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EDITORIAL: Marathon County has own mystery
Back in June 2006, we poked a little bit of fun at a gang calling itself the Bigfoot Researchers Organization.
These guys had scheduled two "fact-finding" missions in northern Wisconsin in July of that year, and were inviting anyone and everyone to come along -- for the low, low price of $400.
Seemed a little goofy, but harmless. The crew pledged to search high and low for evidence of Bigfoot's existence in the Northwoods, where the folklore of some American Indian tribes says the creature lives.
No word on what ever happened to them, though we trust that if they had found sasquatch, they would have sent out a news release or something.
But the Researchers Organization was called to our minds again earlier this month when we reported on an alpaca found dead at a farm in the town of Frankfort.
Our hearts go out to the family that owned the critter. Alpacas are gentle creatures with silky hair and winsome eyes that can make even the toughest cad say "Ohhhhh" when he sees one.
And we're certainly not suggesting a cover-up, or that authorities failed to fully investigate this incident.
We're just saying ...
The alpaca's death was attributed to a bear attack.
Granted, there are a lot of bear around here; the Department of Natural Resources just admitted it can't even count the things when it announced last week that 26,000 might roam the state.
That's twice the estimate they had been using. They were off by 100 percent.
(For the record, the official DNR census of bigfoots, or bigfeet, or whatever, is 0. But take that with the same lump of salt you down with the state's bear estimates.)
Anyway, in the alpaca incident, the only evidence linking a bear to the scene of the crime was a crumpled fence and a few tufts of black fur.
That's it.
And here's the thing: Peggy Emmerich, who owns the Enchanted Meadows alpaca ranch north of Wausau, said the animals are gentle and easier to handle than cows, horses and other livestock.
In fact, she and her husband use guard dogs to keep bears, coyotes and wolves at bay.
Again, we're not suggesting anything.
But if you were a bigfoot with a hankering for some fresh meat, would you rather tackle a 1,500-pound horse or a sweet and gentle South American camelid?
We know which we would prefer.
Maybe those boys who headed into the Northwoods in search of sasquatch sign had their compasses aimed the wrong way.
Maybe they should have looked to Marathon County first.
We can't afford to just dismiss this latent evidence of bigfoot in our midst. We're almost obligated to probe deeper.
Think of the boon to science and humanity were the mythological -- and we use that term advisedly -- beast proven to exist.
And in Marathon County, no less. Just think of the tourism dollars we could reap.
We think the Bigfoot Researchers Organization should make a return trip to our neck of the woods.
For $400 a head, we'll be happy to take them for a tour.
Back in June 2006, we poked a little bit of fun at a gang calling itself the Bigfoot Researchers Organization.
These guys had scheduled two "fact-finding" missions in northern Wisconsin in July of that year, and were inviting anyone and everyone to come along -- for the low, low price of $400.
Seemed a little goofy, but harmless. The crew pledged to search high and low for evidence of Bigfoot's existence in the Northwoods, where the folklore of some American Indian tribes says the creature lives.
No word on what ever happened to them, though we trust that if they had found sasquatch, they would have sent out a news release or something.
But the Researchers Organization was called to our minds again earlier this month when we reported on an alpaca found dead at a farm in the town of Frankfort.
Our hearts go out to the family that owned the critter. Alpacas are gentle creatures with silky hair and winsome eyes that can make even the toughest cad say "Ohhhhh" when he sees one.
And we're certainly not suggesting a cover-up, or that authorities failed to fully investigate this incident.
We're just saying ...
The alpaca's death was attributed to a bear attack.
Granted, there are a lot of bear around here; the Department of Natural Resources just admitted it can't even count the things when it announced last week that 26,000 might roam the state.
That's twice the estimate they had been using. They were off by 100 percent.
(For the record, the official DNR census of bigfoots, or bigfeet, or whatever, is 0. But take that with the same lump of salt you down with the state's bear estimates.)
Anyway, in the alpaca incident, the only evidence linking a bear to the scene of the crime was a crumpled fence and a few tufts of black fur.
That's it.
And here's the thing: Peggy Emmerich, who owns the Enchanted Meadows alpaca ranch north of Wausau, said the animals are gentle and easier to handle than cows, horses and other livestock.
In fact, she and her husband use guard dogs to keep bears, coyotes and wolves at bay.
Again, we're not suggesting anything.
But if you were a bigfoot with a hankering for some fresh meat, would you rather tackle a 1,500-pound horse or a sweet and gentle South American camelid?
We know which we would prefer.
Maybe those boys who headed into the Northwoods in search of sasquatch sign had their compasses aimed the wrong way.
Maybe they should have looked to Marathon County first.
We can't afford to just dismiss this latent evidence of bigfoot in our midst. We're almost obligated to probe deeper.
Think of the boon to science and humanity were the mythological -- and we use that term advisedly -- beast proven to exist.
And in Marathon County, no less. Just think of the tourism dollars we could reap.
We think the Bigfoot Researchers Organization should make a return trip to our neck of the woods.
For $400 a head, we'll be happy to take them for a tour.
