The Bigfoot Club, the local Bigfoot hunting group I belong to as resident skeptic, prides itself on doing more than just looking around for prints and banging trees to “call the squatch”.  They are a serious group, more interested in finding out the truth than getting media coverage or their own TV show.

Blobsquatch

I’m proud of the group as they are open to suggestions from the skeptic.  One of my suggestions, we find out how we should be collecting material for possible DNA sampling has resulted in the group members always having our home made DNA collection kits with us at all times.  I carry one in my purse and one in the car.  It’s very simple, and we asked a scientist for input on exactly what we needed.  Affordable, simple and easy to use, it’s proof this group at least really wants to find the truth rather than just play camping in the woods.

We often brainstorm about new ways to look for Bigfoot, a recent example was consulting with a local wildlife expert about where to place our trail cameras.  Some of the ideas are a bit crazy, for instance trying to go looking without any equipment with batteries as it is thought perhaps Bigfoot can sense a battery.  Still, I give the group credit for thinking out side the box.

The Dr.Ketchum Bigfoot DNA mess is seen by The Bigfoot Club as simply another slap in the face of those really wanting to find out the truth.  Our own DNA kits are a direct response to the sloppy science too many groups engage in.  Also, the recent surge in hoaxed videos and photographs, or as they are often called “Blobsquatch”, has discouraged the group.  I suggested we try to make our own “Blobsquatch’ photographs to see if we can do better than someone photographing a root ball, and claiming the root ball “moved”.  

Blobsquath in the yard!

We had a lot of fun, since we all have varying degrees of Photoshop and photography skills.  The interesting thing is that when I suggested we put up the best, the group disagreed.  They voted that we should not put up the better ones as they might end up on the internet as “proof” of Bigfoot in the area.  I pointed out we would be clear they were fakes and hoaxed, but I had to admit they were correct, someone would probably repost the photographs as real.

skeptical tree is skeptical of the Blobsquatch

The famous surgeon’s photograph of the Loch Ness Monster has been a known hoax for years, yet it is still used again and again by die hard believers.  Even when people admit something is a hoax, it can be said that the person claiming the hoax is lying. This happened with a video of a crop circle being made, despite the claims of the film maker with detailed explanations, to this day believers site it as evidence and claim the film maker is lying.  It’s all part of the cover up.  It’s easy to search online and find people still investigating  Oliver Castle’s confessed 1996 crop circle hoax film, and claiming it’s real.

where is the head or is that the head?

If anyone questions the integrity of Bigfoot investigators, please don’t include my group, The Bigfoot Club.  They want to keep even confessed hoaxes off the internet, so that what is out there is whatever real or credible evidence there is.  They point out, time wasted investigating the false and “flashy” hoaxes perhaps buries anything truly worth investigating.

The very sad part is that they were fine with me sharing my “blobsquatch” photographs as they were so bad.  They asked me if I really am that bad at Photoshop.  Yes, I am.  It is a real animal,   Mini Bigfoot lives in my backyard, usually sniffing around and chasing squirrels up trees where he barks for them to come down so he can chase them some more.

I hope you enjoy my laughable efforts.  But the group did learn how easy it is for most people to create a video or photograph that would probably with enough effort make the local paper if not go viral online.

Also, our group really enjoys the fair reporting of Sharon Hill, while she’s a skeptic (I am also) they trust her analysis and she keeps us updated on hoaxes.  A serious Bigfoot group will be supportive of outing hoaxes, not holding onto them for dear life because oh it would just be “so cool” if Bigfoot were real.  I think it would be “so cool” if Bigfoot were real also, and so does every skeptic I know.  Wishing can’t prove something, but investigation can, and that means not embracing every Blobsquatch video and photographs that pops up on the internet.

Related articles

• Bigfoot News October 8, 2013 (robertlindsay.wordpress.com)
• Bigfoot Existence Backed By DNA? (uniquedaily.com)
• Why Paranormal Investigators need Skeptics (and the other way around!) (yankeeskeptic.com)