Posted on 02/15/2006 1:12:24 PM PST by Idisarthur
FUNKS GROVE - Researchers have been looking for Bigfoot in Funks Grove, but a local zoologist interested in the elusive creature's lore said he would be very surprised if one is found there.
A report last fall by people who said they saw a large hairy upright creature in a ditch in rural Shirley attracted a team of researchers from Searching for Bigfoot Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif.
Angelo Capparella, a professor at Illinois State University, said he also heard the report and talked to the people at the time.
He said that if there is a Bigfoot - a big if in his book - Central Illinois is not the place to find one. Even though Funks Grove is a wooded area, there just isn't much habitat locally to support or conceal a large primate, Capparella said.
"Illinois ranks 49th out of 50 in the amount of natural vegetation left," he said. Only Iowa has less.
"As a zoologist, it's hard to give a lot of credence," he said.
I now many of you will laugh but one day IF the truth is revealed we can come to FreeRepublic to see ome support of "it" prior to the breaking news.
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FUNKS GROVE - Researchers have been looking for Bigfoot in Funks Grove, but a local zoologist interested in the elusive creature's lore said he would be very surprised if one is found there.
A report last fall by people who said they saw a large hairy upright creature in a ditch in rural Shirley attracted a team of researchers from Searching for Bigfoot Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif.
Angelo Capparella, a professor at Illinois State University, said he also heard the report and talked to the people at the time.
He said that if there is a Bigfoot - a big if in his book - Central Illinois is not the place to find one. Even though Funks Grove is a wooded area, there just isn't much habitat locally to support or conceal a large primate, Capparella said.
"Illinois ranks 49th out of 50 in the amount of natural vegetation left," he said. Only Iowa has less.
"As a zoologist, it's hard to give a lot of credence," he said.
The Pacific Northwest, the traditional center for Bigfoot sightings, has a lot of remote, rugged areas, he said.
"I'm a zoologist who's taken a curiosity in the Pacific Northwest," he said.
The research group from northern California has been stopping at various locations in the United States to track reports of the creature also known as sasquatch.
Team leader Tom Biscardi told a local television station he has been searching for three decades, and he estimates there are more than 3,500 Bigfoot-like animals in the United States.
Biscardi's team has focused on Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, California, Oregon, Montana and Washington, said the group's Web site.
The professor said he talked to the people from Bloomington who claimed they saw Bigfoot last fall. The creature allegedly scratched their car.
Capparella told them to try to record noises, get hair samples and look for footprints. He said he could make nothing out of the pictures they took.
"They gave me a call," Capparella said. "They seemed sincere about seeing something."
He has not heard from them since last fall. "They apparently contacted Tom Biscardi," he said.
They told Capparella they also heard strange noises and they were able to get the creature to interact with them in some way. Capparella noted Bigfoot is supposed to be very shy so this behavior would be highly unusual.
By the way, this isn't an exciting story but none the less it's recent.
Please send pics., it could be my MIL!
BTW, people:
I have been thinking about starting a Bigfoot ping list for a while now. There currently is none on FR. If anyone would be interested in such a thing, let me know and if enough people respond I'll start it up.
There used to be a ctyptozoology ping list. I was on it. I don't think it's active any more. If I was you, I'd make it cryptozoology, as just "bigfoot" would be too low volume to bother with.
Not a bad idea. Since you were on that list, do you know anyone who might be interested?
Cheers to Big
No offhand. My suggestion to you would be to just start the list on this thread. Generally the way these things work is people see that it exists and ask to be included. I am not on any pinglists, because my inbox is full enough as it is. However, I will make an exception for cryptozoology, which I believe is the most important field of science. BTW, pinglists need a catchy banner or mascot. Yours should have bigfoot or our aquatic ally Nessie.
What is a MIL?
Actually, I think I'd use this animation.
Just Left Click the pic and go to properties. Then steal the URL or web address.
Sorry
I'm not your guy. I suck at managing ping lists.
pcottraux
By the way I like pcottraux's Cartoons.
bump
Mother in Law
Which post?
If I might ask, why do you believe this? And as opposed to strict empiricism?
UFO fall under Crypto or extraterrestial communications?
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