He can then write for profit and believe what he wants without worry or justification, and for mindless entertainment and the tug of quasi-mysticism.

I don’t dispute there are tracks. I don’t dispute there are photos. I don’t disupte tree-knocking or weird screams in the woods. I don’t even dispute the so-called “Bigfoot Teepees.” I’ve found a few of the latter (with local paranormal researcher Lance Oliver in the woods at Lake Ray Roberts, Texas – not too far from Dallas – in 2008, where Bigfoot had been seen). But I find it very puzzling, however, that on each and every occasion when we find the above things, it never translates into a body or a captured living entity – ever.

Each week millions and millions of people enter buy Lottery tickets. Most of those millions never, ever win. But, most weeks, one person out of those tens of millions will win. Don’t you find it incredible that (as history has demonstrated) you actually have a better chance of being the sole number one winner of the Lottery than being able to provide a corpse of Bigfoot? That is, without doubt, incredible. But, thus far, it’s true.

Most weeks, someone – somewhere – wins a Lottery. Every week, no-one – anywhere – catches a Bigfoot.

You say: “I think one being shot dead or run over by a vehicle IS possible; but in my opinion it’s long odds.”

Why is it long odds? There are numerous, NUMEROUS!, reports of Bigfoot seen racing across the road! It should get hit at least once.

You say:

“I think one being shot dead or run over by a vehicle IS possible; but in my opinion it’s long odds. But who’s to say it hasn’t happened already with people involved? “What shall we do with the body?” they might say, (if they stuck around!) ….and it may all depend on what kind of people were involved and what emotions prevailed. A decision would be taken from a choice of options, and as I’ve said, not all ‘happenings’ or events filter through to the public domain.”

I don’t disagree with this premise. But for your premise to work, it requires such actions (or non-actions) on the parties involved to follow your premise on every single occasion in the history of Bigfoot investigations. Are you really saying that if Bigfoot bodies HAVE been found that on every single occasion (ever) something happened, or intervened, to prevent the body reaching the world at large and demonstrating its reality? Every single time?

That’s, again, my issue with Bigfoot: I don’t mind if most Bigfoot corpses never turn up to prove the existence of the beast, once and for all. But, I do have a problem with just one corpse NEVER turning up to prove its existence. And that, really, is my main crux in this entire debate: the lack of a corpse or a living speciment of a creature that is immensely big and tall and striding around forests (in some cases) in close proximity to huge, major US cities.

Yes, I believe in the law of averages too. And in my view, the law of averages suggests with all the attempts to look for Bigfoot, find it, film it, shoot it, track it to its lair etc we should have had success – even if on only one occasion. Bring me a body and I’ll happily change my entire stance – forever. Unfortunately, the reality is that every attempt to secure a body has always ended in failure, or the bullets miss or only cause a flesh wound, or the corpse gets buried and can’t be found, or (for the conspiracy-minded) “the goverment gets there first,” or even if its hit by a car it still manages to hobble away and escape, or…well…or. I could go on and on with my “or’s”. But I won’t.

The debate over what Bigfoot is or is not (like it or not) will only be solved when Cryptozoology, or the world’s scientific community, has a body or a living specimen to examine. That we don’t, and that it remains an enigma, is why there are forums like this one – people are forced to debate because this theoy or that theory cannot be proven without the one thing everyone wants: a Bigfoot, alive or dead.

And if we get a body (or preferably a living one that could be released back into its environment), the debate is over. If we continue as things have continued throughout Bigfoot research – namely never a body – Bigfoot will continue to languish in a realm of mystery, controversy and debate, with as many theories as there are for what crashed at Roswell, or the real identity of Jack the Ripper.

Current scientific evidence = proof of flesh & blood existance of a yet uncatalogued species of bipedal primate(s).

ICHNOTAXONOMY OF GIANT HOMINID TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA
Lets have your specific comments on the above!!!

I think in your mind you have condensed the vast areas of wilderness down into a small ’shooting gallery’ like some sort of simplistic arcade game without considering any of the variables involved, in doing so you’ve also reduced the odds of a kill to further suit your argument. Besides, hunters aren’t trigger happy maniacs; lets consider perhaps their psychological inability to pull the trigger when it’s clearly a humanoid figure in the rifle sights. Maybe it’s as good as having the safety catch on! Otherwise the hunter might feel he was about to commit a regrettable act, on a par with murder.

I think one being shot dead or run over by a vehicle IS possible; but in my opinion it’s long odds. But who’s to say it hasn’t happened already with people involved? “What shall we do with the body?” they might say, (if they stuck around!) ….and it may all depend on what kind of people were involved and what emotions prevailed. A decision would be taken from a choice of options, and as I’ve said, not all ‘happenings’ or events filter through to the public domain.

You only have to listen to the news on the TV or radio to realise we live in a world of ‘cover ups’ people desperate (on numerous kinds of issues or activities) not wanting things to come to light, to avoid either prosecution, persecution, ridicule, or through being introverted or shy, not wanting to be in the public spotlight at all.

Lots of people do not naturally gravitate towards the ‘bright lights’ of publicity, nor have any wish to. Nor to turn their personal experiences into cash.

I don’t know what the true odds are for ‘finding a body‘, but I do believe in the law of averages. So maybe one day the truth of the matter will be revealed either by a corpse discovered, or more likely an excellent photograph of repute, or a defining film or video …just like in 67.

No I don’t go hunting. But I do go targeting shooting. I enjoy blasting things into oblivion. I fully agree with what you say about whether this or gun or that gun could have an effect on Bigfoot. And I know there are reports of Bigfoot being killed, but we never get to see the corpse. We just get to here the story that there WAS a corpse. But, I come back to what I have said before: Bears get shot – and often they dont die from getting shot. But sometimes they do die from getting shot. Why does Bigfoot NEVER die from getting shot?

Re your points:

1. “Exasperation” is far, far too strong a term to use re my issue with the lack of a body! I find the lack of any body (ever, aside from people who claim to have see bodies, but that never ever appear) intriguing and interesting. Being exasperated by the lack of a body would imply some near-emotion driven obsession with Bigfoot. Bigfoot interests me because it’s a puzzle that does not seem to operate like a regular animal. But, I leave exasperation for things like bills, when my car breaks down, you know: general stuff. No-one should be getting overly emotional about Bigfoot as it will cloud judgment.

2. When you ask about why don’t I look at the available science, I do. It’s not like my bookshelves only contain books by the likes of Keel etc who looked at issues like Tulpas. I’m aware of the scientific findings. But I’m equally aware that no matter how much science goes into this, we only ever get so far. People may disagree with me, but in my opinion (and an opinion is all it can be) we should have in our possesion at least one body (not just testimony of people who said they saw, found bodies, shot and killed Bigfoot etc). Really, that’s my main crux: animals do die in the woods and are sometimes found. Animals do make mistakes, or unanticipated things happen. Bigfoot seems to skilfully ensure that despite some intriguing scientific findings (I don’t dispute that), we never ever get past that hurdle of getting the undeniable proof: a body. So, that’s why, as well as following the scientific aspects of Bigfoot research, I also follow more esoteric aspects too.

3. You say: “I’ve raised one or two points, leading you into areas of science; but those you’ve left well alone with no detailed counter argument to disprove the positive; they are like doors you do not wish to enter; they represent potential persuasive arguments based on science that you fear perhaps you will be unable to refute.”

I can’t disprove it that’s why. I can only offer my thoughts as to why the whole issue of a lack of a Bigfoot body is illogical. I fear I’ll be unable to refute whay you say? Dude: this is Bigfoot research. We’re not curing cancer or preventing the outbreak of WWIII! I am interested in the Bigfoot phenomenon. But fearing I won’t be able to refute something about Bigfoot is laughable. Bigfoot is an interest of mine. It’s not like my life depends on worrying about if I can refute or support someone else’s theories about a subject that attracts a minority! Bigfoot interests me. It doesn’t obsess me or keep me awake at night, and I certainly have no need to worry about fearing this or fearing that about Bigfoot!

Could a Tulpa smell? Maybe! Is it testable? Nope, not at all. That’s why it’s a theory to me. But to whole swathes of Bigfooters, the flesh-and-blood angle is not a theory. It’s an already-decided-upon fact.

Many people do NOT bring a bear down with a single shot, and when they do bring down a bear it isn’t from ‘ghah! what is that, shoot it’. As I mentioned earlier and I noticed you overlooked; it goes against human nature to kill one of your own. We are a social species and MOST of us tolerate our fellow humans and don’t shoot willy nilly at anything that even vaguely resembles a human. Personally I would NEVER go into the woods with a hunter that was trigger happy. I would rather miss the shot and the venison steaks than accidentally shoot another person.

Also, as many police and self-defense instructors (and even JJ Bittenbender) will tell you, the chance of someone shooting you as you are moving is pretty slim, chance of them hitting you in a vital area while you are running is ALMOST zero. So unless a particularly accurate, trigger happy hunter is roaming the woods at night with his rifle at the ready, safety off and has no issues what so ever at shooting at anything that might move, no I don’t honestly think we will ever get a body.

As for the coyote roaming into town and how they don’t always get away.

1) consider what I said about shooting at anything that looks human.
2) How many people living in the city are armed and ready to shoot at a moment’s notice (Granted you live in Texas so the number is probably higher than most). I am assuming that animal control was called out to handle the situation; it was done in a limited area and that traps and poison were also used.

I know that the firearms would be one of the last resorts because you can never guarantee where the bullet will end up if, by chance, it misses its mark. One of the first things you are (or should be) taught when you go hunting is to make sure there is something behind the target to catch the bullet should you miss. We had a horrible situation here a few years ago where a hunter forgot this basic rule, his bullet missed, went several hundred feet and hit a pregnant woman in the head as she was getting out of her car in her parent’s driveway.

You have used some of my supposition as a springboard for your own supposition borne out of your ’no body’ exasperation!

I would never want to get bogged down in a discussion based purely on supposition, that’s a fruitless road to exhaustion. …and I need to conserve my energy!

Why don’t you look at the science available for the ‘physical existence’ of sasquatch/bigfoot, and try to evaluate or debunk it in a rational fashion; specifically point by point?

I’ve raised one or two points, leading you into areas of science; but those you’ve left well alone with no detailed counter argument to disprove the positive; they are like doors you do not wish to enter; they represent potential persuasive arguments based on science that you fear perhaps you will be unable to refute.

As a starter why not try Dr. Meldrums 2007 ground breaker: ICHNOTAXONOMY OF GIANT HOMINID TRACKS IN NORTH AMERICA?

Flying in the face of actual physical scientific evidence collected (which you are seemingly oblivious to) ; it’s tenuous indeed to use your ‘no body’ argument as the pivotal and decisive factor in suggesting the physicality of sasquatch/bigfoot is unlikely.

Often ‘hard boiled’ sceptics with the self assuredness their ‘selective vision’ creates, choose not to evaluate any accrued, bona fide scientific data; like all sceptics ‘talk is so very cheap’ and can flow very easily in a negative vein, it’s so very easy to give negatives in a casual fashion as a reply to anything!

Merrily Merrily the sceptic paints with his broad brush, a bristly slap in the face to every genuine witness and scientist that has borne testimony to the physical presence of bigfoot out in the field.

As an intriguing aside: …..Bigfoot/Sasquatch is smelled as much as seen, indeed smelled before seen! ….A legendary stinker; he‘s gotten up so many peoples noses (this is the real terror!!!) So my question is: according to your views do Tulpas or projected figments of the imagination (spectral bigfoot if you like) smell? …not unlike some sort of a smelly hologram? How do you reconcile this much recorded aspect of bigfoot encounters with the ‘non-physical entity’ explanation such as you put forward?

So, we never find a Bigfoot body because they live in swamps and deep forests? Bears live in forests and we find them. Alligators live in swamps and we find them.

As for bullets, we always only ever manage to give it flesh wounds? People give bears flesh wounds, but they also kill bears. Why with Bigfoot, is it always just flesh wounds and never, ever a fatal shot?

With not a single successful attempt to shoot and kill Bigfoot, and with not a single body found to confirm its existence (in the very locales where we routinely find other large animals) this beast has to be the luckiest critter around. With luck like that, it should be buying a lottery ticket.

You say of my views on Tulpas: “In his mind that is the undisputed truth.”

Huh????

Go back and read my original article. I actually said of the Tulpa theory that, it’s a “theory” (yes, I used the word “theory” not “fact” or “truth.”) for which, quote, “I have a great deal of time.”

Having a great deal of time for a theory is very different from (as you put the words in my mouth), accepting it as “the undisputed truth.”

I struggle with the flesh and blood angle because of the total lack of even one corpse throughout the entirety of Bifoot research and recorded history. But, if a body turns up tomorrow, I fully accept this will totally negate the Tulpa theory.

How can we accept anything about Bigfoot as being the undisputed truth when we don’t have one to study? We can’t. Which is why I’m very careful to use words like “theory.”

That’s very different to you incorrectly saying: “In his mind that is the undisputed truth.”