Comments on: Save the Skunk Ape

By: JustinC

JustinC — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 04:28:16 +0000

In 1995 a friend and I who enjoy hiking and extreme camping wanted to walk through the biggest open space in our native Florida. It turns out that the furthest distance between two roads in the state is in Big Cypress. We found a small airstrip on a USGS map, and had an ex-military friend who is a pilot fly us in. We couldn’t find the strip on the map, but we found another, and landed. The walk took us about 7 1/2 days to complete. We walked every day till sundown, and slept in hammocks at night. Incredible country out there. It is vast to the point of making you feel insignificant. We got out in 7 days of straight walking by compass bearing, deviating by no more than 20 degrees, and only to the west. This trick keeps you from drifting. If you just wandered it could take weeks to exit the park to a road. The point of all this? I think there is plenty of space for stuff to hide. I walked for seven days and did not see a single Alligator. There are, I venture to say, thousands there, yet we saw none. Humans are loud and smelly, even if you attempt to be low impact like my friend and I with no tents or fires. Animals hear us coming. Imagine now trying to spot a critter that numbers maybe five or ten, maybe less. From my experience in swamps, I’d say good luck unless you had a gabillion dollars of National Geo game cameras everywhere. I don’t know if that fella above is nuts or not, but whole airliners have been lost around the glades. Be real easy to lose a smelly monkey. Just my two cents.

By: mystery_man

mystery_man — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:32:58 +0000

I think anyone out in an ape suit in an area where people are looking for the skunk ape is kind of asking for trouble. I always wonder when some jokester out there in a suit is going to get himself shot.

By: DWA

DWA — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:21:01 +0000

Having been in that part of Florida, all I can say is: I wouldn’t be where that fella is, period, much less wearing an ape suit.

You’d have to spend a whole lot more than the best ape suit. You might as well buy me the vehicle that I’d purchase with the money. Or the house. Or both…

By: alvininnaples

alvininnaples — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 20:16:08 +0000

I saw a Black Panther that was every bit of six feet long on the trail in 1966 when I lived at Remuda Ranch. No one believes me. Have you ever seen an Everglades Mink? Dave Shealy has lived in the glades all his life and if he sez there a skunk ape, you can bet your sweet ass there is one. Ever hear a panther scream? You have to clean your pants afterwards. Before you post, ask yourself (when was the last time I spent a night in the glades?)

By: things-in-the-woods

things-in-the-woods — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 10:49:40 +0000

Is it just me or does the line “acting as a lookout on a $13 million shipment of Columbian marijuana” not suggest some kind of explanation here?

By: joppa

joppa — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 22:11:17 +0000

For $250.00 I can rent a better monkey suit.

By: lastensugle

lastensugle — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 20:09:29 +0000

If he wants to save the skunk ape in the picture, I suggest he tells his friend to take of that suit!

By: Doug Higley

Doug Higley — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 18:27:24 +0000

With $250 grand I’d prove that I don’t exist. Watch me…