I’ve read this page off and on over the last few years to see any new comments. And thought this time I’d add a few of my own.

For those of you that don’t think hand guns can be used in any legal hunts in Iowa. Maybe you should pick up a copy or read via the IDNR website the current hunting regulations for the state of Iowa Hand guns are currently legal in the taking of deer.

Unfortunately there are some people that think it is ok to shoot these beings, god help you if you shoot one with others around.

I suppose unless your not out traveling, camping, hiking, hunting, or even boating our rivers and lakes you don’t realize how much wilderness area this state has.

How much land does a single or family unit of Sasquatch need to survive?

Currently there is 43,917 acres of state forests, 171,054 plus acres of county parks. Not all but a lot of this land is adjoining lakes, rivers and streams not included is the total acreage in State Parks, or private lands adjacent to the waterways of Iowa.

In 2008 13.2 million acres of corn was planted in this state. From mid to late July a lot of it is already 8 feet or higher. It would make great cover for not only habitat but also traveling.

As for the noises and name, there were rumors and stories from other people who would hear something calling in that area, and that it sounded like a bird but not a bird, or something like that.

And talking with my mother who is also from this area, she told me that around the early to mid 70’s there were multiple sightings of some large hairy thing walking on two legs seen on a Sand Road which is the south side of Iowa City (Dinglebarry Quarry is past the north side of Iowa City). She said there was at least one account of it crossing the Sand Road in front of passerbys.

I will try to figure out some way to ask questions and see if I can get any first hand accounts. Got any advice on that from Loren or anyone?

The police and military are currently using quite a wide variety of non-lethal weapons these days. My personal favorite that I saw on the show Futureweapons is the “12 gauge Shotgun Stun Gun“. It employs a 12 gauge shotgun and then they took the principles behind the “slug” and actually made a “stun slug” or so to speak. It is really wicked too, they tested it on some really huge, like special forces military guys weighing close to 300 lbs and he dropped like a sack of potatoes. But the round in flight is amazing as well. It flies almost like an arrow, or more like a missile, and it is very accurate, and because of the amount of powder that you can fit into a 12 gauge, it is effective at much farther ranges than what previous models of stun guns have been capable of.

I would think that could stun a Bigfoot.

But as for serious discussion, that’s a good question. I guess it somewhat depends on what camp/category you fall into regarding Bigfoot: Pongid, Hominid, Paranormal, or Psychic? As far as paranormal or psychic Bigfoot, he might not be subject to the same physical laws as we are, so guns are possibly ineffective.

But I fall in the pongid/hominid camp, and I think that any large caliber handgun (9mm, .40 cal, .45 cal, 44 mag, .357 mag) would do the job if the shot was well placed and at a close enough range. And certainly any large bore hunting rifle would do the trick as well. The largest game I have killed is deer, and I hunt with a .270, and my 9yr old son shoots a .243 single shot youth model. I have had shots on deer that dropped them immediately, very well-placed shots, and then I have had shots on deer that weren’t perfect but seemed to be in the vitals area, and the deer was never found. I have even followed blood trails full of bubbles (so I know it was hit in the lungs) and still didn’t find the deer.

I’ve heard a police officer talk about shooting an average sized man in the chest with a 9mm and the person kept coming at him, and having to unload the clip in the man’s chest before he finally dropped just a few feet away from him with a knife in his hand. I can’t verify the story of course, but I was inclined to believe the person at the time. So if an average size man in an altered mental state can accomplish that, who knows what kind of punishment a creature as big, muscular, animalistic as a Bigfoot could take, and possibly live through. Depending on muscle mass and bone density/thickness, who knows for sure if a handgun could actually even do the trick. However based on all the size reports, I can’t imagine Bigfoot taking an accurate hit with a hunting rifle and surviving.

And it should be noted that I do not condone the shooting of Bigfoot, lol, seriously though.

I hunted this area and the Solon area extensively as a teen, and as I have said, there aren’t the huge forests, but definitely there are plenty of wild areas to hole up in during the daylight hours, and plenty of fields and non-urban areas to pass through even during daylight hours and avoid detection…except for maybe the 40 or so listed on the BFRO site. AND I am willing to bet there are plenty of more sightings that no one has ever bothered to report–my brother had a 3 am encounter with something that ran across in front of his semi down around the Fairfield area just a few years back. And he never reported it…don’t think he knew where to if he wanted to at the time. But it shook him up.

But I do agree that at 45 feet, you would have to be well-practiced with a handgun and have nerves of steel to pop 3 rounds into a Bigfoot. I do also wonder if the guy thought he was about to be attacked, obviously he felt in some danger and that would affect one’s aim.

I remember a documentary on Bigfoot that I watched. I’m not sure if i was on MQ or not, but this Bigfoot “hunter” had several reports of a Bigfoot frequenting dumpsters behind a strip mall that sat adjacent to a forest. He set a trap and staked it out. He baited one of the dumpsters and then hid and sat waiting on the other side of another dumpster. He had dozed off, lol, then he awoke to some noises. When he rose he saw the Bigfoot at the baited dumpster and it looked right at him. He was quite scared and drew his handgun (9mm – .45 cal range) and fired several shots (he was maybe 10 yards away, tops, so 30′). Anyway, when the creature fled he went to check for a blood trail, but there was none to be found. I don’t know how competent this guy was with his handgun, makes you wonder if he was a bad shot or simply too scared to think straight. When I first started hunting I missed the first few deer I came across, due to what my uncle calls “Buck Fever”, that is when you get over-excited and your nerves get the best of you. I know for a fact that does happen, there was nothing wrong with the rifle, it was the shooter that was the problem, lol. A little later though, after I understood that being calm would help me bag my first deer, I was more successful.

Also, having had to train for using weapons in my job, Oz is right about it being a lot easier to miss than to hit if you are not in training with the weapon(s) you are using. And you need to be at least calm enough/rational enough to use your training to take the shot(s) the correct way. Or you WILL miss.

And you better know what you are shooting at, and WHY.