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Saturday, March 28, 2015

ol' Stumpy is Fishing For Bigfoot
 Fishing For Bigfoot

I originally had this post titled "Bigfoot Ramblings" but after thinking about it, "Fishing For Bigfoot" is such a more appropriate title. I think you will agree by the end of the article.

A few days ago TCC team member Dorraine Fisher presented an article entitled Researchers, Trolls, and Armchairs. It was a fantastic write-up and it got me to thinking about the current field of Bigfoot researchers in general.

First, let me say there are some really good honest, and knowledgeable researchers out there. Ones that really try hard and that are a credit to the field. These researchers seem to be rare and most seem to be a little more low-key than others in the Bigfoot field. Some of these researchers have never had a personal sighting or encounter but yet they deal with the subject of Bigfoot in a professional and logical manner. They normally are not quick to jump on board with every picture presented as being a Bigfoot and fight you tooth and nail as to it being real. In many cases, they are open to it being real but understand there is a need to find out more about it.   


But there is a terrible injustice being committed in the Bigfoot Community. It's an injustice that causes and encourages mockery of the subject in general, in my opinion. I also think it cheapens and delegitimizes the research of Bigfoot on a large scale. This type of behavior has the potential to affect every Bigfoot researcher. What I'm talking about is these growing number of people who call themselves "Bigfoot Researchers" and in some cases "Habituators", and they post picture after picture of tree stumps, shadows, and leaves.

They make foolish claims like "There are 20 Bigfoots in this picture, a whole clan of them." When in reality there is nothing more than shadows and cases of pareidolia. Some even make the claims of having thousands of photos of Bigfoot, but it is a very rare occasion that they post anything that is remotely interesting and that could be a real Bigfoot. Just stumps, shadows, and leaves. I even saw someone post a picture of the side of a brick building and it had an area circled or zoomed in "to show the Bigfoot."

For the most part, these types of people seem to be serious about their claims. They will even argue with you about it. If you don't see the 27 Bigfoot in the picture, they will make statements like, "You have to train your eyes to see them." I have also seen some of them get really nasty and hateful about their pictures, this sometimes results in them calling people names and using vulgar language. 
They seem to think they are really helping advance the field of Bigfoot research but in reality, they are causing damage and making the very idea of Bigfoot look foolish. It makes legitimate Bigfoot research get an unfair shake and paints a picture that we are all "crazy".

Why do they do it? It seems some of these people could be just overzealous and that they are wanting to see a Bigfoot so bad they become somewhat blind from reality. Some of these folks could be posting stumpsquatches and making outrageous claims just for the attention and the "fun" of it. For the most part, I think most of them are serious about their pictures and claims. With this type of behavior and considering the subject of Bigfoot, one should also consider that it all could be being done on purpose just to muddy the waters and misinform people.

In the end, these types of people are hurting the community. They really don't know much about Bigfoot research, logic, or shadows ...ect. They probably couldn't find a burrito at Taco Bell, little alone find a Bigfoot. They are in fact "Fishing for Bigfoot" in every photo they take.  

Here is the kicker, some of these stump hunters have a growing following. No matter how off the wall some of their claims may be, they seem to garner some good support numbers. I just don't understand it. Are people really that easily fooled and led astray? Have they no common sense or logic?

At times, and I know others who feel this way, it is very frustrating to see people posting stump photos and getting support for it. Many good researchers have and continue to bust their hump, spend their own money and hike many miles but yet seem to get very little support. Then you get some clown that takes pictures while walking through the city park and all at once he is the world's greatest researcher and a Bigfoot expert. If we ever hope to advance Bigfoot research and have it taken more seriously, then folks who post up stumps and shadows need to be pushed out of the way and no support given to them. To me they cause more damage to the Bigfoot community than people who actually pull hoaxes in costumes. You can debunk and expose most of the people who pull hoaxes in suits because they will slip up somewhere. But most of these people "Fishing for Bigfoot" in every photo, have a different mind set and believe that their photo of that stump or shadow is REALLY a Bigfoot. If you are convinced in your mind that Blue is Red, it will be very hard to change that idea and get you to see it differently.

I guess, I just don't get it, but like I have said in the past, the Bigfoot community is full of all kinds. It's become sort of a melting pot for every idea imaginable when it comes to the subject of Bigfoot.

It does seems that the Bigfoot community overall is growing. I think exposure to the idea of Bigfoot through the numerous TV shows, Blogs, and Youtube is the reason we get new people added to the community. So, I guess the best we can do is try and steer current members and new ones in the right direction and alert them to "Stump Hunters" and those who intentionally mislead people. The recent work by Randy Filipovic and his blog, Bigfoot Anarchy, is a great resource that helps expose some of these con artists and charlatans.

My advice for people interested in Bigfoot is for them to find good honest researchers and support them and to avoid the people that continue to post photos of stumps and shadows. Do some online research about various Bigfoot researchers and groups and ask other people in the community about them. After all, you don't want to support, financially or otherwise, someone who is basically lying, misleading and deceiving others.   


Thanks for reading and have a blessed day.

Thanks
~Thomas~


This post by Thomas Marcum, Thomas is the founder/leader of the cryptozoology and paranormal research organization known as The Crypto Crew. Over 20 years of experience with research and investigation of unexplained activity, working with video and websites. A trained wild land firefighter and a published photographer, and a poet.





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