choosing a locationIt's important to look at sightings in your area. Pay close attention to what type of encounters are being reported (sightings by creeks, road crossings.) Plan your research around that! Above all, find a location with viable habitat that might support these creatures.
Some great places could include: Creeks & lakes Apple orchards Swamps Areas with a large deer population Powerline cuts making your mapIt is a great idea to create your own research map using sightings in your area. You can do this by visiting the “REPORTS” tab & browsing some sightings near you. Plot them through the link below & when you use the Google Maps app on your phone, you’ll be able to pull up the custom map you made.
packing your bagMixing plaster in a plastic bag, stepping over evidence without having a way to mark it & using unreliable scale items next to prints made me realize that perhaps the most important tool was missing from the Bigfoot community: proper field work gear! That's why I decided to create the very first Sasquatch Expedition Product Collection! This product line is the first of its kind, aimed toward eager researchers looking to analyze & document evidence. This collection has a focus on reusability & elimination of plastic waste!
suggested reading materialscollecting hairAlways collect hair samples with tweezers. Place them in a paper envelope & refrain from touching them to avoid contamination. Ask a local wildlife expert to check them out before getting them tested.
recording audioAlways bring an audio recorder out in the field! It is a great way to document evidence like vocalizations & wood knocks. Have it recording all day so you can be sure to capture anything that catches you off guard! Use a free program like Audacity to enhance your audio, eliminate background noise & focus in on the sound in question.
documenting nestsTake as many pictures with scale items as possible. Be sure to capture an up-close image of the weave pattern. Collect hair samples with tweezers. |
castingCasting prints is the easy part! Finding them can be tricky.
When it comes to what to look for, here are a few tips: Search along water sources, as Sasquatch usually hang out there! Additionally, tracks are easier to spot in the mud or sand. Look for defined toes or heel impressions. A Sasquatch footprint is more than just a break in the leaf litter. Remember, this creature is HUGE & will leave an impression thank sinks into the soil! Take a look at your surroundings. Carefully walk around the area to look for other impressions. You will always see a trackway rather than just one print. You will want to cast ALL prints in the trackway, as this is the best way to analyze the anatomy of these animals. Be careful not to step on any toes! No pun intended. Humans have a longitudinal arch & our weight is pushed to the ball of the foot. Because of this arch, a human footprint will appear narrow & curved like an ear! Human footprints will often show toes that are close together, a feature that results from wearing shoes. Sasquatch have midfoot flexibility, which means that bending happens in the middle of their foot, rather than at the toes like humans. That's why we often see what's called a midtarsal break in sasquatch footprints. This feature is a result of the foot bending & pushing up the soil underneath, causing a small mound of dirt to form. When we cast with plaster, we get a negative of the print, which is why the midtarsal break shows as an indentation. Because Sasquatch don't wear shoes, their toes often splay out. This is a big indicator of a credible print!
What you'll need:
Bucket, Evidence marker, Tape measure, Hydrocal White plaster & water, Field notebook & pen, Gloves What to do:
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