SquatchMarks

I have been on the internet for over 11 years now. During that time I have always struggled with a decent start page or set of bookmarks.

It is a very difficult undertaking to keep a current set of bookmarks. Every month there are many new websites that come on line as well as those that become broken links. I want to include all the websites, forums, podcasts, blogs and related sites.

Here is my attempt to have a bigfoot & cryotozoology bookmark / start page.

SquatchMarks

http://www.stancourtney.com/squatchmarks.html

It is called squatchmarks (combination of sasquatch and bookmarks). If you want to use it either bookmark it into your bookmark section, set it as your home page or save it on your computer and simple click on it when desired.

I am constantly deleting outdated links and adding new ones but it is a never ending job. I am always open to suggestions, if you find a page that you think needs to be added or a broken link just send me a note.

The Deer Swath

A Sand County Almanac With Essays on Conservation from
Round River by Aldo Leopold was first published
posthumously in 1949 with certain additions in later additions.
It has become a classic read for those interested in
conservation and the environment. I first read this small book
over forty years ago. If you have not read it I wholeheartedly
encourage you to do so.

Within the book there is one small essay entitled The Deer
Swath. I found it summed up my thoughts about those of us who
spend time in the woods observing nature and how we perceive
what we see and hear. We all have different areas in which we
are better than others. My chief interest is sounds, whether
bird or mammals while my wife is busy concentrating on
looking for tracks in the dust. She is always saying "What
bird, I didn't hear anything" while I could have a herd of
elephants walk through the area and not notice the footprints.
I have a friend in New Mexico who excels at looking for elk
and deer sign and another friend here in Illinois who is quite
adept at looking at 'sign" as described by the author.

We can not all be good at everything so my advice is for you to
have several friends with you as you do your research and
concentrate on those areas that are of particular interest to you
and allow your friends to concentrate on their areas of interest.
The correct dog can be a great asset in the woods. With keen
senses my Karelian Bear Dog many times has alerted me to
the fact that we were not alone in our section of forest.

The Deer Swath an excerpt from A Sand County Almanac
- published June 1989

When the deer hunter sits down he sits where he can
see ahead, and with his back to something. The duck
hunter sits where he can see overhead, and he behind
something. The non-hunter sits where he is
comfortable. None of these watches the dog. The
bird hunter watches only the dog, and always knows
where the dog is, whether or not visible at the moment.
The dog's nose is the bird hunter's eye. Many hunters
who carry a shotgun in season have never learned to
watch the dog, or to interpret his reactions to scent.

There are good outdoors men who do not conform to
these categories. There is the ornithologist who
hunts by ear, and uses the eye only to follow up
on what his ear has detected. There is the
botanist who hunts by eye, but at much closer
range; he is a marvel at finding plants, but seldom
sees birds or mammals. There is the forester who
sees only trees, and the insects and fungi that
prey upon trees; he is oblivious to all else. And
finally there is the sportsman who sees only game,
and regards all else as of little interest or value.

There is one illusive mode of hunting which I cannot
associate exclusively with any of these groups: the
search for scats, tracks, feathers, dens, roostings,
rubbings, dustings, diggings, feedings, fightings,
or preyings collectively known to woodsmen as
'reading sign.' This skill is rare, and too often
seems to be inverse to book learning.

The Interview

Many bigfoot researchers are leery of giving interviews to
the press. The main emphasis should be about the
undocumented upright walking North American primate not
about the researchers.

Search For Bigfoot - A Documentary



My eldest son is a pastor of a church in Columbia, Missouri.
He contacted my wife early in February about allowing a
couple of University of Missouri students to spend the night.
They were traveling to Bowling Green, Ohio for a church
conference and we were conveniently located halfway between
Ohio and Missouri. As an aside, he also mentioned that
Peggy was interested in interviewing me about my bigfoot
research for a class project. I reluctantly agreed, not
thinking much about it.

I was a little surprised when they arrived and she set up a
video-camera. She did an impromptu interview as I showed
her some of my footcasts and recording equipment. I took
them out sound-blasting later in the evening and did hear
and record some distant howls.

Two months later my son again contacted me and asked if I
would allow her to tag along in my research area to see what
I do when I am looking for bigfoot evidence. I again agreed
and met Peggy, a school friend of Peggy's, and my son and
his wife at the park.

We spent about an hour and a half walking through some
areas where I have found footprints and recorded several
vocalizations. I did ask if I could have a copy of the DVD
when she finished. She said of course.

Saturday I received my copy of the DVD. I was a little taken
aback and disappointed that the focus of the short
documentary was on the sincerity and saneness of me as a
researcher and not on the true subject which is bigfoot /
sasquatch.

Man or Beast?

One question that continues to plague bigfoot researchers is
"What is this animal, is it a man (albeit different or primitive) or
is it just an ape?"

Man has always had to cope with uncertain feelings when it
comes to apes and monkeys. We can not gaze into the eyes
of a chimp at the zoo and not have some thoughts about our
similarities.

Two thousand years ago when Europeans were first exposed
to seeing monkeys, it was easy to say "Well we are not
closely related, they have tails, walk on all fours, are covered
with hair and have no language." When stories of chimps and
gorillas started coming out of Africa, disbelief was common.
Here was a group of animals that had no tail, walked closer
to upright and looked more human-like. The first "body"
presented to science surely was a momentous event.

So how does this all relate to bigfoot studies? We are
confronted with an animal that -

1. Is upright walking (Patterson-Gimlin, Memorial Day, and
Freeman films).

2. Has footprints that are somewhat similar to mans as shown
by many photographs and footprint casts.

3. Is very vocal, whether these sounds are related to true
language or is simply mimicry is open to debate.

4. Has a highly social family structure as reported by eye
witness accounts.

5. Facial features look more human-like than apelike. I have
interviewed over two hundred witnesses that have had a bigfoot
encounter. Of those individuals who have seen the face,
almost all of them emphasized its human-like characteristics.

So where does this leave us with the question as to
whether bigfoot is man or beast? This debate has been
going on for decades and will only intensify as new films,
audio recordings and someday a body is produced.

Perhaps the question should be "What is Man?"

Mankind cannot be defined simply by being intelligent, using
tools and language or being bi-pedal.

The final answer can only come from the Bible. We read
in Genesis 1:27

"So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them."

Only man is aware of God and only man is capable of
fellowshipping with Him through a right personal relationship
through Christ. .

Ephesians 4:24

"and to put on the new self, created to be like God
in true righteousness and holiness."

So friends, it is your decision what you will believe, for myself I
believe what separates man from all the animals, whether it be
monkey, ape or bigfoot is that only man was created in the
image of God and only man is capable of a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior.

References:

Special thank you to:
Pastor Dale B. Huelsman
Bethany Lutheran Church
Wellington, Ohio

A Short Explanation of Dr. Martin Luther's Small Catechism with
An American Translation Text - A Handbook of Christan Doctrine.
Christian News - New Haven, Missouri 63068

A Summary of Christan Doctrine by Edward W.A. Koehler
Concordia Publishing House, St.Louis

How is Man Created in God's Image?
Come Reason Ministries

BibleGateway.com
http://www.biblegateway.com/

Wilderness Paradox

One concept that I see being repeated over and over again is
that if there is a large bi-pedal ape in North America it must
live in only the most remote, secluded wilderness areas.
Commonly areas pointed to as likely habitat are the Pacific
Northwest, British Columbia, Northern California or if "back
East", only inaccessible mountainous terrain.

But do witness reports really bear out this assumption?

Let's take a look at several reports that have been posted by
the BFRO, The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization.

Omaha, Nebraska
Various sightings near the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska.

I interviewed this witness. Although the report only goes into
recent activity she told me that her family has had several
sightings and heard vocalizations going back as far as the early
1960's. What is significant is that this area is bounded on all
four sides by major thoroughfares: I-480 on the west and
north, I-29 on the east, I-80 on the south. It is also within
1 1/2 miles of the central district of Omaha, Nebraska.



Of special note is that Marlin Perkins who hosted Mutual of
Omaha's Wild Kingdom made a trip to the Himalayas with
Sir Edmund Hillary in 1960 to check out reports of the Yeti.
While on that trip they examined a supposed Yeti scalp that
turned out to be a hoax. Perhaps they should have saved
their money, stayed home and talked to local witnesses in
Omaha.

Topeka, Kansas
Hiker finds footprint near Topeka, Kansas.

What is significant about this report is the excellent picture that
he was able to obtain of a possible juvenile bigfoot print. The
exact location although not stated is within a couple miles of
downtown Topeka and along the Kansas River.



St.Louis County, Missouri
Bow hunter observes animal in Creve Coeur bottoms.

This report comes from an area that is 15 miles from downtown,
St.Louis, Missouri and along the Missouri River. It also is only a
couple of miles from very populated suburbs in west St.Louis
County. This area is bounded on the west and south by I-40,
on the north by I-70 and east by I-270.



Madison County, Illinois (unpublished)
This rural location in Madison County, Illinois has been the site
of ongoing bigfoot sightings. It is near a small creek and
approximately 15 miles from the Mississippi River. I did an on
onsite investigation and saw several sets of footprints.



Central Illinois. (unpublished)

Another rural location in Central Illinois. This site is also located
on a small wooded creek that flows through corn and soybean
fields. It is located 13 miles from the Sangamon River.
Numerous whistles, woodknocks and howls have been
recorded at this site.



Lee County, Illinois
Hikers find footprint along Franklin Creek.

This footprint was found along a small wooded creek in an
agricultural area of Northern Illinois. It is located 5 miles
from the Rock River.



Food - Water - Cover

The important factors for possible bigfoot habitat seem to be
wooded streams or river systems and an adequate food
supply, particularly a large deer population. Reports
continue to come in whether they are close to major urban
centers or agricultural areas.

It has been stated that the Pacific Northwest has a resident
population of bigfoot on every watershed. A growing number
of researchers are gradually coming to realize that perhaps
it is the same situation east of the Rockies.