Bigfoot Experts and Science Academics

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Tom Fonner. He has been exploring the backcountry of Arizona for over 30 years. He enjoys the solitude and peace of the outdoors with a passion for wildlife, nature, and landscape photography, tracking, hiking, camping, and fishing. You can visit his blog at swbri.blogspot.com.

Recently I've observed an emerging similarity of the Bigfoot community's rising group of proclaimed experts to some of the established elite in science academics. There is an increasing number of individuals coming to the forefront as authorities on Bigfoot by researching the internet and having little or no field investigative experience. This is similar in many ways to what critics portray as the scientist who becomes an expert in his/her field of study without ever leaving the hallowed halls of the university library.

There is a significant difference between both of these and yet the perception and bottom line are much the same. There are many scientists in various fields that have based their careers on the study of the accumulative field work done by others, and many of these scientists have done little to no investigative work of their own. This ability to research the work of others and develop an evaluative opinion or theory is none the less time consuming and not without merit.

In the Bigfoot community we value the efforts of those who spend countless hours in the field trying to gather the evidence that is needed to verify Bigfoot's existence. It is this group of individuals who are slowly being overshadowed by those who survey the internet for the most up to date information so they can formulate and present their unique and insightful opinions. Some of these individuals are gaining favor due to their written skills of persuasion, alluring personalities, and even their ability to present information in a pleasing video format. These individuals are becoming the Bigfoot community's newest group of personalities with what appears to be little, or the lack of, field investigative experience.

Our newest group of personalities are filling a niche in the overall process. They have provided a novel approach that appeals to our arm chair enthusiasts, and this keeps many interested in the topic of Bigfoot. These individuals evaluate the information obtained from others and present a perspective that often leads to valued discussions. Many look forward to their perceptual twists of the most recent Bigfoot news and to a new approach that provides a distraction from the repetitive norm. In comparison to some science academics, the evaluative and entertainment value provided by these individuals is built on the persistent field work done by the dedicated investigator and the periodic sightings of our weekend warriors. There is a vast array of groups and individuals, working as field investigators, who put forth the time and effort to provide the evidence and details used by others to extrapolate personal opinions and view points. It is equally important to take the time to follow the work being done by these investigators and listen to the accounts presented from their perspective. Their insights are those often used and capitalized on by our emerging elite.