Here is something potentially interesting to think about. Years ago I came across some of
Scott Carpenter's videos on Bigfoot on YouTube. Back then it didn't take long for me to "conclude" that what he is "seeing" in those videos is at best "pattern recognition run amok". I basically thought that he is seeing faces where there are none in very blurry and pixelated videos. So I basically dismissed it out of hand and thought that he is some kook or something.
So, recently, after having listened to one of the previous Paulides Bigfoot 101 classes, where Carpenter was mentioned, I looked him up again on YouTube and only then realized that I saw some of his stuff years ago. But, I basically came to the same conclusions again and quickly dismissed it.
Fast-forward to Paulides latest
Bigfoot 101 Class on DNA: I listened to it and noticed again that Paulides mentioned Scott Carpenter and his work, and that very seriously and favorably. Paulides basically explained that he worked closely with Carpenter for years, went out with him to the areas where Carpenter is studying Bigfoot activity, saw and experienced many strange things on that occasions with him. More than that, Carpenter's research and Carpenter himself was a key aspect of how they were able to get many of the DNA samples of Bigfoot. Carpenter and Paulides found ways to get those samples by using unusual and low tech means. In short, they were able to get many of those hair samples etc. (reliably and quickly) because they did things not in the way most researches do it. Including trying to catch it on camera by unusual methods and technics. Apparently Bigfoot is able to sense stuff like modern cameras and either avoid it and/or block it. So, Carpenter is one of the key people that made those DNA studies possible in the first place. Paulides also mentioned that
Carpenter has a great website, with much interesting information in it, including the DNA stuff.
So, here I was: For the third time I checked out Carpenter's stuff. I looked at his website. And specifically,
the Video section. Again I was thinking that many if not all the videos he presents there (and apparently recorded himself) can be easily dismissed by him "seeing faces where there are none". But then I saw this video, which is quite a bit harder to dismiss in that way:
And a follow-up video where Carpenter attempts to estimate the size of this "Bigfoot" with the conclusion of a conservative estimate of a 14.23 feet (4.33meters) in height!
An estimate that seems about right to me in the way he tried to estimate it!
So then I thought, maybe Carpenter isn't that kooky after all and at least in some videos what he has captured is indeed legit and not just "pattern recognition run amok"? Without what Paulides said about Carpenter in his latest Bigfoot DNA Video, I'm sure I would have dismissed it again. But with that additional information, I'm kinda seriously questioning my convictions there.
Then I came across the following two videos where Carpenter is seen to film himself within a "Bigfoot" hot spot area, claiming that he feels that "something" (aka. probably "Bigfoot") is bombarding him with low level infrasound type waves/noises right now, which makes it hard for him to concentrate, hear or speak. Also claiming that he is being able to sense from which direction he is bombarded with, with that infrasound. Later on you will see that he does his usual investigation of the footage and discovers that "faces" look at him through the wood, at the places he felt that they do, but couldn't see himself with his own eyes at the time! In the first of the two videos he even mentions that if someone is watching this video and doesn't know what he is talking about, that that person will probably think he is a loon. I certainly would have thought so as well. But not anymore:
Then I came across another of his videos where you could easily conclude that he is "seeing things that are not there". But notice how at the end he is standing between those trees himself at daytime, and you can start to imagine that what he "has captured" with a much worse low light video/picture in the middle of the night, might in fact be real:
Spooky to say the least! It should be noted that Carpenter also seems to think that there is a substantial paranormal element to that "Bigfoot" phenomena.
Anyway, another interesting thing Carpenter (and I also think Paulides) mentioned is a very consistent finding in their research. "Bigfoot" seems to create tree structures like
you see here. Sometimes those structures can be made of big trees as well,
like here. What Carpenter found is that usually there is at least one tree branch placed on such a structure that is very delicately balanced against gravity so that it doesn't fall down. So, what Carpenter did in many "Bigfoot areas" is building such tree branch structures himself while also putting up one such delicately balanced tree branch. The very consistent finding is this: Almost every time he does that, he finds that that that delicately balanced tree branch will be taken out and snapped in two or more pieces and thrown away. Carpenter speculates that "Bigfoot" somehow doesn't like you doing the balanced tree branch thing, for some reason.
I think part of the reason why it seems to be so hard to see "Bigfoot" even if it is right next or in front of you (apart from the paranormal angle) might be an ability of "Bigfoot" to merge/camouflage itself into the environment. What I mean by that is the following: If you ever have gone to a Zoo you will have noticed that many creatures that live in the wild can almost perfectly merge into the surroundings and become very difficult to see, even if they are right in front of you! That camouflaging ability is often so good that you simply can't see them at all. And that is true for small and even big creatures. I recently saw that phenomena at a zoo in quite a number of cases again: I was looking into terrariums, aquariums and cages, and quite often I couldn't see a thing, even though the creature is right in front of your eyes! And even if someone else spotted it, and you then start to see the creature as well, it becomes easy for our senses to lose the sight of it again, even though you know it is right there.
Also, the idea of any large creature out there, who might even predatory in nature, not being able to sustain itself foodwise unless it eats enormous amounts of food, and therefore "it can't exist", is not the best argument IMO. The reason for that is because the biggest KNOWN land predator on earth, is
the polar bear. The polar bear can way up to 1,540 pounds (700kg) and it is well known that that bear can fast/survive without any food for up to 8 months! Apparently surviving on his fat reserves. And he is able to go without any food for those eight months while moving around normally and not sleeping that time through or anything like that.
Also, if we are dealing with a pretty intelligent, closely human like creature, things might get even more complicated and interesting at the same time.
