Thursday, January 31, 2013

Bigfoot in Estes Park?

Last week, local resident Ken Collins, was hiking along with a buddy of his up above Elm Road in search of firewood. The two came upon a snowbank with three interesting looking footprints. Ken knows what normal animal prints look like, yet these, looked strangely different. Ken took plaster casts of the footprints and decided he had something here that was very out of the ordinary! The plaster cast of the foot print is very unusual, and large! It measures 14 inches long and 10 inches wide. The cast has definite areas on it where you can distinguish toes and other landmarks of a foot. Ken wondered if he may have stumbled upon some evidence of a Bigfoot!
Ken and his family members contacted the Bigfoot Research Organization in Colorado Springs and they came up to investigate. BFRO is the organization which produces the Finding Bigfoot Show. Founded in 1995, the BFRO is now the oldest and largest organization of its kind, a virtual community of scientists, journalists, and specialists from diverse backgrounds. The researchers who compose the BFRO are engaged in projects, including field and laboratory investigations, designed to address various aspects of the bigfoot phenomenon. As a result of the education and experience of its members and the quality of their efforts, the BFRO is widely considered as the most credible and respected investigative network involved in the study of this subject.
The group from BFRO included Dennis Pfohl, founder of the Colorado Bigfoot Research Group, did a three hour investigation here in Estes Park with Ken and determined that the findings here are credible.
Dennis was very interested in noting the length of stride in between footprints. “The five foot stride is very significant.”
Dennis told Ken that just days before, they heard of a “Bigfoot like creature” reported near Glen Haven and Drake, off the side of the road. Also, Dennis pointed out to Ken that several years ago there was a reported Bigfoot sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park by some campers, so this is not the first time there have been reported sightings of the mysterious creature in our area.
Ken also notified local wildlife expert and Search and Rescue volunteer and tracking expert, Jayne Zmijewski and her trained Search and Rescue dog Lakota and invited them up to the area where the footprints were found. Jayne and Lakota have some previous experience trying to track Bigfoot and Jayne was very interested to see that Lakota was on alert in several different “scent traps” where there seemed to be other footpad marks in the dirt. According to Jayne, “Lakota had her nose to the ground, sniffing hard and she was very focused. In some spots, she even pawed at the ground. It makes me think she was really alerted to something that had been there, something other than the usual wildlife we have around.” Lakota also found a clump of hair near where the footprints were found. Jayne pointed out the Elm Road area, which is near the dump, would be a prime spot for any living creature to visit as a food source during the leaner, winter months. Jayne also said that although the evidence was slight, that is to be expected with creatures such as this. Their impact on the land is so subtle that it takes a trained eye to even notice it.
Jayne has since put up motion detector cameras and track traps in hopes of capturing more evidence. As of this printing, nothing of interest has shown up.
Dennis told Ken that the footprint cast really has telltale markers on it and told him that his find was “really good.” It’s not a bear, or a mountain lion, a snowshoe or a human foot. He said, “I’m pretty confident that you have the real deal here!” Members of the BFRO will be submitting the information and photos to Dr. Jeff Meldrum, a well known expert on Bigfoot.
From the BFRO website, “It’s a fact that for more than 400 years people have reported seeing large, hair-covered, man-like animals in the wilderness areas of North America. The BFRO organizes and reports observations and directs expeditions to places where the observations have occurred. Through this process, the BFRO steadily improves the size and scope of its collective expertise about these animals.
The overall mission of the BFRO is multifaceted, but the organization essentially seeks to resolve the mystery surrounding the bigfoot phenomenon, that is, to derive conclusive documentation of the species’ existence. This goal is pursued through the proactive collection of empirical data and physical evidence from the field and by means of activities designed to promote an awareness and understanding of the nature and origin of the evidence.”
When asked what Ken would say to his skeptics, he said, “Up until a week ago, I was a skeptic too. I believe this now! We believe in God and we don’t have to see his footprints to know he’s real. I encourage everyone to make their own judgements but as for me, I believe!”
Whether you believe or not, its a fascinating topic. If Bigfoot really does exist, these new findings in Estes Park may help prove the mystery.

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