The Skunk Ape Files - Florida's Bigfoot

I recommend this website about the Florida Skunk Ape called the Skunk Ape Files. It is the best I have seen yet.

Researcher Emma Carrol has put together an extensive database of sightings exclusively for the Gulf Coast area were the skunk ape lives.

She also has some cool artwork of the Florida Bigfoot himself. The work is copywrited so contact her about terms of use. I am impressed with the amount of work that has gone into this site. She stays on top of things, thats for sure.

I thought I was alone in Florida, but not so. Carrol has complied a listing of most of the significant Skunk Ape researchers active in the Florida. That is a starting point for me to perhaps find a teammate.

Lake Front Property - Where Skunk Ape Lives

I always wanted to live on a lake...ha,ha. Not this one. This bug infested old lake in Florida seems to be the type of area that the skunk ape would live. I did not see him, but I found a print in Saturdays search. I don't think it is real. It could be erosion. I have sent it off to one of my boys to take a look at.

The Highlands Area

Florida is a very flat state. The highest point above sea level is 312 feet. Very flat. In the central part of the State is the Highlands area near Lake Wales. Here, you will find drop offs and hills and terrain unlike most of the state. The ground is very soft and sandy and getting up and down the hills poses a safety risk. I used the vines hanging from trees without much success. I stayed up to and used my zoom most of the time.

I was at an old crescent shaped oxbow lake which was all that was left of an ancient river that meandered thru Florida melanin ago. It was very hot and humid and it took hours to make my way around the lake and back to my car. I had some experiences including something that I can't identify. Don't worry, the resolution will not yield what it is.

I thought it might have been a small pickup truck from the speed, but when I made my way to that side, the terrain was impossible for a truck to have been coming thru. Perhaps an adventurous guy on a mountain bike. That is what I am thinking, but the video is compelling just the same. After I saw it I heard a load "call' which the video picked up just as I clicked the shutter off. I immediately turned it back on but no more calls.

See the video below of an early part in my trip. More Tomorrow.

Jungle River Swamp Florida: Search For Skunk Ape
Uploaded by skunkapehunter. - Watch funny animal videos.

An Oxbow Lake

In an Oxbow lake the bottleneck near the top will (over hundreds of years) close off and form a lake below it. The new lake will have no feed and be stagnant full of algae. Mammals can drink the water and some fish can survive. Florida is full of these lakes as millennium ago the water drained off the Peninsula causing the oxbow effects. These lakes are found in the middle of nowhere and my theory is they may be good areas to search. I was not disappointed.

I spent most of the day hiking in a circle around one the larges ones I found on Google Earth. I tried to ignore most of the sounds I heard, various wildlife. The terrain was very uneven with severe dropoffs at spots. I have never seen this type of elevation in Florida. Near the end, I video taped something that looked across the lake and took off at almost comical speed. No world class sprinter could have moved like that.

I am home and very tired at this point. I will analyze the video Sunday. I have about 12 good vids to show to give you the flavor of what was going one. I hope this is what I think it is. The hamburgers should taste good tonight as I have worked up a large hunger.

On the video I posted just now on YouTube I hope you can see the use of artificial light. The three bulbs of the softbox should show in my eyes. Armed with a power-pack, extension cords and stands, I am ready to get the best image ever. Very tired schlepping that stuff around, however.

The Bigfoot Sasquatch Of The South

What is a Skunk Ape? It is a smaller version of the Pacific Northwest Sasquatch commonly called Bigfoot. The skunk ape along the Gulf Coast States has made several evolutionary adaptations to the hot, humid and insect infected area. He is smaller so he generates less heat. He has developed long hair around his face to ward off bugs, and requires less food then his northern giant. David Shealy owns the Florida Skunk Ape Museum and information center in the Everglades National Park (His website links to this blog). He is considered an expert and took a video ten years ago that is the "Patterson Film" of the South. Watch this video.

What Keeps Me Going

Evidence. That is what keeps me going. There is alot of hard work in bigfoot research; that is why I cannot do this everyday. After working all night, I often do not have the energy. So I blog.

This foot print was found with several others in the East track of the Green swamp Wilderness Preserve off of SR 471 north of Colt Creek Sate Park in Polk County. Go thru the entry gate, and take it in about two miles. You will see a mud cut off road and on the bank is where I found several tracks leading away from a hunting area. With a strong zoom, I could see a deer stand way in the distance. What ever this was did not want to be shot. Of course, it could have been a barefooted hunter. Footprints can be very compelling evidence.

I was watching an episode of Monterquest called the "Sierra Sasquatch." In this instalment Dr. Jeff Meldrun examines several footprint cast made by Jaime Avalos. What was odd was that Dr. Meldrun had stated on a blogtalk radio show that Jaime was casting the same three humans no matter where he went. He suggested that the three individuals were going out with Avalos and making the prints, hence, they were human in nature. He seems to have calmed that down on a paying TV gig by saying they could have been juvinile sasquatchs. Very diplomatic.

What I find is real. I go out alone into areas where I never see another human. I can only guess at what is making these prints. All of them are different and that is critical (not my foot or 8-9 other big people as well). I plan to show all of my acquired evidence from the past year on this blog for non-youtube viewers and google searchers who are looking for good, clean evidence of the Florida bigfoot known as skunk ape.

I don't claim that this is a sasquatch, but its not a hunter and very large to be an average man. Just think, these prints were found at sea level in a very hot climate, not at 8,000 feet. It seems they are all over the North American Continent.

Dead Fall In The Rivers

One of the problems with canoeing into the remote parts of Florida's rivers is dead fall of trees. They block your path and can be difficult to get around. You could also tip over in gator infested waters!

Since you are no longer in SWIFMUD or State Park areas, nobody goes back there to remove anything (it is also the highest concentration of alligators). You go at your own risk. If you get in trouble and dial 911, law enforcement may have no real way of getting to you.

So I hike.

By using the power-lines to go directly into deep areas I can find my way to the rivers bank. This is not always easy and often you cannot get close. It all depends on your tolerance to wildlife, bugs, heat and potentially getting to far in to find your way out or having the endurance to do so.

This area was hot and humid and full of bugs. Along the bank I had my eye out for 'gators. Not Tim Tebow but the ones that can do real damage. Most wildlife will run from you, but you never know and they are not all that predictable.

On this excursion I ran out of water and was cramping up badly (dehydration). I have run into that problem before while looking for evidence of the skunk ape. I really wonder how something with that much hair can live in this environment. They say the reason he is smaller than the Pacific Northwest Bigfoot is because of evlolutionary changes for heat adaptation. Longer hair is actually an asset for keeping bugs off of you (eyewitnesses have reported the skunk ape is VERY hariy with long hair around his face).

Click any photo on this blog for a much larger size if you like it.

See the video below of me along the river bank.

Has Anyone Seen Bigfoot Or A Butterfly Lately?

Sightings - that seems to be the most compelling reason to think (know) there is something in the woods.

On the BFRO YouTube videos most of the researchers have had a sighting before, often years ago. The experience seems to have been a seminal moment in their lives. These people are educated and accomplished, not the ones you would associate with crackpots.

That seems to be more than enough reason for them to continue pursuing after Bigfoot. Unlike other types of research what makes this task difficult is the remoteness of the area you must explore to get to the habitat of the mythical beast.

One of the reasons that keeps me going is the beauty of nature and the exploration involved - plus what I have experienced. Face it, have you climbed MT. Everest lately? Have you gone with Columbus on his latest voyage? Not me.

People who look for the mythical beast are perhaps the new explores of an unknown frontier. Perhaps that is what the draw is. Humans need to have this challenge. This becomes more about us than bigfoot

One thing they don't want is to get a bunch of grief for it. Just me.

Look at this beauty I found in this place I was in. You don't get this at a chess tournament! The butterfly was shot with a macro lense on a 35 mm DSLR camera. Be very quite, the big guy just might walk up on you.

See the new video below. Blogger videos show up dark click the play button.

In The Field With A New Direction

In business, as in life, if things are not working out you move in a new direction. That is what I am now doing.

I have a successful YouTube channel under the name of fasanotampa - I am known as Tampa Tim. I have been able to post videos and developed relationships with people I never would have known if not for the Internet. Things are changing, however.

During my "on the job training" I have learned much about wildlife, bird sounds, plants and so forth. Today, I even identified a bullfrog that a year ago I would have thought an alligator or a sasqautch.

I have paid a ruthless price for this novice behavior. The names I have been called and bitterness of people was rather shocking to me. I really believe that people who are pejorative have unresolved issue that they must deal with.

We are all looking for a 'mythical beast' that has never been identified. To try to apply science to something that transcends known reality is a false use of science. The creature may be found on intuitive or spiritual grounds. The fact that it can allude capture (or even a quick snapshot) shows that something may be at work that we know nothing about. That is my opinion. What does anyone really know.

I can post videos with blogger so people who want to follow wont miss much. In fact, with the ability to post images they will have a richer field experience with me. Thanks.

View the video below by pressing play. Blogger videos have no thumbnails for some reason.

A New Outing Planed For Early Next Week

It is hot man in Florida right now (until October). The bugs and the humidity make for a very nasty adventure. This photo reminds me of when it was cold last Winter and I really needed the fire. There is nothing like the glow of a campfire as you sit and reflect on the days activities. All the stresses of live just seem to go away.

Overnight expeditions are important in bigfoot research. Many experts believe the creature has a large nocturnal aspect to it. Nothing is really known (Patterson film shot in daylight). Most audio and wood knocking seems to be at night, plus it is just cool and fun to light the campfire and move out on your night operations. I found fantastic evidence on my last overnight.

I do have a area picked out for early in the week. It is an expansion of some of the areas I have already been in. Can't wait.

Insect Repellent With DEET For The Summer Season

Florida has a high water level right now because of all the rain we had this unusual Winter. Normally it would be dry, but the water levels are Summer like. That means lots of mosquitoes and other flying pest like black flies.

While the guys up north at the 22nd Annual Bigfoot Conference at Salt Fork State Park in Ohio are enjoying the campfires and the trails, we are beginning to suffer from the heat and bugs. No problem - the solution is here....sort of.

The repellent spray with DEET should keep them from biting you but it wont keep them from swarming you. That can be very uncomfortable especially when you covered by a cloud of them. They will be buzzing in your ears and going for you eyes. They still land, but die. In some cases, you just stay at home and wait for the conditions to improve.

I hope to get back out in the field soon. I will give this a try

Follow The Power Lines

One of the methods I learned from the Texas Bigfoot Hunters was to use access points that are not commonly used by hikers or hunters. Power lines have been cut out in a wide and deep swath that will gain you , access to areas that are off trail, and difficult to get to, and areas where a large animal has food and water and hiding spaces. For example, I have been able to find river banks that are never seen by anyone unless there is a Kayak that is miles from nowhere. I good map of the County your in should show you were these power line area are at. Now lets get hiking guys!

New Unsolved Mysteries Blog And Moving On

I feel that the new direction I am heading in is as a part-time bigfoot field researcher and a full time blogger on the subjects that interest me. I have started a new blog called Intriguing Phenomena about all things paranormal. Subjects like bigfoot, UFO's, Loch Ness Monster, Atlantis, Lost Worlds and so forth are what interest me. I can research and blog and not get eaten alive so much by the bugs. Check it out.

The year I spent in FULL TIME bigfoot research was a wonderful experience for me. On YouTube I was able to meet many like minded people who shared a passion for the backwoods.

I heard about a ratio of 200-1 for every hour you put in off trail the likelihood of having an encounter of some kind. That seems to be about right for me. I put in at least 30-35 hours a week for a full year. That was over 1,500 hours in field with the snakes and bugs. I had at least 6-7 serious encounters with something that I could not identify. I did video, photo, and record what I found.

My body of work speaks for itself. I feel this project is now closed, and I am moving on. I will only be a 'part-timer' from here on out. I have found evidence. The world needs to recognize that.

You can see the evidence in the links above.

Bigfoot Encounter In Florida - Howl After Tree Knocking

This recording was over a year ago and I posted it when I had NO subscribers. It has been buried deep in my archieves. I hope you enjoy it because a howl response to a wood knock is rare. At the 7:05 mark the Skunk Ape responses in the distance with two howls. Its clear and easy to hear.

Did Neanderthal And Humans Mate 30,000 Years Ago?

I believe scientist are under extreme pressure to come up with new and interesting findings or lose research grant money. The story that broke today is that Neanderthal genome DNA has been linked to humans, meaning we must have breed with them about 30,000 years ago. Did we? Take a look at the methodology used to gather the DNA samples.

"Using a delicate dental drill, researchers collected 500 milligrams of bone powder, roughly the size of a pill, from which to analyze and isolate DNA samples.

The bone samples contained very little preserved Neanderthal DNA. According to researchers, 95 to 97 percent of the DNA extracted was bacterial or from other organisms that had colonized the bone. The DNA fragments that were recovered were extremely small and contained chemical modifications that could have yielded false data."

via www.cnn.com

They are admitting that the samples had been contaminated with bacteria. They seem to be pushing the point. Is that any different then what some Bigfoot researchers have been accused of.

BFRO Links To Fasanotampa Twice On Their Youtube Homepage

Yes, thats right Bigfoot Buster. How many bigfoot field researchers appear twice in any capacity on the front page of BFRO's YouTube site? Thats right. The asshat himself...TAMPA TIM! FASANOTAMPA...check it out! Ain't that some shit!

I did not know that BFRO linked to Asshats. Umm? I think someone needs to re-think what they are doing.

Matt Moneymaker is good with children and the video featured is him teaching school children about the habits of animals and the techniques that photographers have used to shoot them with cameras - not guns.

New Video

I went to a land that time seemed to forget. Contrary to belief that I only go to picnic parks, I go to the backwoods and primitive areas. I am searching for the Florida skunk ape. He can show up anywhere. He was seen near downtown Naples a few years ago before he was subsequently seen crossing I-75...it cause kind of a traffic jam.

This area is very primitive and has changed since I was here over a year ago. Raid does wonders.

The Bank Of The 'Lost World' River
Uploaded by skunkapehunter. - Discover the latest sports and extreme videos.

The Beauty And Mystery Of Bigfoot Research

When I began my journey into Bigfoot research, I did not know were it would lead me. Into the woods, perhaps. That goes without saying. I really believe I was searching for something. Yes, I was looking for the Florida skunk ape, but I found so much more.

The Beauty And Mystery Of Bigfoot Research
Uploaded by skunkapehunter. - More professional, college and classic sports videos.

I have been a city dweller all my life and after thirty years in Florida, I had yet to see little of what it had to offer. Most of my vista views were confined to the interstate highway. I was not prepared for all that I would soon discover.

There is an abundance of nature that I had only seen photographs of before I went into the woods. There were trees and plants and swamps and 'gators and birds and smells and things I was only beginning to find out about.

There was a sense of solace and peace that I needed desperately. The last few years have been tough economically, but when you go out to the remote areas, all of that is left behind. My friends wondered why I wanted to go on my camping trip last March. If you have to ask, you cannot understand.

Return To The Burial Mound - A Year Later

I found a large mound near a jungle river in Central Florida in April of 2009. I went out to it several times and actually dug up part of it to see if I could find some biological evidence. The was an exciting find for me at the time.

What I found was an old, petrified wooden floor that perhaps had been there for at least a century. I believe it was from early homesteaders that built their camp near the river I was eventually making my way out to.

Today I returned to the spot to see what it looked like after one year. I was hoping there would be some evidence that the skunkape had messed with it somehow, and maybe filled in what I had dug up, since I may have desecrated a burial site. No such luck.

It looked like I had left it. Leaves had filled in the hole I had left. No bigfoot. I did try.

An Asshole In Bigfoot World

There is a new blog on blogspot called Bigfoot Buster (This blog has nothing to do with the popular blogtalk radio show Bigfoot Busters hosted by tcsjrbigfoot and Chuck007 - two of the most credible bigfoot researchers going). The only reason for this blog is to insult and put down other YouTube researchers who have the courage to post the bulk of their work. He is very upset that these guys are getting the publicity that he wishes he could get. That is why I will never link to his site and I wish nobody ever go to his site. This is my response to it....part 2