Written By Tom Ference
Backwoodsman Nov/Dec 2014 Vol. 6

 

What exactly is a Bigfooter? Are you a candidate to become a Bigfooter?  The answer to the first question is fairly simple.  A Bigfooter is someone who is open-minded on the subject of the existence of the creature called Bigfoot or a person who has had a personal experience that has them convinced that the creature exists (the writer of this article falls under this category). 

In Sept/Oct 2013, The Backwoodsman Magazine published a Bigfoot article written by Christopher Murphy, and by the following issue, it was obvious that there is a strong interest in the subject when many readers submitted their personal stories. These folks were not “experts” in the field but outdoorsmen like us.  Stories such as these can start the reader's wheels turning, which brings us to the second question, “Am I a candidate to become a Bigfooter?”

It is of my opinion that there are truly no expert Bigfooters.  There are obviously people who have had one or more encounters, and there are others who have studied all of the evidence that they can obtain along with spending numerous days doing field research.  I categorize these people as ‘true devotees’ or maybe as ‘professional’ Bigfooters.  If someday an individual is finally able to prove to science the existence of these creatures, that person will be etched into history, but they would probably be the first to note that they are not an expert.

As noted above, you do not need to have the experience to become a Bigfoot researcher.  A person with a moderate interest in the subject fits the genre.  The basis of this article is to provide the reader with information on what it takes to become a Bigfoot researcher.  Below I have outlined what I feel are some important steps to beginning your journey into the world of Bigfoot research:

1. Why do this?  Everyone will have their own answer to this.  It might be curiosity.  It might be to prove a point to doubters or to oneself.  It might be an excuse to get outdoors and enjoy nature. The evidence that was provided in last year's magazine should convince many readers that something is out there.  Whatever is your reasoning, it's good enough to go do it.

2. Who should do this?  You need to ask yourself a few questions to determine if you are the right person for the job.  Some of these include: am I healthy and fit enough to be out in the woods tramping about?  Would I feel more comfortable and get more out of it if I had a buddy that would go with me?  Do I have the patience and determination to put in the time?  People who search for Bigfoot come in all shapes and sizes.  I know of young children, both boys, and girls, who go along with their parents.  There are retirees, who have joined the quest.  There are business professionals along with policemen and members of the military.  There are Backwoodsman Magazine readers.

3. What will I be doing?  Mainly you will be spending time in the woods where a Bigfoot might be.  Most folks are probably acquainted with some of the television programs that are geared towards Bigfoot.  Many of the techniques that are demonstrated are done by “average” Bigfoot researchers as well, but keep in mind that these shows have deadlines in production and the need to entertain their audiences.  We will discuss various proven methods and techniques a little later on.

4. When do I go?  My recommendation is “anytime”.  Although many sightings and other encounters happen at night, there are plenty of reasons to be out in the daylight as well.  During the daytime, you will have the advantage of seeing tracks, tree and rock stackings, tree breaks, and possibly a good view of a Bigfoot.  What about the time of year?  There is no conclusive evidence that these creatures hibernate (although it has not been ruled out), so any season can be as good as the next.  As all outdoorsmen know, animals have to eat and we believe that Bigfoot are opportunists. This means that if they're hungry, they could be out in any type of weather.  In the spring and summer, many wooded areas become quite thick with vegetation.  This may make for tough visibility and trekking, but it also may provide plant roots, berries, and other fruit for a bigfoot to consume as a food source.  Even a beginner can pick up and follow a track during the winter whenever there is snow on the ground.  Go when you can and enjoy yourself.  Look at it 
this way - if you find or see something interesting during your outing, even if it’s not Bigfoot related, it was great quality time in the woods.

5. Where do I go?  If I knew exactly where a Bigfoot was, I'd be there now!  However, there are some things to take into consideration when making this decision.  Most sightings seem to take place in heavily forested areas.  This does not mean that you need to be in the most remote area in a given hot-spot state. Many credible sightings have been reported in farmland areas as well as the 
outskirts of suburbia.  I'm sure that many readers of this magazine live in some of the areas mentioned above.  This means that you don't need to go far.  Others may need to travel a bit to get into areas that seem logical.  If possible, check and see if your state has a Bigfoot research group and take a look at where there have been sighting reports.  You don't need to have exact coordinates, just the general location.  Some researchers believe that Bigfoot groups or families stay within a given area most of the time, while others believe that they are nomadic or even migrate with the seasons.  This means that an area that has no Bigfoot activity going on at one time of the year may have it during another.  The only way to narrow it down is to get out there and look.

6. What methods or techniques do I use?  Before deciding how you will go about your Bigfoot outing, you need to know a few things.  Will you be going alone?  If not, how many others will be joining you?  Do you have any special equipment that you plan to try out?  I will attempt to cover a variety of options to consider, but keep in mind that the only thing you really need is yourself along with your eyes and ears. Let's start with a simple daytime outing that includes one or two people.  First, make sure that all of the safety precautions are in order.  A first aid kit, notification of where you'll be hiking, maps, etc. are all important.  On an outing like this, my first choice is to make it a long and slow hike.  Remember, the idea is to look for an animal and any evidence it may have left behind.  I've found that by using “still-hunting” techniques, I can walk for hours and take in all of my surroundings.  A good way to keep to this method is to walk softly for 25 steps then stop for 20 seconds.  I call it my “25-20”.  Continue on this type of walk for as long as the terrain and your energy allow.  During your stop time, you should be watching for movement of animals.  Some wildlife will be watching you as you walk but will take off when you stop, as they think they’ve been spotted.  Keep in mind that there have been numerous reports of Bigfoot creatures following people.  Make sure that when you make your stop that you include a look 
behind you as well.  Looking back behind from where you have come from also helps in knowing what the terrain looks like for when you return to your starting point.  You should also be looking for footprints, broken tree limbs, oddly placed trees that may be leaned together in the form of an X, or some other peculiar position.  If you go on the computer and Google ‘Bigfoot phenomena tree formations’, many examples will show up.  If you happen to find a tree formation that looks out-of-place, the main thing is to study them closely and do some reverse-engineering.  What you are looking for is to see if the strange formation could have happened naturally or if something with hands placed and tucked the various limbs and trees.  Finding these anomalies may be all the evidence that you need to determine if the creatures are in that area.  If they appear to be freshly done, all the better.  Making tree knocks or calls should also be part of your research during a day investigation.  Early this spring I had a 10 minute continuous knock-a-thon at 12:30 in the afternoon.  Although walking along a trail or old logging road is easiest, during the day while visibility is better, it is a good time to venture off the beaten path to search for obscure clues in 
out-of-the-way places.

Next, let's discuss nighttime outings.  Many folks are not familiar with the nuances that occur at night in the woods.  Things are quite different than in the daylight, and in many cases, it can be a little unnerving for some people.  Distances are harder to judge, the terrain is more treacherous, and animals often sound bigger.  Many researchers have had animals walk up and circle them in the dark and not knowing what these animals are can get the heart racing!  Most wild animals are not that brave or curious enough to move in close to humans, so this activity depending on where you are located is often associated with it possibly being a predator such as a bear, bobcat, mountain lion, or even a Bigfoot.  The two most popular methods conducted at night are pretty simple.  One is to find a place to set up for the evening/night, place a camp chair in position, sit back and relax.  Generally, calls and knocks are tried occasionally with a pause for listening in between.  Some people will try an approach that includes loud talking and laughter with the hopes that a Bigfoot may come close to inspect what's going on.  An infrared (FLIR) device is especially important to have when trying this method since an animal could sneak in unnoticed otherwise.  The other method includes walking slowly and covering ground while making knocks and calls intermittently.  This is generally done along logging roads or trails. While we're on the subject of calls and tree knocks, I have some “rules” that I try to follow.  First, if there is more than one person out together (or a couple of groups) it is important to radio the other party to announce that you will be making a call or knock.  Otherwise, it will be confusing to everyone as to where the sound originated and it might be mistaken for an actual Bigfoot.  When radioing the other person, speak quietly and keep the radio turned down low.  Now here is what I see as the biggest mistake people make when out making wood knocks or calling - lack of patience!!  Here's what happens; a call or knock is made, and immediately someone in the group announces “that sounded really good” or maybe makes a funny comment in regards to the call.  You have just dedicated your time and effort to be out in the woods with the hope of having some sort of action, and that possibility has just been ruined.  Be extremely quiet for at least a few minutes after a call or knock.  Think about it.  If a Bigfoot did feel the urge to respond to a knock, it would obviously need to find a log or rock first and then produce the sound.  This may take several minutes.  A creature that is far off might also decide to start in your direction first before returning a call.  This means that it might be en-route and planning to call as it gets closer or come in silent.  If everyone in the group is joking around or talking, the moment you hope for may never take place.  Why go through the effort if your actions ruin any chance of it taking place?  If you have people in your group who don't understand the importance of this, you may want to find a new partner or venture out on your own. Is one method better than the other?  Both have worked, but keep in mind that most trips into the night are absent of Bigfoot action. 

Next, we’ll discuss carrying weapons when doing Bigfoot field research.  Most folks carry at least a knife when out in the field, and I highly recommend carrying one.  It can come in handy for a multitude of uses.  As for carrying a firearm, this is up to the individual.  If you are not comfortable with guns, by all means, don't carry one.  Most Bigfoot researchers have the attitude of “NO Kill”, but still may bring a gun along.  We really don't have any intention of firing it, but there are real threats out in the wild.  It could be a wild animal or it might be a threatening person.  If you choose not to carry a firearm, then it is recommended that you bring bear repellent as an option.  This will ward off most predatory animals,  in the event that you should have an encounter.  Follow the law and be safe.in the event that you should have an encounter.  Follow the law and be safe.

7. What equipment to bring: As mentioned earlier, all anyone needs to go Bigfooting are their eyes, ears and a lot of patience.  However, the following items can come in quite handy:

 two-way radio (10-mile range recommended)
 FLIR thermal imaging camera
 binoculars
 digital audio recorder
 evidence collection kit (surgical gloves, tweezers, hair collection paper envelopes, magic 
 parabolic microphone
 ax handle or similar device for wood knocks
 quality flashlight rated at 200-900 lumens (along with a back up light)
 GPS or compass
 digital camera (disposable cameras work well too)
 folding camp chair
 first aid kit & survival kit
 backpack to carry your gear (school backpacks work fine for day outings)
marker, Silk-Rock or other casting compound, tape measure, note pad)

Summary
Learn as much as you can from the Internet, other researchers, and local groups.  Become familiar with the sounds of indigenous wildlife in your intended research area, such as coyotes, bobcats, squirrels, wolves, deer, owls, bear, elk, raccoon, herons, and other birds.  Learn and know your surroundings. Don't be embarrassed to make a call.  Who knows? Yours might just sound perfect.  Don't be afraid to experiment with methods other than those mentioned here.  Get out in the woods as often as you can and enjoy the moment.  Remember, there is no guarantee that you will receive any type of encounter, but if you do, your life will be changed forever.

Writer Bio:
Tom Ference, a native of southwestern Pennsylvania, had “an experience” about 13 years ago, while hunting alone in the woods in Westmoreland County that turned a skeptic into a believer.  Following Tom’s encounter, he is now hoping to convince others that there is something out there.  An avid outdoorsman for over 45 years, Tom has had the good fortune of traveling to several different countries pursuing the great outdoors.  As a member of The Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society, in addition to his passion for nature and the outdoors, Tom now finds himself in pursuit of answers to the Bigfoot phenomenon.