Expedition details can be found here.
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Richard, I realize that actually 'catching' a bf in this manner ain't gonna happen, but do you think it's possible that attempting to follow signs may have led to further discoveries? i.e. footprints etc.
As likely as what we ended up doing.
I'm not sure I understand your response. Are you implying that you WOULDN'T have found any footprints? (I'm talking about a clear print, not a partial one, or one requiring imagination.)
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I must admit I have no knowledge of the Skookum cast outside what I've read about. I don't understand your reference to a 'harassment law'. Is bigfoot protected from harassment in Skamania County?
Ordinance No. 69-01 states that any attempt to cause injury or death to a Sasquatch. Harassment is a tactic used to further enhance a law when officers need backup in writing. The are able to interpret the law as they see fit in the field. Of course they would have to back it up in a court later on, but they generally get sided with.
You had originally stated: "We were standing and working in Skamania County where there is a harassment law against just what you are asking." Now you are implying it is only a possible interpretation by law enforcement personnel. Ordinance 69-01 was amended back in 1984, and I can find no present reference to 'harassment' of a bf being against the law. Am I looking in the wrong place, or is there no harassment law to begin with?
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Playing screams in the middle of the night could be considered a form of harassment of the Sasquatch, and if that is laughed out of court for being mythical, as well as other diurnal or crespucular animals.
I wasn't suggesting you play screams, I was suggesting the thermal imaging equipment be used to attempt to follow the bf signs in the area. That would even have helped fulfill one of the objectives of the expedition --Test viability of using Infra-red thermal & starlight imagery as nighttime detection tools for wildlife.-- Not sure how following bf sign using thermal imaging equipment equates to harassment. If you played screams in the middle of the night, it sounds like you'd be more likely to be charged with a noise bylaw infraction than you would a sasquatch harassment infraction.
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Since you weren't trying to capture bigfoot, would it have mattered how much noise was made? Might the benefit of finding further evidence (footprints, etc.) have outweighed the slow pace of travel?
Maybe. A field decision can always be second guessed though. We found tracks before the major impression find and we had return calls to our broadcasting. We felt we were on a roll. The only thing missing was a sighting and of course pictures of the animal. Our best guess as to what to do next, determined by the group, was carried out.
I'd hesitate to say the 'only' thing missing, as no squatch was seen replying to the broadcasts, and no clearly identifiable bf prints were found before the Skookum impression was discovered.
Wednesday, September 20th: "...three potential Sasquatch tracks in different areas."
Thursday, September 21st: "No definitive tracks were found..."
Friday, September 22nd: Skookum cast found sometime near 0900am, but no discernable footprints. "The marks it did leave are much less distinct than footprints...."
If the butt prints were found in the morning, was a concentrated effort made to find some further supporting evidence like footprints during the remaining daylight hours?
Saturday, September 23rd: "No fresh tracks of large wildlife present..."
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Were you folks carrying a topographical map of the area and calibrated compasses? Night travel is indeed a whole lot slower, but it's not impossible, especially if you have those two items.
We had Topos and GPS with Topo software in the units. We had compasses as well. Again, a majority of reported sightings occur on the road. What are the odds that we would see something following those tracks in the dark, with a limited battery supply to the Thermal, versus something crossing the road again, as the tracks indicated they just did?
Ok, I can understand the reluctance to follow tracks at night using battery driven heat-detection equipment, but I'm curious, how much effort was spent trying to find supportive evidence in the area surrounding the Skookum cast?
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Were any pictures of a bf obtained on this particular outing? In your mind, what absolute conclusive evidence about the Skookum cast, proves it was created by a bigfoot? I'm not saying it's not the cast of a bigfoot, just wondering what particular proof was found that shows it is a bigfoot.
Already answered.
Well, if no definitive tracks were found, no DNA obtained/identified from the partially eaten apple, and no sighting occurred, we're left with a single unidentified hair. Not really a whole lot of compelling evidence.
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Exactly. Which makes it all the more important that supportive evidence, like footprints from the surrounding area, be found.
They were, before the expedition, during and after.
According to the BFRO expedition notes, there is no indication that ANY footprints were found that could be clearly identified.
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Which again makes me wonder why, if your vehicle was that close to the impression, wouldn't you have at least attempted to follow any signs in the immediate area? The combination of butt prints + complete footprints = even more compelling evidence.
You need to go and read about the expedition first and then come back for any followup questions.
I DID read the notes about the expedition, which led to more questions.
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How many scientists have examined the cast, who were they, and what was their impression? (pun intended)
Already answered.
Maybe I should reword that question. How many independant/non-biased scientists have examined the cast, who were they, and what was their impression?
It seems in the 3 years since the Skookum cast we're still no closer to finding an absolute answer.
RayG
