Sasquatch Hunting Crew Visits Central Oregon
Bigfoot Remains A Hoax
By Joseph Friedrichs, 6-25-07
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| Caption: Bigfoot? Nope, just a jolly soul named Berns. | |
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We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Bigfoot does not exist.
The story of the mythical, hairy beast who stalks the wilderness is a farce. A hoax. A money-making scheme created by goons, for goons.
Five months ago, the writing staff at NewWest.Net/Bend heard the news that a Bigfoot-hunting crew known as Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO) had plans for a four-day voyage this summer into the Cascades with the intent on finding Sasquatch. The public was invited to assist the team for a mere $300 per person or $600 per vehicle.
The BFRO “scientists” and about 30 paying guests departed June 14 for the expedition and spent at least several days in search of Sasquatch. As we predicted, and not to the surprise of anyone with sense, the party found no evidence of the walking ape-man.
The reason BFRO and its guests found nothing is simple: Because there was nothing to find.
The Bend Bulletin sent reporter Kate Ramsayer to the woods for at least a portion of the trip with the search parties. Her story is stocked with great one-liners such as “about 20 years ago, I had an incident that put the fear into me,” and “like coyotes, if you call to a Bigfoot properly, it will call back and venture closer to check out the source.”
Then there’s the quote from Matt Moneymaker, the founder of BFRO and leader of the recent expedition, who started with the line “I’m good; I can call them in,” only to back that up with “I’m going to do a howl in 10.”
By the way, isn’t it hilarious that the founder of a Bigfoot-hunting business who drags everyday citizens into the woods, charging hundreds of dollars and spooking the life from their souls, has the last name Moneymaker? It’s almost too perfect.
Although we marvel at the fact people will pay others to lead them on a wild goose chase through harsh wilderness terrain with the bleak hope of finding a creature that doesn’t exist, there’s still something remarkably beautiful about it. It must have been quite a sight to stand there while Moneymaker and his crew screamed like crazed savages at one another while they smashed fallen logs against looming pines.
But would it be worth $300?
No way, man.
[End of article]It may be easy to make jokes and poke fun at some of the people who attend Bigfoot expeditions, however as a reporter and journalist, you should do research and examine both sides of the story to give an informed opinion.
If you had looked into the evidence, you would not be so quick to dismiss the possibility that maybe, just maybe, we don't know everything there is to know about the world around us.
If Bigfoot is a hoax created to make money, how do you explain pre-Colombian accounts of the creature? How do you explain the fact that there are dozens of names for the creature in Native American languages?
According to Michael Nave of Oregon Bigfoot:
"The Cherokees from the eastern United States call him Stoneclad, "The Stone Man", or Kecleh-Kudleh, pronounced Chickly Cudly, which means hairy man. The Shoshone refer to Bigfoot as Tso'apittse, which means Cannibal Giant. The Lakota and Dakota Sioux both use similar terms to describe this creature, both of these terms (Chiye tanka and Chiha tanka) translate to mean "Big Elder Brother." The Pullayup-Nisqually Indians use the terms Tsiatko or "Spear" and Seatco, Steta'l, "Spirit Spear" to describe Bigfoot-like creatures, while the Shoshone and Salishan-Sahaptin tribes call them Cannibal Giants. Bigfoot is known by the Hupa Indians of Northern California as tintah-k'iwungxoya'n."
How do you explain David Thompson's descriptions of the creature in his 1811 journal enteries? How do you explain sightings published in newspapers in 1869?
If Bigfoot is a hoax, it is a hoax that stretches back for centuries. Don't be so quick to dismiss the efforts of the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization. It is arrogant to assume that we know everything, that everything has already been discovered, that there are no more mysteries. At the very least, you should try to keep an open mind.
Regular readers to newwest.net/bend will recall, Anthony, that Mr. Friedrichs in fact once spent a long night shadowing a back of bigfoot enthusiasts hot on the trail of, well, nothing. Fairness in reporting is all well and good, but no one expects the author to give equal time to people who believe in the tooth fairy or the flying pasta monster or bigfoot.
Comment By Anthony Hartman, 6-25-07Neither the tooth fairy, nor the Flying Spaghetti Monster generate thousands of eye witness reports dating back to the pre-Columbian era. Nor do they leave physical evidence of their existence from thousands of tracks, to video evidence, to a partial body cast made in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
Comparing an open mindedness about the possibility of an undiscovered hominid to belief in fairy tale creatures is both arrogant and ignorant.
Dr. Jane Goodall, world renowned for her research in primatology, is herself supportive of research into this area. What scientific background, research or evidence do either you or Friedrichs have that leads you to dismiss this matter with such certainty?
Neither of you have presented any refutation for the evidence at hand. Not only that, neither of you have demonstrated that you are even aware of the evidence. This leads me to believe that Friedrichs is offering an opinion out of ignorance which is, in my opinion, irresponsible.
If the food and drink was good, I would pay.
I would be open-minded, Also I would enjoy a good time out in the woods with something to do.
I do not think knocking the money part makes any since? People spend money on all kinds of things, and always will. May not be dumb to them, but it is to you. Big Deal!
Now why don't you go out and write an article about all the evidence you do not believe in?
A recent similar trip by the SearchingForBigfoot.com group run by Tom Biscardi in Texas had five teams, three of which saw the creature with infrared devices. Tracks were found that news teams photographed and amateurs were given lessons in how to plaster cast...they also paid money for the opportunity to explore and study the "unknown." These trips are expensive...let the novices pay for the overhead, and profit? Why not...don't know anybody that works for free.
Remember my name and email address.
This is one of the most superficial space-fillers I have ever read. Mr. Friedrichs is a perfect example of the lazy journalist. He should be fired for his lack of knowledge and inability to get up off his fat duff and do some real research into this subject.
Comment By Frank Castro, 6-25-07Ditto! Rob! I was gonna flame him for being such a "the world is flat" promoter,however, you made my point exactly. How can some people be so ignorant. Even when there's enough evidence, it could put someone away for murder.
Comment By Honka, 6-26-07All of the collected hair samples that have been scientifically proven to belong to an unknown primate is almost proof enough for Bigfoot's existence. Once the needed solid evidence for Bigfoot's existence is provided to the science community (DNA), how should these journalists who seem to believe they have all the authority and credentials necessary to declare when something is a hoax be held accountable? Once you have had an encounter with a Bigfoot you only have two choices, realize the truth or pretend it never happened. I will never pretend my encounter didn't happen simply to please a few skeptics who know absolutely nothing about what they are speaking of. What else have these journalists pretended to know and write articles about?
Comment By Natalie, 6-26-07Berns is still alive? I guess this is proof.
Comment By rjb, 6-26-07To knock something to be with the 'in-crowd' is the easy way. To write fluff pieces to fill an obligation to write an 'article' is the trademark of lazy journalists everywhere. Implying that making money is dishonest (by making fun of a name) is really reaching for ‘evidence’ to back a biased and un-researched opinion. No, the only scam going on here is that someone paid Friedrichs to write this piece.
Thankfully, people can read it for free. You get what you pay for.
Why waste your breath presenting the case for Bigfoot here? Joseph Friedrichs is there stomping his feet, with his fingers in his ears going LA-LA-LA-LA so he can't hear you.
Dare you attempt to change his opinion by presenting facts? His regard for facts are evident.
Public opinion is changing little by little, based on the cold hard evidence. Someday (hopefully soon) it will stop being fashionable to 'Bigfoot-bash', and guys like Friedrichs will need to move on to those who wear white after Labor Day.
How can you try to prove a negative? You can't say something doesn't exist, that is pure arrogance Mr. Friedrichs. Why don't you write about a topic you know something about?
This article was printed from www.newwest.net at the following URL: http://www.newwest.net/city/article/bigfoot_remains_a_hoax/C509/L509/