It may be a long time before we know the truth about Justin and for the record Dr. Ketchum did turn down my request for a clarification. She won’t say a word and we were polite and firm. I didn’t really expect she would but it was worth the effort.

All I can suggest is go up to the area and see for yourself. It’s not hard to reach and the maps available are accurate and good.

My best

Until then airforce47 you might be better advised to wear a rainbow coloured suit when you do your trips back to the Sierras such that you can’t be mistaken for a…bear?

I am, based on evidence, a long term bigfoot believer just waiting for more illumination and information and revelations on the subject. I am optimistic about Dr. Ketchum’s findings but at this point accept there will be much trouble with peer review because of the history and nature of the subject and a failure of the majority of scientists to come to grips with it while hiding behind their sceptical laurels. They should accept bigfoot is different!!

“Possible, not probable”. I think you said it very well. I don’t mean any disrespect. I’m on this site because I’m obviously interested. I just have doubts about this episode. And I’m an avid hunter. Nobody…repeat; NOBODY who considers himself a true hunter shoots at something out of reflex. The idea is completely abhorant to anyone who respects the sport and the game he pursues. The last thing any true hunter does, when confronted with the unknown, is raise his rifle and fire a shot.

Here’s perhaps the best close encounter and survival that I know of and it may be the best of all time. I personally know the encounteree as do several other researchers. He’s honest and credible and we did some research together before medical complications forced him to retire from research.

You’re entitled to believe it or not but it did happen just the same. So far Justin’s account of his encounter doesn’t stand up to rigorous investigation. It tends to lend itself to the hoax theory but until Dr. Ketchum can confirm this by her stated rejection of his sample we will not know for sure.

My best and go out and see if you get some photos of Squatchy.

“Four times” you have been “close” to the species? You see, it’s comments like yours that prove my point, no one has ever seen a Bigfoot.

You expect anyone to believe you have been “close” to the most incredible unknown animal ever, and you do not even have a cell phone picture to prove it?

Everyone of the people at all the Bigfoot eyewitness meeting is either lying or misidentified an animal…and in my opinion, you fall in that group.

Justin Smeja didn’t kill any Bigfoot and you didn’t see, or come “close’ to any Bigfoot. You know how I know? Both of you CANNOT PROVE ANYTHING!

When you get “close” for the 5th time Airforce, call some one who won’t be “intimidated” and will get some PROOF!

Till then, delusion or out right lie, you didn’t see anything…in my opinion.

One great thing about this forum is that everybody is entitled to an opinion and the right to state it. However, I neither accept Justin’s encounter as fact yet nor am I yet ready to categorically state that it’s a hoax.

In war I’ve seen situations such as what Justin supposedly reported actually happen. Each situation had a different outcome based upon the circumstances of the situation.

Dr. Melba Ketchum is probably the only other one who might really know the truth besides the two present when Justin’s encounter happened. She has the sample as part of her scientific paper which was just recently rejected for publication. She has very clearly said she will not release any of her findings or conclusions until her paper is published.

However, she has a scientific reputation to protect and a business to run. If Justin Smeja was playing us for fools and orchestrating a hoax then she would have rejected his sample and kept him out of her work in self defense.

I’ve asked her in a recent email to clarify this one point and it’s more for my own security and those of my fellow researchers than for this on-going controversy.

If Justin Smeja is involved in a hoax then he may very well have gotten his information off my website. However, if his encounter is real and he did shoot two Sasquatch to death then the possible consequences for myself and my fellow researchers could be severe.

The species might take getting shot with extreme anger and much greater intimidation. We enter and leave this area pretty much unmolested. We do get an occasional rock or tree break but for the most part we move around the area as we wish. There are things we don’t do which might intimidate the species and we’ve published those.

If Justin’s encounter is real then we may expect some strong behavioral changes and we’ll report them if they happen. In the meantime the question of the veracity of his encounter is still open in my mind. It’s possible but not probable unless other evidence is forthcoming. My best,

If you go to our website, you’ll understand my comments. Four times I’ve been close to the Sasquatch species and four times we’ve been intimidated for various reasons into leaving the area.

There is in my mind no doubt the species exists and may very well have some connection to UFOs as Stan Gordon believes and maintains.

Since the species is unknown we don’t have any specific ideas about how well they can transmit or verbally record events that happen to them in a given area among themselves.

If Justin Smeja has actually shot and killed 2 Sasquatch and this information gets transferred through the Sasquatch species anyone entering this mountainous area could easily be in extreme danger.

I do know from personal observations the species is intelligent and their intelligence is geared to survival. I have personal experience that this intelligence may be a great deal more but this will have to wait. We must have a specimen for a forensic pathologist to dissect and we must have firm observations from zoologists of the species before we can draw conclusions.

The species is capable causing a great deal of harm to humans and may have done so in the past or present. As a general rule they prefer to stay away from us and keep us at bay. It seems they will tolerate us in their vicinity in limited number if you follow certain protocols to avoid intimidating or interfering with their normal functions. These are outlined on my Eastern Sierra Webpage.

I hope this answers your questions. My best