Category: Ramblings

UPDATE: http://bigfootfinder.ca/2021/04/28/trail-camera-update/

So my plan for getting info on footprint hot spots is working. I’m getting my baiting materials together. Now it’s time to focus on making my own Trail Camera system that is specific for attracting and getting good photos of Bigfoot.

The design I’m working on hasn’t been completed yet but I figured I would share my research and details of what and how I’m making these cameras.

The idea is to create a network of wifi enabled Raspberry PI cameras that have motion sensors and audio capture as well as the ability to generate sounds.

Here’s a run down of how the cameras would operate:

• Multiple bait sites in an area with confirmed foot prints
• Four cameras facing the points of the compass away from each bait site
• All cameras use wifi to send images captured to a mobile hotspot that will upload them to my server. This allows me to monitor remotely and if a camera is damaged or stolen I will know pretty quick and still have the photos.
• The cameras will play at random times Bigfoot sounds to attract him (gotta work on what that sound will be)
• Motion sensors and audio sensor on the camera will trigger capturing bursts of photos and capture audio as well.
• If the area is generating good info I can ask the camera to start recording video as well.
• Sit back and wait and watch the data roll in.

So that’s the how it will work. What I’m making is a Raspberry PI camera system based on this article from Tom’s Hardware. The image above is an idea on how to camo the camera from Dave Mullins.

I’ve already got a Raspberry Pi kicking around to prototype with. It’s this one that already has wifi: Element14 Raspberry Pi 3 B+ Motherboard

Thinking of this for the camera power: Pisugar2 Pro Portable 5000 mAh UPS Lithium Battery Power Module Platform for Every Raspberry Pi 3B/3B+/4B Model Accessories (Not Include Raspberry Pi)

For a mobile hotspot I’m looking at the Nommi: Mobile Hotspot but I will use a old cellphone for testing.

This is the higher end camera module I will use: Raspberry Pi Camera Module V2-8 Megapixel,1080p (RPI-CAM-V2)

A wack load of these motion sensors, at least 3 per camera pointing outwards: Stemedu HC-SR501 PIR Sensor Infrared IR Body Motion Module for Arduino Raspberry Pi(Pack of 5pcs)

And I’ll use this for my sound sensor, audio recording and to playback Bigfoot attractor sounds (I’ll figure what audio I’m using and post that later): RASPIAUDIO Audio DAC HAT Sound Card (Audio+Speaker+MIC) for Raspberry Pi Zero/A+ / B+ / Pi 3 : Pi 4 Model B/Better Quality Than USB

One thing I can’t figure out but would like to add is an EMF sensor just to see if that will record any sort of data for me when something is around.

Also if this works out well the other thing I will look at is upgrading to IR cameras but it’s not a priority as most of my research shows that he really doesn’t like stumbling around in the dark any more than we do.

I’ve got a large Amazon package coming and some work ahead of me 🙂

So I have some great leads on tracks coming in from my nature photogs. I can’t believe in this rainy weather in January they are still out there taking amazing photos. And even more surprising is how many of them didn’t realize they were already automatically geo-tagging their photos. I’ve got leads but nothing good enough to share yet. But I’ve got some areas of activity that I want to setup cameras and baits. Cameras we’ll talk next post but this time let’s talk bait.

Legend has it that he likes berries, fruits and some proteins like fish. Also that he has a pretty good nose, even though he smells so bad. My plan is to use some commercial baits that I’ve linked below. My research show a preference for salmon, vanilla and apple scents. These are the foods he digs into people backpacks and coolers the most for. And he seems to skip bacon, maybe it’s the smoke smell? I know he hates the smell of smoke.

But let’s talk apples a little bit. He won’t go near orchards for fear of people and machines (hates machines) but will devour wild apples whole. I remember visiting an old farmer in Alberta years ago who had a small collection of apple trees in his farm yard. Every late summer he would gather them up, crush them and put them with water into an old whiskey barrel and close up the lid. Then in the winter at the end of a hard cold day of farm work he would lift the lid, smash the ice layer and take a tin cup of “cider”. Freezing it would increase the alcohol level, clever man. Now I’m not planning to get Bigfoot drunk but I will be saving all the apple cores from my daily fruit health shake. I’ll leave them in containers with water to work a little and get some good scent off of them.

I’ll need the professional scent gear below because it would survive other wild life scavengers and looky loos.

So I think the first thing and probably most important is to know where I am going. The beginning of my journey had started with building John Green’s map which can be found here. Just to be clear this is only the data for my general neighborhood and does a heck of a job showing hot spots. The trend seems to be south of the Fraser River. But I’m not going to limit myself, except for one important limitation. I will not trespass on private land (without permission that is) and I will not ever go onto Native land without a invite and a host to take me. And to be certain I’m not trespassing on Native Land I’m using this government map that shows Treaty land. As they say this is not complete but it’s all I have to work from currently.

And I have a pretty clever trick up my sleeve when it comes to having a wealth of trackers helping me. You see, the Harrison Lake area is chock full of retirees. And many of those retirees are amazing and dedicated nature photographers. And by dedicated I mean they are out every single day catching the Golden Hour at dawn and dusk in the most beautiful and remote areas of our wilderness. Read exactly what Golden Hour is here. And it just happens that Bigfoot also loves the golden hour to be out and about and even better is that the sunlight casts wonderful shadows across footprints.

So in exchange for possible Bigfoot footprint photos that are geotagged I give them free website and tech support. So far I have a decent hand full of amazing photographers agreeing and we’ll see how it goes…

In May of 2016 my wife and I moved into our new home in the Harrison area with great excitement of learning about this wonderful world of lakes and trees and mountains. I knew nothing of this area save for the Hot Springs but my wife did all the research and assured me this was the place. I was busy packing up the old house and dealing with my career. I trusted her, she was right, it’s amazing here.

On May 28th, John Willison Green died in Chilliwack, at the age of 89. I read a tribute to him in the local paper and was intrigued. He lived a hell of a life. He had been major player out here, owned and operated the local paper and was one of the leading Bigfoot researchers in the world. He contributed sooo much to this area, read the article I linked to for yourself and see. I just missed him but his legacy lasts. But then there was this Bigfoot thing…

My wife suggested I enter a submission to a local art gallery show for the public, at the Harrison Hot Springs Ranger Station Art Gallery to be precise. I decided I wanted to create a piece that reflected the area’s history and have a good back story. I wanted the piece to need research. I love research. And John’s work with Bigfoot was stuck in my mind, and to be honest around here with all the tourist marketing, it’s hard to forget Bigfoot.

So I started with data, I dug around the internets and was able to get a copy of John’s Microsoft Access database of the sightings he recorded.

I also discovered his physical files were on display at the local Kilby Historic Museum that he helped be declared as a historical site by the province, and served as president of the museum society for a decade.

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Then I had to learn how to convert old long lat gps data to new Google map friendly gps. Almost 100 years of data here.

Then I mix that map with government water maps.

Then I cut it into a million little pieces

And then I make Bigfoot feet stickers.

This is my submission to the Harrison Hot Springs Ranger Station Art Gallery. It is called “Green’s Sightings”.

And with this, things started to get serious. Now I was officially hooked. Actually more like infected with Bigfoot Fever. But what really really put me over the edge was sitting in a local bar with my wife and as we are waiting for our cold beer and fish & chips she says “look up!”. And there hanging on the wall above our table is an amazing set of plaster casts. Now it’s official, I have to find those feet!

About six years ago or so I was lucky enough to have a wonderful house up on Vedder Mountain just outside of a small village called Yarrow in British Columbia.

My backyard led straight up the mountain into old growth cedars and there was no sign of civilization until you hit the USA. The smell of the air was amazing. We had families of deer, bears, possums and all sorts of wildlife on our land.

One day my neighbour down the hill in the flats by the railway line comes up to me with his digital camera with a big smile. “I’ve got a picture of Bigfoot but you can’t tell anyone about it or have a copy”. Needless to say I was intrigued. Long story short, the photo was amazing, and a fake. And even more incredible it was taken between my mailbox and my house. Turned out a film production was shooting a Bigfoot movie in our little Yarrow. They used the deli, my barber and the train tracks I mentioned are right next to them in the cast photo above.

The movie was OKish I guess, it was a horror movie. Very cool to recognize so much of our neighbourhood while watching it. I wish I had that photo he had taken, it was amazing. But he had signed an NDA.

This was another step towards my passion and planning for finding Bigfoot.

Feed the Gods DVD from Amazon.com

I was about 9 years old or so and I saw the infamous two part episode of “The Six Million Dollar Man” called “The Secret of Bigfoot” and it blew my mind. I already had read about the episodes coming soon in TV Guide so knew that Bigfoot was to be portrayed by my favorite wrestler André the Giant. But knowing who was in that costume didn’t keep away the nightmares. That ice tunnel terrified me.

As so began a life long fascination with Bigfoot.

The photo above is of Kenneth Johnson the writer/producer of those episodes. He is holding a plaster cast of Andre the Giant’s size 24 foot.