A common criticism consistent with Bigfoot skeptics is that if there are Bigfoot creatures living in the forest why is it that hunters don't see them and shoot them?

Why don't hunters see Bigfoot? The visual Bigfoot reports suggest that the question itself is not true. Sportsmen do see Bigfoot. Hunters tracking game animals accidentally stumble across Bigfoot in the forests quite often. It happens almost every hunting season in every state where Bigfoot is believed to reside. Somewhere around two in every ten actual Bigfoot sightings are from a sportsman. Every year a large amount of consistent Bigfoot sightings come from creditable hunters, fisherman and other outdoor sportsman all over the United States.

Answering the first part of the question gives Bigfoot skeptics what they believe is more validity for the claim that there is no Bigfoot. If so many hunters see Bigfoot why is it that none of them have bothered to shoot one. It's a good question and there are good answers. When the hunters who have seen Bigfoot are asked that question their answers are almost always the same. It looked too "humanlike" to shoot. Hunters are trained not to shoot at anything that looks like it could be another human being. It's really this simple - If it's walking on two legs hunters won't shoot it. Some hunters have also said that they didn't want to take a chance at shooting because it could have been someone walking around in a costume. While not completely impossible it would be an extremely dangerous prank for someone to put on a fur suit and strut around in the forest during hunting season.

Hunter's go into the forest looking for a specific game animal to kill like deer, rabbit, wild turkey, etc. They do not go into the forest deliberately looking for Bigfoot. When a hunter comes upon a Bigfoot they almost immediately go into shock. They expected to see a deer bouncing through the forest instead they are confronted by an enormous seven to eight feet tall, 300 to 600 pound creature the likes of which they have never seen before.

Almost all hunters said that if threatened by a Bigfoot they would defend themselves. However, hunters never have to resort to self-defense. When confronted the Bigfoot seems to be just as shocked as the hunter. Their first reaction is to turn tail and head steadily in the opposite direction. A Bigfoot creature usually doesn't waste any time fleeing the scene that's why most sighting don't last for more than 15 to 30 seconds. Hunters never attempt to follow the Bigfoot deeper into the forest. Fear and shock usually forces the hunter to do the natural thing, which is to get out of the forest as fast as possible. There have been hunters treated at local hospitals for severe trauma related symptoms after reporting a face-to-face encounter with a Bigfoot.

A few hunters have said that they were temped to take a shot at Bigfoot, but after examining the situation decided not to because of the creature's incredible size and muscular shape. They thought that the simple hunting rifles they were using would not be enough to bring down the massive creature, and they feared that if threatened the Bigfoot might turn and attack the hunter.

Before someone asks why hunters don't equip themselves with high-powered guns and go off into the forest to blast a Bigfoot it must be pointed out that it is illegal to carry firearms in US forests beyond a certain caliber, (caliber varies from state to state). If you are caught with an illegal firearm you will be looking at some serious fines and jail time - possibly felony charges weapons charges. Also, shooting a Bigfoot anywhere in the United States is considered poaching, another crime that carries serious penalties. The vast majority of hunters obey all of the federal and state hunting laws.

It is also a common misconception that hunting dogs, or bloodhounds should be able to track down Bigfoot. As most hunters already know these hunting dogs are taught from birth to only pursue a certain animal's scent and to ignore all other scents. Bloodhounds can track human beings using scent, but again these dogs have been trained to track human beings. You can't just tell a dog to, "find a Bigfoot" and expect the dog to run off into the forest and return with a Bigfoot in their mouth.

Whether you believe in Bigfoot or not, it can not be said that hunter's do not experience Bigfoot sightings. Outdoor Sportsmen make up a large majority of eyewitness reports. During certain times of each year both hunters and Bigfoot share the forest. It's not coincidence that eventually by accident these two would meet. When you're hunting in the forest keep an eye out for giants.

Written by: Trent Brandon
[email protected]

*** Bigfoot is defined as a large apelike creature living mostly in the deep forest regions, and uninhabited mountain, jungle and valley regions of many different countries around the world. Different places have given the creature different names including Yeti, Sasquatch, Abominable Snowman, and Mountain Devils, but basically they are all the same creature.

*** It is only been very recently that mainstream science under the heavy pressures of undisputable scientific evidence, such as the DNA testing of hair samples, have had to suggest that there could possibly be a previously undetected "species of giant primates" living among us.