2013 Chautauqua Lake Bigfoot Expo ~ And some thoughts.

The 2013 Chautauqua Lake Bigfoot Expo was success again this year ! 

This year the organizer of the event, Peter Wiemer, added 2 days of activities designed to specifically reach out to witnesses and those that are interested in what we do within the general public. Friday and Saturday the doors of the Local YMCA camp (which was beautiful log cabin style building) were opened up and the people poured in. 

I enjoy the children and their questions more than anything. 

They have such a need for information, and their minds are open to anything, and work like a sponge. They are excited and want to hear all about the animal we call Bigfoot. The kids (no disrespect to the adults out there) are why I enjoy conferences. They will ask you anything and say whatever is on their mind. These kids are the future of this community. 

Which brings me to my next point. 

Bob Gimlin. For a man in his 80's - he has a lot of energy. Bob was available to attendees of all the events, which spanned 3 days. It was great watching him talk to the adults and kids about his experience that day at Bluff Creek. When Bob wasn't speaking he was talking to anyone and everyone that wanted to ask him questions or to just get to know the man. I was amazed at how friendly and available he was. No question was off limits, he simply answered what he could. 

Personally, I was honored to share a stage with Bob. I was also the most junior researcher who spoke at this conference. Let's be honest, I was honored - but scared to death. How do you follow a man like Bob Gimlin? Of course Bob will tell you, "I put my pants on one leg at a time like everyone else." While he is right, he is one of the last of what I think is the greatest era of Bigfoot Researchers, John Green, Bob Titmus, Peter Byrne, Grover Krantz, Rene Dahinden, Bob Gimlin and Roger Patterson. God willing, the names that are still with us, will continue to be with us for a very long time. 

But, let's face it, Bob Gimlin, John Green, and Peter Byrne won't be around forever - and if you have never had a chance to meet or talk to these men - put it at the top of your list of things to do. 

Why do I think it's important? 

Every person has a story to tell. I could sit here for days and type out my thoughts and impressions of Bob Gimlin. But to ask him the questions yourself and hear his responses, see the look on his face and observe his body language is a whole other thing. Watching him interact with others and answering questions will tell you a lot about Bob Gimlin. A friend of mine said recently, "Bob is the salt of the earth." I can't think of a better way to describe him. 

Did I ask him some tough questions? Yes, as a matter of fact I did. His direct answers and his immediate responses without the slightest hint of anger or attitude - only increased my level of respect for this man.

I personally enjoy seeking answers myself. I could simply read various stories on the internet, but I prefer to meet these people myself, hear their stories and make up my own mind. There are those out there who would say, "Meeting Bob Gimlin is not that special." I would say - "Oh really?" Many researchers today say their interest began with the first time they saw the Patterson Gimlin film. I would say that encompasses half the current community. So, it's not important to meet one of the only 2 people who watched Patty walk across that sandbar at Bluff Creek? Why wouldn't anyone want to talk to the person they say produced the information that sparked their interest? Why wouldn't you want to talk to him yourself? If for no other reason than to get your own questions answered and not have to rely on the opinions of others? 

Interesting. 

Conferences are good way to meet the people in the community, share ideas, and yes - socialize. In this community we spend so much time being critical of others, maybe once or twice a year it's okay to not be so critical and just meet people, discuss what we do, and share information. That isn't a bad thing. I often wonder what this community could be like if we all spent more time, listening and asking questions, rather than being critical right out of the gate. How much further along would we be in this search if we spent more time discussing and less time calling each other names? 

In a perfect world I guess. 

Conferences also provide us the opportunity to meet people like Bob Gimlin, John Green, Dr. Meldrum, Kathy Strain and many, many others and get to know them as people. I don't know about you, but I can't afford to fly around the country to meet these people myself. I am not a "trust fund baby". So, I look forward to conferences so I can meet those who have been at this longer and those that are new. 

I even hope I met a future researcher. Maybe in that sea of faces, there is a kid who left the conference after listening to Bob Gimlin, Billy Willard, Larry Battson, Tom Yamarone, Steve Kulls, or myself and said;

"When I grow up, I am going to look for Bigfoot too." 

I don't think that is a bad thing either. 

Opinions will vary of course. 

How I spent my Tuesday Night and some Photo Drama, by Melissa Hovey.. C'mon people.

So, last night was the 2 Hour season premiere of Hell's Kitchen. 

Personally, I love that show. So, due to the fact that both Wayne and I have been hit by a cold of some kind, we decided to walk away from the computer and watch the premiere of the show. 

Just relax and take some down time. Enjoy a good show and hopefully have a miraculous healing from this cold. 

Gordon Ramsey was at his "brutal best". But, I suppose when you are at the top of your game, like he is, you can be as brutal as you like. 

By about 9:45, Wayne was asleep on the couch. So, he decided to call it a night. I then sat down in front of the computer to see what's going on in the wild world of Bigfoot Research, 

And good night Irene people have been busy. 

So - apparently someone copied the photo I released last year - removed the copyright information and attached it to an email and sent it to a Facebook page owned by some gentlemen out of Georgia called the "Sasquatch Research Team: Polk County Georgia". The email stated this photo was captured with a game cam and involved turkeys and corn piles or something.. 

Suffice it to say, I really don't care about the story they used. 

Someone involved with this Georgia Bigfoot Page on Facebook received the email and promptly posted the photo with the story about turkeys and corn piles. 

Apparently they did no fact checking or searching to see if the photo had already been released or if it was being investigated. So, a few of my friends seen this post - and promptly demanded it be removed and even gave them links on that Facebook page directing them to articles from last year. 

They removed the photo and the story. 

This ordeal was over before I even knew what was going on. Good job my friends !! 

I sent a message to the Facebook account last night - asking for their side of the story. I wondered, with all the hoaxing going on lately - if they had been hoaxed. The person behind the account emailed me back and told me the photo was sent to him and as soon as he found out it was owned by someone else - they removed it. 

This person also stated they would be removing their Facebook page. This saddens me. If they received this in an email - they were the victims of a hoax - they did not intend to try and commit a hoax on the community. They should have done some checking around to see if the photo was already out there, yes, but I have the feeling they are new to the "online world of bigfooting".. 

As far as I know the only change to the photo was the removal of the copyright at the bottom of the photo - so the  hoaxer did not even perform the easy task of Photoshop to change something about the photo to make it different. 

So, why anyone thought this was about the location of the photo or the witness I am working with - is beyond me. The bogus information posted on that Facebook page said nothing other than: 

**Breaking News** This photo was turned in to the SRT center lastnight. Photo is from a trail cam located on Paris Mountain area. Cam was placed on a hunters corn pile for turkeys. This is the most clear photo we have received so far. We are very excited over this find. A team will be sent to this area as soon as possible.

So, I have no idea how this - turned into what it did last night. There was no mention of the witness I spoke to - nothing about the original story.

There was a lot of assuming going on and unfortunately many fell for it. 

There was an entirely new story being built by someone who took the photo from the internet with the intent of hoaxing this Georgia Bigfoot page. Others seen the info turn up in their Google alerts - and ran with it - not taking any more time than the Facebook page owners that posted the photo with the bogus story, and adding in their own speculation. I guess hits are more important than facts. 

Research people, research.. It's kinda important. 

As usual the gun was jumped, and people thought they had the next great story... They were wrong. 

Truth so far - this Georgia Facebook page may have been the victim of a hoax. The person I am corresponding with is very polite and while I don't have all the facts right now - if I get any new information I will let everyone know. 

I would like to thank my friends who seen this, and immediately ended it. I would also like to thank the "Sasquatch Research Team: Polk County Georgia", for removing the photo as soon as they did. There are some out there who have not behaved as responsibly as these people did. 

So, the drama is over. The photo has been removed and another attempt to hoax is done. 

Needless to say - I MISSED the last 15 minutes of Hell's Kitchen. So, I have no idea who was booted. 

While I am thinking about it - lets clear up a few other things being said that are absolutely not true about this photo - and have been PROVEN to be false. 

1. This photo is not part of some viral marketing campaign for a movie. I am not in the, "movie industry," I wish I had that kind of money. 

2. This photo (and the subject of the photo) is NOT the costumes from either Clawed or Abominable. I know there are a few holding onto this tightly - but both costume makers have completely denied this is their costume from either movie. If it were - don't you think they would be very upset with me? Yes, they would be. If this was a still from the movie or even a photo taken of the costume from either movie - that would be intellectual property/copyright owned by the Producers and Studio that shot the movie. They would come after me with everything they had. But, I do appreciate the laugh, and it is laughable to think any movie studio would just let me do whatever I want with their property - because it's free advertising. So, thank you, but I really don't think I am that important. 

3. I was not the person who sent this photo to the Georgia Bigfoot page because I wanted more publicity. As I stated above, I was sick - on the couch when it happened - and it was over before I even knew what was going on. Quite frankly, I would prefer people not even talk about this photo unless they have information that could be useful in helping to end the mystery behind it. All this speculation and misinformation helps no one and only confuses people about the actual facts. 

I think intentionally confusing people with misinformation is as bad as hoaxing. 

Why would anyone do that? 

4. The Robert Lindsay rumor of 4 or 5 other photos. Well, that's not true. As I stated before, the witness said there are more photos, but he never gave a number. I read that myself, and laughed. But, what was more surprising is no one questioned me about that - save one or two people. There are no other researchers (that I am aware of) that have more of these photos. If they do - why wouldn't they tell me? Why wouldn't the witness tell me that? Oh, and he denies he has sent any photos to anyone else. 

I have remained silent (for the most part) on this issue (and many others), because if I had to respond to every lie being told about this photo and myself, I would have time for nothing else. I do have a life away from this computer. And if people are not willing to come to those with the actual information - then oh well. Believe what you want. I am always available for questions via this blog and my email. I always have been and always will be. But, I have no intention of giving up my actual life to repeat the same things over and over again. The factual information about this photo is on my blog. If you have a question that is not answered on my blog, then by all means email me. 

Odds of getting the correct information are always in your favor, when you go to the source. Your odds are even better, when the source is willing to talk. I have always been willing to share whatever information I can share. 

5. The mystery behind this photo is still ongoing. I still do not know if it's real or a hoax, as I have said from day 1. But, every time a new lead pops up - it is thoroughly investigated. 

Neither myself, this witness or anyone working with me is interested in the speculation and rumor mill about this photo. We are doing our best to try and solve the mystery behind this photo. If anyone has information - you can contact me via this blog. I am still in communication with this witness - and he strongly denies this is a hoax, but if someone can show me a suit that matches this photo or a costume, bust, or even a miniature - I will be happy to evaluate it with those who are helping me investigate. 

But so far - nothing. 

This photo has been out in the community now since Feb of 2012 - and we have no more information today that points to this photo being a hoax or legitimate as we had on the day it was released. 

That is the truth, like it or not. To be honest, that actually surprises me. 

What's a Long Timer to Do?

What's a Long Timer to Do? 

 

As you may or may not know, this author has had a long time interest in the Bigfoot phenomena. It started as a young lad when I became acquainted with Roger Patterson through my father's friendship with him. Roger, a kind man, became a family friend a good five years before his Bluff Creek filming of a Sasquatch. I believe that five years is a long enough time to get to know a person. I am confident enough in my father's integrity on such matters to trust his judgement as to the character of a person as well as my own. No hoaxing or deception was ever detected. Perhaps I'll write more about Roger later, but for now he is not the focus of this article.


This makes my interest in Bigfoot an on going, over fifty year affair. Over those years there were many visits with Roger at his home, often unannounced, as well at our home. I would hear directly from Roger the latest news in his research, he would show us his latest castings of tracks and tell us where they were found and tell us the circumstances surrounding the event.


As I grew older this interest did not wain. I would read articles and have collected over twenty books on the subject. In 1998 when I bought my first new computer and I was able to get online Bigfoot was at the top of my list of topics to read up on. Back then I spent no little time reading witness reports from all over on as many Bigfoot web sites as I could find. Of course this time was limited by the need to put food on the table and a roof over my head. 

 

Even though there were not many Bigfoot web sites then, it did not take long to weed out the more bogus ones that were obviously in it for reasons other than finding answers. Now there are so many Bigfoot web sites that it is nearly impossible to keep up with them all so for the most part I don't even try, and the range is quite varied, as we all know.

Recently, I attended a presentation by a large, fairly well known group, or representative of that group which is the impetus for this article. The small room was packed full and there was standing room only. I have to give credit to the speaker for being willing to give his presentation and to see that there is now a more open minded approach to the topic than there was in the past. The presentation held the interest of nearly everyone in attendance. A few left early.


My concerns: I was glad to hear the speaker say "There are no Bigfoot experts." I have felt this way for a long time now. We actually know so little about Bigfoot. The usual subject material was presented. Nothing new or groundbreaking for those who have even idly kept up on the subject. I did become concerned about some of the information that was being presented as known facts.


Rather than Sasquatch being presented as a rare, seldom seen creature the presentation left the audience with the impression that they are all around us most of the time. Many events and strange things were being ascribed to Bigfoot without any supporting evidence. Sasquatch were described as being dog friendly depending on the disposition of the dog. A friendly dog that was just being a barking nuisance would be ignored by the Sasquatch, but an aggressive dog would probably be dealt with in an equal or greater aggressive manner. I would have felt more comfortable if this statement had been predicated with "We have some reports that seem to indicate that . . . . ".  I, for one, would not take a dog into an 'active area' thinking that it will be alright because it is a friendly dog.


Another statement that was made, "They will avoid you if they see you carrying a gun or a camera".  My immediate thought was that we have many reports of sightings from hunters, and Sasquatch pretty much avoids us anyway, quite well.  


Yet another statement, "We respect the areas that others are investigating".  I had to chuckle at this. Not only because this organization has a reputation of invading the research areas of others but also because this is a problem in the 'Bigfoot community' as a whole. 

 

Question and Answer time: Many of the usual questions were asked of the speaker, but here are a few that I would have answered differently. 

Q: Will they harm you?

A: They only attack people if they have been attacked. 

In all of my reading and hearing of reports there are a few that talk about unprovoked aggression. Admittedly, they are few and far between, but the reports are there. Again, I would not be putting out the idea that they will not harm you.

Q: Are they animals or people?

A: We don't know, but I call them the forest people.

While Native American folklore agrees with this assesment, and the speaker did point this out, I would have simply left it at the first part of the answer, we simply don't know. 

 

Q: You spoke about one being shot and killed, can you tell us more?

A: A basic run down of the Justin Smedja incident.

There is so much controversy surrounding this incident that I would not have made it a part of a public presentation or even alluded to it.


Q: You've told us that you've seen them, can you tell us about your sightings?

A: The speaker described several of his claimed six sightings.


If I would have had a sighting I would probably be reluctant to mention it in a presentation. If asked if I've had a sighting I would answer honestly and give a description. If I would have had six sightings, some unclear, I probably would not have mentioned that. Six?

Again, I commend the speaker for giving his presentation. I do not intend this article as a put down in any way, just a critique.

 

   

Scientific Discovery

Scientific Discovery

Much has been said about the 'discovery' of our big hairy interest. There is competition among some
who are genuinely interested in seeing this discovery finally come to fruition. Competition is a good
thing, however, as with most everything, there is a dark side to competition. We are seeing the dark
side all over the various blogs, forums, websites and facebook pages and it has proliferated a great
deal over the last few years.

We no longer live in the age of Galileo, but believe it or not there is approximately 30% of the
population that still think that the sun revolves around the earth. I haven't looked up what the
percentage is for those who still think that the earth is flat, but they are also out there.

Bringing things into the modern era it is easy to find that there is good evidence that the earth does
not revolve around the sun, at least not the way we were taught. Here is a reference,
seeing it illustrated makes more sense than trying to explain it. Link 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6jBK1ZV-qs
And if you would like to see more you can simply go to ted.com and watch a few videos on new and
breaking ideas and discoveries.

You gotta ask yourself, are any of these people concerned about their ideas or discoveries being
stolen? Are they more excited about sharing their ideas with others and less concerned about making
a ton of money? Are they willing to answer any questions about their work? If there are any proprietary
rights to what they have discovered or have been working on haven't they already taken care of that
before releasing their information or making any presentations? They no longer have to worry about
these things because they have already taken care of these things. 

Science doesn't work in a vacuum. When someone tries harder to control their information or discovery than to share it with others it sends up a big red flag for me.

So what does it take to become a published scientist? Here is a good article that goes into that
discussion. It is more than just a new discovery and good science to support that discovery. Link
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2007_04_06/caredit.a0700045

I keep hearing the same things repeated over and over and I think that they should be painfully obvious by now. "A picture will not be good enough." Or how about this one, "It will take a body to prove the existence of Bigfoot." I have known for a long time now that a picture, not even a movie will be good enough for science. I'm not so sure about requiring a body though. Some of the more respected scientists who are interested in Bigfoot have said that good documentation combined with good DNA evidence could do it, even though it would be the first time it has been known to be done.

We are faced with a unique scenario in many ways. We have a creature that is very elusive yet at the
same time We have countless eye witnesses who have seen this creature. We have some DNA evidence but without crystal clear documentation of how, when and where that evidence was collected it remains 'unidentifiable'.

Would a blood sample being collected with several good eye witnesses provide the DNA
evidence needed and therefore proof of Bigfoot's existence be sufficient? And what if it were all
recorded on video? Of course the nay sayers will still say that it would not be enough, but it is not
the nay sayers that I'm concerned with. Remember that 30% who still believe that the sun revolves around the earth? At some point it will take more 'belief' to maintain that Bigfoot does not exist if we are not there already.

What is a; “Bigfoot Researcher”?

What is a; “Bigfoot Researcher”?

You know, that’s a darn good question.

I am going to go out on a limb here and tell you what I think. 

If you are new to the world of “Bigfoot Research” because you watched a television show on it, and decided to jump on the internet to check things out, one might think it’s a bunch of angry people across the country that spend all their free time trashing the names of other researchers and groups.

Just look at the blogs these days and the websites. 

If I were an interested person today, looking for information on the internet, I would probably walk away from this field of research all together.

So, what is a, “Bigfoot Researcher”?

Well, there are many of us who do field work. What is field work? Well, we get into the woods and investigate areas with alleged sightings and conduct onsite investigations, to include; casting tracks and collecting any “evidence” of activity. Just like on the various television shows. We take witness reports and try to either prove or disprove the experiences of witnesses. 

But, let's not discount the researcher who can not get into the woods to look, for various reasons, but provides a level of information and support to the various field researchers out there. These people keep track of everything relevant to the actual field of research in the past years. 

Unlike what you see on Television, some of these onsite investigations can last for months, some even years.  We check out the area during the day and set up equipment. We head out into the woods at night. We “Call blast,” and/or “Wood Knock,” lets also not forget the human recreations of a Bigfoot howl or scream - made famous now by Bobo. But, sometimes, we just sit and listen. These are just some of the things we do. On some nights we get activity – sometimes we don’t.  

That’s just the way it goes.

When not in the field some look into new types of equipment to use in the field. Why? It never seems to fail, something happens in the field and you will find yourself saying, "Man, I wish I had this or that, I might have been able to record or preserve that." Some of us call that the "Bigfoot curse". Not having the right equipment at the right time... Or equipment that fails at the worst possible moment. Especially batteries - the cold is not a friend to your batteries. 

Sometimes new equipment pays off – sometimes it doesn't.  

But, you never know until you try.

As a “Bigfoot Researcher,” I also feel I have a responsibility to those that are new to this community. So, when I am approached by someone who is new, who is looking for advice or some direction, I offer what I can. If I don’t have an answer or a direction, I point them to someone who might be able to help. We want to move forward right? Being new in this community is not always an easy thing – let’s face it.

I do think there are some who would rather the new researchers fall on their face. They would rather people like myself (and others) not help them with information from the past. How could that be? Well, there are some in this who enjoy pointing out a comment by someone new to the community - which is easily refuted. Which then makes the new person the butt of jokes for days sometimes weeks - or even longer depending on the level of the mistake. Sad, but true. 

At one time we were all new to this community, i.e. newbies.

Moving on... 

We have conferences. Conferences I see as two fold. They get our message out to the general public who may have had a sighting or are simply interested in what we do. They also provide other Bigfoot Researchers (new and old) the chance to discuss the issues face to face.

Conferences can be a double edged sword, however. The general public shows up to a conference and hears a person speak about their field work, work that has sometimes been done over the course of many years, and then they go into the woods expecting to hear or see something the first night… Talk about getting your hopes up, to have them quickly dashed.

But, I do know of one person who heard a “Bigfoot Researcher speak,” he went out with a friend, and had a sighting… Talk about luck. But of course, he was hooked, from that moment on and rightly so.

The second part to conferences, in my opinion, is the networking, that happens between researchers.

I see nothing wrong with that. If I only had the option of speaking to other researchers via the internet, I am not sure I would hang around this community for long. You have the opportunity to sit down, face to face with a real person and not an internet persona, and have a conversation about this research and new ideas.

Conferences are also about having a little fun. How often do we do that? I give high marks to anyone who can put a little fun in their life. Why?

Life is short. Enjoy what you do, and the people in your life.

So, what do I think the definition of a “Bigfoot Researcher,” is? I think it’s someone who enjoys the great outdoors, who can appreciate the lack of traffic, crowds, smog and loves a great campfire. Someone who cares about people and a difficulty they are facing, and willing to help them out. I also think a Bigfoot Researcher is someone who enjoys life as much as nature. We are people who can have a good time with a good laugh, a good joke, or just be part of a crowd and appreciate the experience for what it is.

But, when there is to work to be done, the work gets done.

We are “Bigfoot Researchers,” but at the end of the day, we are people first. Let’s not ever forget that.

If someone tells you, you are doing it wrong, remind them;

They are still looking too. 

Chautauqua Lake Bigfoot Expo coming back for a second year !!!

Coming in April of 2013. 

The Bigfoot Expo in Chautauqua Lake New York is coming back for a second year !! 

Last years conference was a success for organizer Peter Weimer and those in attendance. 

So he has brought it back for a second year!!

You can find information on the conference and the speakers by clicking the link below. 

Also, the Chautauqua Inn and Suites received rave reviews by those who stayed at the hotel. So, check out rates for that weekend - you won't be disappointed. If you would rather stay in a cabin, check out Wewanchu cottages. The cabins sit right on beautiful Chautauqua Lake - you can even rent a boat. You can sit around the bonfire at night and talk with friends or share your stories about bigfoot. 

So much to do and see around the city of Chautauqua, and a weekend of Bigfoot. What more could you ask for !!

As more information develops I will post updates or you can watch the website for further announcements. Either way - it will be another great year!!

See you there!

http://www.chautauqualakebigfoot.com/

Friend or Foe? The new question in Bigfoot Research

Here we are at the end of another hoax…

When one of these things end I am always asked one question, “how do you deal with these things? How do you keep pushing forward?”

The answer to that is very simple. Well at least for me. Once a hoaxer has been exposed, I usually devote a few days to going through the hoax, from start to finish. I de-construct the hoax and see what I come up with.

Life is a series of learning experiences.

Or at least that’s how I approach everything. But, if I don’t take the time to go back, I may miss the lesson.

With the Ed Smith fiasco I think there is a very important lesson – we may be missing.

This article is in no way a defense of DW Lee – he does not need me to defend him or make excuses for what happened - he is a grown man who is perfectly capable of defending himself. But, he is easy to blame.

The only person I can blame for this is Ed Smith. Why do I say that?

How all this happened could happen to anyone of us at any time.

Think I am wrong? Keep reading. 

Everyone I know has asked me, “Why did Ed Smith choose the MABRC for his hoax?” Even before the hoax came about, most asked, "why would Ed Smith choose the MABRC as the group to take his information to?"

Those are good questions.

Not because the MABRC or any other group is unworthy but why did Ed choose that particular group? Especially when he said he already had a group, the Original-6. I did not have an answer other than, “I don’t know.” But, those two questions never left my mind.

Answer.

Did you know Ed Smith is part of the Ghost/Paranormal Community? Did you know DW Lee was a part of the same community before becoming a Bigfoot researcher? Ed Smith probably already knew who DW Lee was in the Ghost/Paranormal community.

Ed Smith did something I have not seen in prior hoaxes before. Ed Smith befriended DW Lee and Randy Harrington first. Ed most likely heard DW Lee’s name within the Ghost/Paranormal community. DW’s interest in both mysteries is not a secret. The Ghost/Paranormal community being the obvious connection to DW and the MABRC for Ed Smith.

Kind of creepy if the truth is told.

But I will say this, Ed Smith had to befriend Randy Harrington too. Why? Because DW is friends with Randy and counts on his opinion.

For those of you who do not know Randy Harrington (Driver Operator/DO) he is suspicious of everyone. For Ed Smith to get Randy to believe him took some doing. DW is suspicious, but his good nature is obvious for everyone to see. Randy was the one that had to be fooled. This was a conscious decision on the part of Ed Smith. There is no doubt in my mind that Ed recognized and targeted Randy as the person between him and his ultimate hoax.

This is not a slam on Randy nor DW, it is acknowledging the fact that Randy is pure no BS. Randy has no problem looking anyone in the face and calling them out. So, Ed Smith really had to lay on the charm and the information to convince Randy of anything. DW will also call BS – but he is not an in your face kind of person.

This is also an acknowledgement of how far Ed Smith was willing to go - to pull off this hoax. Which required a lot of information and documents to prove to Randy and then DW that Ed was legit.

That is a lot of work. Just look at the things Ed Smith posted on the MABRC.

How do we guard against someone like this?

Someone who will take the time necessary to first build a friendship? Who wants to call their friend a hoaxer without proof? I don’t care who you are – saying your friend is responsible for a hoax is not as easy as we might think. Think about your field partner right now – the person you go into the woods with and you “know” has your back.

Could you call that person a hoaxer? It sounds good on paper – but think about it.

Yes, we would have to, if it ever came to that. But, it’s not something we would want to do and we would demand proof before doing so – and rock solid proof.

Ed Smith took 4 years to lay the ground work, based on friendship, before he decided to let loose his golden egg, which lasted approximately 2 weeks. That has to be some sort of record; meaning the buildup lasted longer than the hoax itself.

Let’s think about this for a minute.

4 years (minimum) to lay the foundation for a friendship – knowing the whole time you intended to use that friendship to hurt the very person you were calling “friend”.

What kind of person does that?

Regardless of the topic – no one deserves to be treated that way. So, do we as Bigfoot Researchers, need to use extra caution when being approached by people who are friendly? Must we all become paranoid that a person who is friendly has ulterior motives?

I hope Ed Smith is a rarity but I know he is not.

Folks, this could happen to any one of us. I would never want to call someone I am friends with a hoaxer. I would need absolute undeniable proof. If I did not feel that way – the word friend – wouldn't mean much to me.

Hoaxing will always be an issue. How we deal with it is something totally different.

We can both stick together, and bust these hoaxes – or we can divide and blame each other for not being able to spot a hoaxer upon arrival.

This is Bigfoot Research, not Psychic Research of Bigfoot.

Yelling hoax is easy. The hard part is figuring out the how and why. Those are two questions I always want to know – so I can better spot the next hoax in the future - hopefully.

Don’t think there won’t be more like Ed Smith now. He laid the groundwork for future hoaxers.

A bar to reach if you will.

What Ed Smith did should be taken as a warning to every researcher in this community. The level to which these people are willing to go to, no longer has a ceiling. And I am willing to bet there are more
out there just like Ed, looking to do it bigger and better.

Hoaxing is also a game of “one ups man ship”. Count on it.

I would be lying if I said this did not bother me at all or at the minimum make me concerned. It does.

I will put the blame where it belongs – squarely on Ed Smith. He deserves the shame for this, and has been everywhere he can be, to gloat about hoaxing the MABRC for 4 ½ years.

But, said nothing about the manipulation of those he befriended to get what he wanted. What did he want?

Attention.