Here are some helpful suggestions/protocols to consider prior to going hunting for the existence of
Bigfoot.
Remember....never to trespass on any land without permission!!! Never Ever!
First, you have to get a location with valid sightings or just verbal sounds. You can
put an add in the paper, like I did, for anyone to come forward through an email with their reports, or post it on a local
community website. Be mindful that usually out of 50 reports you will hear or read only about 10 will be worth
looking into...people tend to stretch, exaggerate or fabricate sightings quite frequently. I usually do an email inspection,
then ask to call the witness per phone, then if possible meet up with them in person in the environment of their choice...some
do not want to be recognized or have their names given out, which is fine, some I've even met in a grocery store parking lot
to get their testimony. You have to watch their facial expressions, body language to see if they are being sincere. Also,
I believe in repeated questioning....I may interview them over the phone one day and then a week later get a hold of them
again....just to make sure they didn't waver any on their first description....continuity is important.
Once you have the location. you can go and do a visual search of the area. Look for wide
(4-5) feet variances in step patterns, you can even find this in a leaf covered forest floor....their will be 'leaf litter'
where sometime has stepped and messed up the leaves natural flat pattern. Also, look around for any obvious paths where
something large may have passed through...you might notice broken or bent branches, even saplings that have been pushed over
to their sides. Keep in mind that you are looking for something that has made about a three to five foot wide pattern
moving through the woods, this includes the distance from foot to foot and from shoulder to shoulder in width. These
creatures also tend to follow old roads, four wheeler trials, etc...for the ease of movement of their massive body size.
Look for tracks in these locations, especially after a nice rainfall where they may have stepped in the soft soil or mud and
left an impression.
If you find a wide path going through the trees, look for any hair samples in the limbs. Carry some
zip lock bags to collect any evidence. You might even run across a huge pile of 'scat' that looks like human or dog but
is much more larger in size.
You may want to get a pull along cart, like elderly women use for groceries, to carry things such
as a bag of plaster, a gallon of water and an empty 5 gallon bucket...you will need these items to cast any prints you find.
Practice at home with some plaster so you know what consistency to get it when you are out in the wild. If you do find
a print, and cast it, go a bit beyond, about 1 inch around the actual print. Also, while you are waiting for the plaster
to set, insert some small twigs laying them flat in different patterns just below the surface of the plaster...this acts
as 'natural re-barb' to reinforce the heavy structure when you pull it away from the mold. Your cast, a good one, will
show dermal ridges in the plaster, this is just like our own feet...they are our 'feet fingerprints' so to say. Don't
be discouraged if you pull up some twigs, leaves and dirt up with your print, you can brush this away.
Be aware of any odd, putrid smells, like a wet dog that has been bathing in stagnant pond water. Look
for any brush pile the size of a sofa that the creature tends to scrape together to take a nap in.
You may also go up online and record various Bigfoot sounds and take them along on a portable cassette
player and play them while you are in the woods to see if you get a response. There is one recording you can get
that is suppose to be a wounded Bigfoot...I would not suggest playing that out in the middle of the woods....you might get
an aggravated beast come charging you down thinking one of its comrades has been hurt by you...smile.
Word to the wise...never go hunting alone!!! Have an escape plan in mind, carry Bear Pepper Spray if
you must, and never aggravate the animal if spotted. They have been known to be quite aggressive!!
You can also take along a hefty stone or rock, about 5 to 10 pounds in weight, and pound it hard against
a large tree three times to see if you can get a response.
Of course, have several cameras ready and document you whole journey. Have at least one camcorder
to get any live moving shots...people tend to believe a live moving object more so then a photograph. But hey, a photo
is a photo whether anyone believes you or not, at least you will be tickled to get some evidence on your own!.
Hope this all helps you out, if I think of anymore or if you have any suggestions, I will
post promptly,
Happy hunting, and be safe and be courteous!
Jan
