes.  My husband Bob nearly stepped on them (again, see below). (Just to be clear, I’m an archaeologist and we use metrics - my estimates on yards/feet isn’t great.  In a radio interview I gave last year I said the wood apes I saw were 100 yards from me without realizing that is a football field – my bad!).

Gigantor –

Kathy, your work with the pictographs which are over 1000 years old is important because it debunks the skeptical claims that BF is a modern myth created after TV aired the PGF film. 
Kathy- Thank you!
4) My question is, how are they dated?
Kathy-  Pictographs are created through ochre and clay – neither of which can be directly dated, so the age of the pictographs are based on archaeological and ethnographic evidence.  As noted in the article I wrote, the Hairy Man Pictographs are located within a village. Artifacts from the village date roughly to 500 years ago to modern contact. The pictographs are slightly older than the village, so a good estimate is 500-1000 years in age.  We know they were present in the late 1800s because we have photographs of them from that time period.
5) Please give us a narrative of how you became interested in the pictographs. How did you come across them and your feelings when you first realized what they signified?
Kathy-  The Hairy Man Pictographs have been known for a very long time. I first saw them when I was in high school and thought they were pretty cool.  It’s “significance” didn’t dawn on me until I was the District Archaeologist for the Sequoia National Forest. We were doing an archaeological excavation and I was working with the Tule River Tribal elders on the project. It was during that time that I was told the stories and my passion for traditional beliefs about bigfoot started.
That moment must have been sweet! 
6) Are there other pictographs that have come to your attention after your research paper at Mayak Datat? 
Kathy- Yes, I’ve been told that there are a few more but I haven’t visited them or confirmed that they are indeed pictographs of a “bigfoot”.
1980squatch
7) How do your First Nations contacts feel about you being part of a pro kill effort?
Kathy-  I don’t know that I have ever had a conversation about my pro-kill stance with any Native Americans. Generally when I’m doing work with tribes, we’re talking about them and what they believe, not about me.
Norseman –
8) From an anthropological standpoint studying Native myths about the creature?
Kathy- (I think this goes with the question below)
9) Is there any information that be gleaned from them that could be used to take a type specimen?
Kathy-  Yes, quite a bit actually!  Native stories talk about wood apes throwing rocks, doing tree knocks, whistling, being very curious and watching humans, climbing and being in trees, being very fast, and that usually only one is seen at a time (although there is some mention of groups, but it’s fairly rare).  Hopefully the stories about them stealing women and children for food are just a scary story!

I also want to say Kathy that I respect you greatly and thanks for all you do!!

Kathy- Thank you!

 
Chelefoot –
Thanks Kathy, for your willingness to do this interview! I have a great amount of respect for the work you do in the field, the books you have written, the work you do for this forum, and you as a person. 
Kathy- Thank you Chelefoot – but my only book so far is “Giants, Cannibals & Monsters: Bigfoot in Native Culture.”
10) Is there one incident in particular that makes you feel sure that this animal truly exists?
Kathy- Yes, my own sightings!  HA!  I was heavily influenced by “Legend of Boggy Creek” as a child. My interest in bigfoot is what caused me to go into anthropology in the first place. I think there are a lot of incidences that caused me to know the animal exists – probably the most important being the PG film.
I'm still on the fence, so I'd love to hear what things most influenced you to research this subject.
Kudos to you, as a scientist, for having the guts to actively, publicly research this and thanks for all the time that you put into finding the truth!  Kathy- Thank you for the kind words!
Rockape
First off I want to thank you for your work not only in the BF field but with the forum as well. Kathy- Thank you! 
Myself, I'm a skeptic, but not a scoftic, I lean towards believe there is such a thing as BF.  I assume since you are associated with NAWAC you are of the belief BF is an ape.
11) So I would ask, are you open to the idea that these creatures could be relict hominids, or do you strictly believe they are a type of ape?  Kathy- I am open to the idea that wood apes could be a relict hominid. The only thing I actually know for sure is that they aren’t Homo sapiens.
12) I'd also like to add to Gigantor's question of dating and ask what is the earliest recorded date of the existence of the Hairy Man pictographs?
Kathy- Other archaeologists have date ranged it to around 700 to 2000 years old, but I suspect it’s around 1000 years old.
Explorer –

13) As the chair of the Alliance of Independent Bigfoot Researchers, can you provide examples of best practices or excellent research that is being done by Independent Research Organizations but that are not well known in the community at large? 

Kathy- I am actually the treasurer for the AIBR. I was the chair for many years but I got too busy with other work.  Our website has a great section on protocols that a researcher can use as well as a fantastic sound library of known and unknown animals.  You can find it at www.bigfootresearch.com.

14) Of the different strategies being pursued by the many different and diverse BF research organizations all over USA and Canada, which strategies do you think will be the most fruitful in obtaining physical evidence acceptable to the scientific/academic community? 

Kathy- I think it depends a lot on the location. In California, I like to camp and use call blasting to bring them in closer. In Area X, we do a lot of hiking and act a lot more aggressively.  There we also use hair snares which I recommend for all locations.

15) Why do you think these creatures are so cryptic? 

Kathy- It’s hard to know. In Area X, wood apes throw rocks and knock on wood in an attempt to get our attention, but the second they get seen by one of us, they bolt. Why do they do that?  I suspect it’s an emotional reaction and they can’t help themselves.

See-Te-Cah-NC –

I'd like to say that I'm thrilled that our own Kathy Strain is affording us an opportunity to ask her questions related to our favorite cryptid. 

Kathy- Thank you!

16) (two part question) Since I'm not sure exactly how far back accounts of the creature by the Indians go, I'd like to ask if there is any evidence that the Paleolithic humans in North America (i.e. - Clovis) interacted with it or were aware of the creature's existence? If so, what? Please explain in as much detail as possible, and your educated opinions are welcome.

Kathy- We have no way of knowing if pre-Clovis or Clovis people interacted with bigfoot. There isn’t any artifacts, bones or petroglyphs that suggested they did or didn’t.  Their oral tradition didn’t survive. I would think that they did have interactions, but that would be a guess. The oral traditions and stories we have from Native Americans are only a few thousand years old.

Gumshoeye –

17) An early BFRO report from out of California boasted to having the oldest petroglyph at the time (images etched in stone) do you know how old that petroglyph was estimated to be and do you know if the petroglyphs found in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Delta county are of the approximate period?  

Kathy- I am not sure what you are referring to. In general, petroglyphs (pecked into rock) are thought to be older than pictographs (painted on rock). There is a Hairy Man petroglyph at the Hairy Man Pictograph site, but it would be the same age as the rest of the art.

18) Can you tell us what other states these petroglyphs are believed to exist?  

Kathy- I don’t know of any other “bigfoot” petroglyphs. I would be curious if you know of some!

In both instances the engravings who found inside a cave structure as I understand it, and they both possessed some very crude but familiar drawings of what we would easily associate with Sasquatch today thank you.  

Kathy- Could you point me in the direction of these?

Doc Holiday –

19) Have you received much static from scientific colleagues for your active participation in BFery? 

Kathy- Nope, not ever.

20) Have you ever experienced anything that you perceived as communication from any BFs, and was it verbal, physical (thrown objects etc) or other?  

Kathy- I have heard many calls, whistles, wood knocks, and rock clacks.  I definitely believe that wood knocks are a form of communication with other wood apes.  I heard what I like to call jibberish on one occasion. It was in 2012 in Area X and very early in the morning. I was awakened by a very frustrated animal that yelled out a sound like “Yoga” and then threw a rock at the roof of the cabin I was in. Was that a “word” that communicated something to someone or just a “sound”?  I don’t know. I have had many rocks thrown at me in Area X – I’m not sure if I would call that communication or not, but it sure causes me to communicate bad words towards the wood apes!

SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT –

Kathy:   Thank you for answering questions.   

21) Is there anything similar in California to the ape like basalt stone heads found along the Columbia River in Washington?   

Kathy- Not that I am aware of.

22) Are California finds limited to rock drawing art? 

Kathy- As far as art goes, there are old California Native American baskets that have a bigfoot design in them as well.  The Pacific Northwest is probably the best known for their pre-contact bigfoot artwork – totem poles, masks, costumes, and dances. I have been doing work on bigfoot in South America and have found similar costumes and dances (as well as stories). 

23) Secondly I just became aware of a stone wall structure in Mt Hood National Forest that has been examined by the Mt Hood Forest Service archeologist and preliminary estimates suggest that the structure may date back 10,000 years.   Are you aware of that find and has anything like that been found in the mountains in California? 

Kathy- I have heard about it yes.  I don’t know that a conclusion has been determined yet though. We have 10,000 year old artifacts and archaeological sites in California. We don’t have anything like a stone wall that dates back that far.

Wag –

Ok, so there may be a few Sasquatch pictograms, the one shown above being the best, showing probable ''eye shine'', or something symbolic. 

Kathy- The lines coming from Hairy Man’s eyes are tears – after all the animals created man, he was afraid of Hairy Man and ran away. That hurt Hairy Man’s feeling so he drew himself crying.

24) The ''Dogman'' is now sliding into ''mainstream'' cryptozoology; -do you know of any pictograms of a possible ''Dogman'' out there?  Kathy- I have never heard of a dogman pictograph.

 

Stan Norton –

25) Is there any indication at Area X of sasquatch foraging evidence?  

Kathy- I have seen tubers pulled up – but any animal could do that! The most compelling indication were two nut cracking stations in X. Nuts had clearly been placed on the top of the rock and then crushed with a hand held rock and the meat eaten. It had to be a human or a wood ape and it seems like a strange thing for a human to do.

26) What do you postulate they are feeding on there?

Kathy- There is so much food, it is unbelievable – berries, tubers, nuts, insects, snakes, rats, squirrels, deer – it’s practically a super market!

27) Could you test your hypotheses?

Kathy-  It would be great if we could watch a wood ape eat something, but so far, no direct observance has been made.

28) Also, have there been any noticeable sasquatch behavioral responses to the clear cut forestry activities going on around X? (as detailed by Bipto on the BFS)

Kathy-  I think the clear cutting is affecting the wood apes greatly – I think it pushes them into smaller and smaller areas and likely reduces their food availability. The clear cutting is also replacing the deciduous nut-bearing hardwood forests with conifers. However, since we’re just starting our 5^th year of a long term study – we’ll have to wait and see.

29) Might those activities have displaced animals into/away from X? 

Kathy- I would think it would have displaced animals into X rather than away.  That may be the reason the area has so much activity.

Keep up the good work! 

Kathy- Thanks!

Gigantor –

(Referring to Kathy’s sightings)

30) Oh, Kathy, why didn't you take a picture or video? 

Kathy- Actually there were surveillance cameras deployed in the area and a motion sensitive camera aimed very near the area of the sighting. All it captured was my behind as I ran towards the animals (and it’s really hard to manage both a gun and a camera at the same time…).

31) Were out in the woods looking for BF without a camera?  Kathy- I always have a camera on me. Up until last year, the area was blanketed with plot watchers and motion activated cameras and in 2013 we even used a surveillance system around the cabin. We have go-pros as well. None have captured a photo of a bigfoot.  But again, our intent isn’t to get a photo of a bigfoot – it is to get undeniable proof – a body. 

32) One more, have you seen the hands? 

Kathy- The hands were balled up into a fist so I didn’t see the hands nor fingers.

33) Do they have an opposable thumb?

Kathy-  No idea, but since they can grasp rocks in order to throw them, I’m guessing they do.

 

Chelefoot –

34) Kathy, please tell us about the baby sighting. No Mom around?  

Kathy- In June 2013, I and some other members of my team, were sitting on the side porch of the cabin to get out of the sun.  I looked up and noticed a tree shaking and saw a roughly 30 pound dark brown animal with no tail climb to the end of a branch, “bounce” the limb, and use the momentum to jump across a clearing to another tree. I thought I had just seen a chimpanzee.  I told Brian Brown what I saw and we ran to the location and it was already gone.  The tree it jumped into appeared to have been jumped in before – the higher limbs were broken – I hypothesize that as the baby wood ape put on weight, it broke the limbs it was jumping to and moved down to the next limb.  I didn’t see any other animal.

35) How close?  

Kathy- Roughly 60 yards.

36) Did the baby see you and how did it respond?

Kathy- I don’t believe it saw me.

Lastlaugh –

37) Kathy, do you and your husband plan on going to Area X this summer? 

Kathy- Yes.

38) Any news about this year's operation? 

Kathy- Nothing that I can share at this time.

39) Also, are there native legends that confirm or mirror specific aspects of BF behavior as theorized today? 

Kathy- Yes, see above.

40) If I understand correctly, most native people considered BF to be a type of person.  Is that true?  Kathy- Yes, most Native Americans (past and present) believe bigfoot to be a type of person – a brother to us, but most Native Americans believe all animals to be a brother of some sort.

41) Have you heard anything that would make you think that BF is viewed differently than other animals?

Kathy- No, most Native American believe all animals are sacred and a brother of some sort. They attribute powers and significance to many of them.

WV Footer –

Kathy, Thank you for taking the time to answer questions. I would just like to hear more about your sightings

Kathy- (This is the quick, painless version).  In May 2012, me, my husband (Bob), and three other NAWAC researchers were in Area X. At about 6:30 pm. we heard a rock throw and they left to go investigate the sound. I stayed behind at the cabin.  I was just looking around an area called “the bottleneck” when I saw what looked like a branch being slowly let go in a nearby bushy tree.  I noted at the time that there was a dead tree lying on the ground that went through the same tree. When the guys came back I asked them to check the area and they casually looked and said nothing was there. They then left to go investigate another rock throw but Bob stayed behind with me.  I asked him to look more thoroughly in the bush/tree. He pulled the limbs apart and looked really hard – even thought about stepping on some additional logs on the ground to go through to the other side – but instead he just yelled back at me that there was nothing there but a couple of logs.  When everyone came back, we sat down and started talking. My chair was situated so I was looking right down the bottleneck. Brian Brown was on one side of me and Bob was on the other.  The other two researchers were facing each other.  At around 7:45 pm. (although I swear it feels like it was just after we sat down), we started hearing some footfalls.  One of the guys said that it sounded bipedal.  Just then I see two black figures, one big and one small, come down the bottleneck along the hillside.  I yelled “there they are”, then I jumped up and ran at them, keeping my eyes on the big one. They bolted up the hill like nothing I have ever seen before. It was like they had been on a bungee and were suddenly pulled upward.  The big one had muscular legs and to get up the hill, it had tucked in its arms and bent itself over slightly (like a power runner).  I can’t tell you anything about the second one other than it was smaller.  The next morning when I came out of the cabin, everyone had a horrible look on their face and Bob asked me to repeat what he had said about the bushy tree the day before. I said “You said there was nothing in there but a couple of logs.” He said “Guess how many are there now? There’s only one.” We all believe the wood apes hadn’t left the area but had stayed in the bushy tree, lying down on the ground to hide.  Bob had assumed they were logs due to the shadows. Why did they come towards us instead of fleeing away in a safer direction? Maybe they thought we were gone…or maybe they wanted a closer look. I really don’t know.

The other sighting was of the baby wood ape that I already mentioned.

Cliff Barrackman Interview!! By KBHunter

First of all I want to say thank you to Cliff for taking a few minutes out of his very busy schedule to answer our Forum questions for our Blog page. I must say that Cliff’s name has come up for questions often in the last few months I have been doing this blog. Cliff, did you know the only other Finding Bigfoot cast member’s name that has been asked for is James “Bobo” Fay? I think that is a testament to the fact our forum relates more to you.

 Thank you for the kind words and for the opportunity to interact with the folks at Bigfootforums.com. I'm always happy to answer questions based on my experiences and speculations, but please remember: I'm not a bigfoot expert, though I play one on TV. There are no bigfoot experts. I'm just a bigfoot learner, like everybody else.

1) David NC;
         I would like to ask Cliff that with his travels around the country is the realization that Sasquatch is more widespread in the United States readily accepted now?

It is certainly more accepted that sasquatches have a wider range than was previously thought a few decades ago. As recently as the 1980's, many prominent bigfoot researchers thought this was largely a Pacific Northwest phenomenon. I think this view is now widely recognized to be incorrect. As far as I can tell, sasquatches live in suitable habitat throughout most of North America. (Their presence below the Mexican border is not well-documented, and is based mostly in historical newspaper accounts and heresay) Sasquatches, or at least closely related species, seemingly are, or were, present on all the other continents (except for Antarctica).

 2) PBeaton;
First off, thanks for your work an time, it's appreciated.

·         Besides the P/G film and tracks, what is the most compelling piece of evidence for you, be it a video, audio, sightin' report or track find?
 For me, I find the congruency of all the available data to be the most compelling thing to support the reality of the species. The inferred structure of the foot based on footprint evidence is congruent with what can be observed in the PGF. The anatomy and behavior noted in historical newspaper accounts coincides perfectly with what people continue to report to the present day. The hand and foot impressions on record seem to be morphologically similar whether from WA, KY, MI, or elsewhere. Congruencies abound, and in fact seem to be the norm. If this was all made up, there should be some notable discrepancies, but there really aren't. I find that impressive.

·         Is there one such piece that fascinates you to no end? All the best! Pat Beaton...
 Not so much one piece of evidence, but I'm really into the repeat appearances of one individual sasquatch over time. There are some excellent examples from the footprint track data that show one or two individuals popping up again and again in a general area as the years progress. This information gives insight into possible habits, range, and seasonality of the creatures, as well as rare glimpses into the social structure of bigfoots.  

3) bf2011HBMay;
·         My question for Cliff is; will you be doing any follow-up work on the site of the London Trackway when he is not busy with the show?
Yes, though my time is limited. I have started experimenting with fake feet in order to learn more about the tell-tale signs of hoaxing. I have also enlisted the help of a USGS soil geologist to help with possibly determining the mass of the track maker.

I'm not so sure anymore that the London Trackway is the real deal, so I'm working on the “null hypothesis” approach: trying to prove it is not real. If I can do this, then I have my answer. If not, the question is still open. My confidence in the trackway is about about 50/50 right now.

 4) Chelefoot;
·         Hi Cliff, on the show, you guys do a lot of calls and wood knocks. I realize that it is necessary to get responses to make the night investigations more exciting and "TV worthy" (whatever that means!).  But how do your own methodologies differ from those used on the show?
·         Do you do the same types of things when you are not being filmed?
On Finding Bigfoot, we necessarily have to take the kind of approach that I refer to as “quick and dirty.” We only have a couple nights at a location, and calls and knocks are an effective way to get a response and make some television with some real possible bigfoot action included. However, I don't really take that same approach when I'm working my own spots outside of Portland, OR where I live.
I do knock and call at times, but I use these techniques sparingly. It seems pretty clear to me that you can't trick a bigfoot for long before it catches on and learns that humans are doing the calling. They will soon recognize your calls, and they might just leave the area if they figure out that it's just you again.
I think a better approach is to frequent a certain location as much as possible doing the exact same thing every time. I recommend that one drives the same car, wears the same clothes, does the same routine, goes to bed at the same time, etc... Just assume that you're being watched when you are at the location.
My goal is to become a predictable feature in THEIR environment. They need to learn about me if I'm going to be allowed to learn about them. They need to learn that I am not a threat, and I am interesting enough to come around and watch for a while.
The problem with my preferred research method is that I'm on the road for eight or nine months a year, so I cannot become that predictable feature in their environment. They might recognize me at the Blueberry Bog, but I'm not predictable yet. Maybe once the show's over I can do a better job at this...
·         Do you think knocks/calls could alert them to your presence and cause them to move away, or do you feel like it peaks their curiosity and draws them in? Thanks, and I really enjoy the show - Never miss it! Michele
I think that knocks and calls could do either of these. It depends on the sasquatch. They are as individual as you and me, and they don't conform to our expectations. Some bigfoots are just more curious than others, and some are more shy. Some are probably just plain jerks. They seem to be very people-like in this way.
5) lightheart;
·         Hi Cliff, since you have begun working with the Bridges what conclusions have you drawn about the Sasquatch in Florida as compared to those living in the PNW?
  I don't see any significant difference between the sasquatches in Florida and those found in other parts of North America. They have the same foot morphology and general behaviors as described elsewhere. They may live in a different habitat, but so do the bigfoots that live in South Dakota and the Pacific Coast. I don't think the habitat makes for a different species when pretty much everything else about them is the same.
 6) Doc Holiday;
       So for cliff.......how about, how often do you have to fight the urge to smack MM on the back of his head and ask   " what are you thinking ??" LOL
To be fair, I think we all can be difficult sometimes, not just Moneymaker. We spend a tremendous amount of time together, and we all have strong personalities, so we wear on one another. I liken it to going on a roadtrip with your significant other. They will eventually annoy you, though you get along fine. I feel that we have a good balance and understanding of one another now. I wouldn't smack anyone on the head, and I could ask eitherMoneymaker, Bobo, or Ranae, “What are you thinking?” and they would not be offended.
     But more seriously,  if you could do things different on the show what would you change?
I would probably change the bigfoot that comes on before and after the commercial. It roars and growls and drools, giving the viewer a skewed perception of what a sasquatch is. It is made to frighten, but this isn't fair to bigfoots. I understand why they do it, though. A bigfoot silently walking into brush isn't nearly as dramatic, unless you've seen this yourself.
 7) Rockape;
·         Cliff, you say you were once pro-kill to obtain a specimen for scientific confirmation of the species but are not anymore, what made you change your mind?
Compassion made me change my mind. The more I learned about the species, the more I realized that no individual bigfoot deserves to make the sacrifice to be shot for the sake of the species. They are not humans, but they are so human-like that it seems to me that it would be morally wrong to kill one. I feel this same way about the other great ape species, and I would feel that way about any other hominoid that might be discovered elsewhere in the world. To sum it up in one sentence: It is very rude to kill an individual in order to satisfy our curiosity.
    What would you say is the worst part and the best part of doing the Finding Bigfoot series?
The best part about doing Finding Bigfoot has to be the amazing opportunities it has given me to learn about the species in different parts of the world. Sure, the adventure stuff is awesome. Who doesn't like riding ATVs, crashing in hot air balloons, and traveling the world? But still, at the end of the day it is really cool to see the similarities between bigfoots in different parts of the globe and to compare them. It has given me an understanding of the species that I don't think I could have obtained just by working my spots in Oregon and Washington.
 The worst thing about being on Finding Bigfoot is the time I have to spend away from home. It's hard to tell from watching the show, but I'm basically an introverted home-body. I love to be at home, and I love to be in Portland. When I hit the road, I leave behind my dog, girlfriend, garden, guitar, fish tank, friends, and everything else that makes me Cliff. I miss my life, but this won't last forever, and you have to make hay while the sun is shining, so they say.
·         Am I wrong, or does Renae seem a bit less skeptical lately?
 It's hard to say. I can't really figure her out. She speaks and acts like bigfoots are real, but then she says she doesn't think they are and never has. I think you'd have to ask Ranae about this, as I'm not qualified to answer for her.
8) clubbedfoot;
This is a loaded question and if you can give a hint to the answer that would be pretty awesome.
·         Has the Finding Bigfoot show ever left out any evidence of Bigfoot that was determined to have been too frightening or disconcerting for the viewing audience?
 No, this has never happened. Something that has happened, though, is that bigfoot stuff has occurred that wasn't included in the show because it didn't happen on camera. Television is a visual media, and if the cameras didn't capture something, it cannot make the show. It makes sense, but it can be pretty aggravating. For example, in Virginia while the cast was out trying to encounter a bigfoot on a night investigation, a bigfoot or two came around base camp where the crew and PA were hanging out in the cars watching movies or doing whatever they do while we are working (they have to sit there with their walkie talkies on in case we need something in the field, but they basically have nothing to do for the four to six hours we are out walking around) and started throwing rocks at the cars. Several rocks hit the sides and tops of the U-Haul van, but the crew didn't realize what was going on at the time. This obviously couldn't make the show since it didn't happen to the cast, and it wasn't on camera.
9) peoplebooger;
Cliff, enjoy your work, attitude and openness.
·         Do you have a youtube channel which displays any of your music?
 No, not yet. I am slowly getting my music website back in order, though, and will be offering downloads of my original music there when things get going. Eventually, CliffordBarackman.com will be up and running and will offer my recordings for free, or whatever you'd like to pay me for them. This business model is called “Pay what you want,” and it hits a chord in me that I like. I don't plan on making a living on my music, and I really want people to enjoy it, so the Pay-what-you-want model makes a lot of sense to me. A little extra beer money is never a bad thing, but I won't have to depend on it to pay my mortgage.
·         From your viewpoint, what new technologies and/or methodology do you see coming to, or happening in the Bigfoot Research field?  Thanks
 I think the most important technological innovation that will change bigfooting is that thermal imagers and night vision will get cheaper, thus putting this technology in the hands of more and more people. This has already started to happen, but when the gear is within reach for hobbyists and laymen, we should see a lot more video clips of possible bigfoots coming in. This, of course, will raise questions on how to authenticate the clips, but that's a good problem to have.
As far as methodologies for bigfooting, I hope that more rural people will recognize that they share the woods, and even their own properties, with sasquatches. These people could then obtain some of this inexpensive thermal or night vision surviellance gear and install it in likely locations to get more footage. I think the most effective method of studying bigfoots is to empower the locals/propert owners to do the ground work and get footage. After all, they are the ones that actually live there full time with the bigfoots.
10) kbhunter;
·         Hi Cliff, in the years since 2008 I have changed my opinion of the BF totally. It started from fear because my son had been chased by one and it really scared him terribly. At the time he was 16 years old and was stalking coyotes with a shotgun on our hunting lease. We then found a series of tracks, very large ones and smaller ones on the road bed where this happened. That made me realize it probably could have been defending a younger one. Also, I have no doubt if it had wanted, it would have attacked him because it was within 50 feet. Was there ever a time you feared them or thought they were more like monsters so often portrayed on TV movies?
No, not really. I figured that if they were dangerous or aggressive, they would have been “discovered” by now, probably by an angry mob with pitchforks and torches. That's not to say that I haven't been unnerved by their presence once or twice. After all, they are large hairy ape-men, and that in itself is kind of creepy. But still, logic tends to prevail in me, and I don't really fear them any more than I would another wild creature.
 ·         As I began spending more time learning about them and several glimpses of them in the woods around our camp. I began to change from fear to more curious of what they were. After several interactions and very good visuals including my wife seeing one look around a tree, we saw the face as much more human like that I even thought they were. Do you think as I do after much more evidence and interaction that the BF is a type of person?
No, I don't think they are a type of person. They are a different species with different needs, thoughts, desires, and ways of interacting with their environment. We probably share many of the same emotions, fears, and impulses with us, just like we do with other species, particularly the great apes. However, to simplify them into another type of person I think is to not do them justice. They are sasquatches. That is why I respect them and love them. Just like many other species, they are very human-like in some ways, but are not human. This does not imply they should be treated as inferiors in any way. They should not be hunted. They should not be disrespected. They should not be eaten. They should be learned about and respected for what they are: sasquatches.
·         Have you had any clear sightings of their face and if so, what was your thought at that time?
No, I have not.
·         Do you have any current projects besides the Finding Bigfoot show you can tell us about?
I think the most important thing I'm doing is the Orang Pendek Project. I am working with the locals in Sumatra to obtain physical evidence in the form of footprint tracks and hair samples of orang pendeks in Kerinci National Park. Before I started this project two years ago, there were two or maybe three orang pendek casts in the world. Now I can proudly say there are nearly forty in my collection, and more coming in all the time (I literally got an email this morning that there was another sighting or track find with footprint casts made). I am working on sharing the finds with the public via my website, but my time is short because I'm on the road filming the show.
·         Last question. Do you think they will be proven to science any time soon?
 Soon? I don't know. Since they are in fact a real species, I do think it is an eventuality, though. My opinion on when this might happen fluxuates back and forth, but when it comes down to it, I kind of don't care when science figures out they're real. Since I am not pro-kill, I cannot advocate them being “proven” to science because that necessitates a dead one. There is no other option because that is the way science currently works. One will eventually be shot, hit by a car, found dead, or something like that. Will it happen soon? I have no idea. In the meantime, I'll be here trying to learn as much as I can about them and trying to obtain footage so people can share our enthusiasm for the creatures.

Again our thanks to your time and we look very much forward to your answers. Please feel free to post any links or mention any future appearances here. We feel very honored that you agreed to take the time to help us continue this series of very informative Blog interviews.
Sincerely,
KBHunter. 

www.CliffBarackman.com

www.NorthAmericanBigfoot.com

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