Glyph me a Break..

As I’m surfing through cryptid related content online I’ve noticed a new hot topic that keeps coming up. There are many sites and postings online dedicated to studying ground glyphs (new term I've been seeing to describe sticks that are found placed in a certain way) and Bigfoot structures (term for fallen or placed tree branches or logs that form a design of sorts, or look like possible shelter). I want to mention first that ground glyphs are also called Geoglyphs, designs made by using durable elements of the landscape. And some of those strange trees I love with no tops and broken branches are called tree monoliths, if anyone was curious. (I totally was..of course 🙄).

Tree monolith

I’m not exactly sure when evidence for Bigfoot shifted its focus to tree placement. A possible reason is that when there is an absence of concrete evidence, we as explorers look for the circumstantial.

Many of the photo postings I’ve seen have been structures of sticks and branches hidden away in the forest. It wouldn't make sense for all of them to be hoaxes. Why would we build something like this deep in the woods where people aren’t likely to find or ever see them? And if we didn’t create them to be seen for artistic reasons, hoaxes or otherwise, then why make them at all? We probably wouldn’t, and there lies the mystery. That thing that fuels our fire to keep searching.

Humans have no reason to make them. They are not like crop circles, where faking it may be worth the effort for an artistic corn crusher. They are going to get noticed. On the other hand the stick structures, if in fact they are structures, aren’t guaranteed to be seen by even your average hiker. And if by some chance they are spotted, most likely they will consider them just weather related damage or wear and tear. They are not looking for signs of Bigfoot..

When we come upon these “structures”, we have to ask ourselves why would a Bigfoot make them? What do they mean? Are they marking territory? Or are they communicating to another Bigfoot in the area. Is this shelter? Are they being discovered in areas that have known Bigfoot encounters? And I ask this because, if it is not nature’s design, it could also be early settlers or native Americans. If you have picked a place ahead to visit, then do some research on the history of that area if you can. You may be amazed at what stories you will find from searching old newspapers at the local library.

Picture by Eddie Moore

One of my brand new stomping grounds is called Indian Rock, and in those woods there are still standing structures possibly made by Native Americans. Crazy right? But it can happen. And if you’re seeing the old rock walls the farmers made, then people did live there at one time or another. Know your area and what those inhabitant’s shelters may look like. It will help trust me.

Picture by me

In Pacific Northwest and British Columbia region, Squatchers are seeing large odd structures. Big logs on top of other trees forming a pattern. We can be pretty sure that those were not be made by man’s hand alone. So...good evidence. Still, try rule out nature and weather first if you can. I also took a moment to catch up to a logger from the Pacific Northwest to see if loggers ever messed around with the logs out there. I mean, everyone fools around at work once in awhile, right? But most don’t have a pile of enormous logs lying around or the equipment to move them. But what if you did? According to this logger who prefers to remain anonymous, and I don’t blame them (you could torture me too I’ll never tell...wait, is that polyester..no not polyester). Here are some of the scenarios that may happen, in a loggers own words..

“One Of the things I mostly see them do is stack large rocks on top of each other or stack things on tree stumps. That said, we typically don’t see them putting logs or anything up against other trees as that creates hazards for when people have to come back in and work around those trees. If we saw anyone doing that, it would be a problem and they would be asked to move it. There are times when timber fallers do accidentally lose trees in wrong directions into other standing trees and they may end up having to leave them.”

So there we go. If you are seeing large logs stacked on top of two tree tops it is not likely to be the work of a logger. Why would they want to make their work more treacherous than it already is? Or risk making the logging company liable for it. They probably would not. As far as smaller branches, well that can be tough too. A colleague of mine, Mike from Blue Ridge Bigfoot, was out with another Sasquatch researcher trying to see just how hard it is to snap and move these branches without some landscaping equipment or, you know, a machete..and it is near impossible. He even invented a new maneuver (the snap and twist) to make it happen and could not. Mike, the pesos for the use of that copyrighted slogan is on its way..

So, what do you take away from spending a few minutes reading this? Well, you can take away: 1. Know your environment, what plant or tree life grows there, so you can recognize anything out of place, can the area sustain a species like Sasquatch? Research the history of that environment, who else lived here. 2. You know now what your typical logger might be up to out there. 3. You know it’s hard or impossible to make those structures on your own, but you could always try to recreate it. If you can’t, chances are high that no one else could either. 4. Find out if there have been any sightings there before. Look for corroborating evidence such as prints or hair etc. 5. Think about recent weather, is nature itself creating these possible structures. And lastly, what other animals live in the area and what kind of shelters might they make?

Picture from Robert Lindsay

You know the expression, “the more you know”. It really is true, the more knowledge of the area you acquire, the more confident and aware you will be out there. What my sister and I always try to do is debunk everything, if we can’t, then we look for signs of Big Guy. He is usually last on the list. It works for us, but the more times you go out the more a system will develop for you as well. Have fun out there, either way. Don’t just stress the end game. You’re in Mother Nature’s church, relax and enjoy it.

Picture titled church roots by Pear Biter on Flickr

Stick creation made by Patrick Dougherty (the stick man)

Photographer Charles Harris

Articles of note,

https://www.ourstate.com/whimsical-wood-work-by-patrick-dougherty/

https://www.blueridgebigfoot.com/2018/06/bigfoot-and-powerful-feats-of-strength.html

https://www.abqjournal.com/1100787/stick-structures-stump-santa-fe-forest-officials.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoglyph

Books of note,