OntarioSasquatch

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The Trouble with Footprints

Written by Paul Pinkham, Illustrations by Pat Barker
Wednesday, 22 March 2006

Introduction
One of the most important pieces of sasquatch evidence—if not the most important—is the evidence left behind in the form of tracks, or footprints. Footprints are physical evidence, unlike other forms of purported sasquatch evidence. You can photograph, measure, cast and thoroughly examine footprints. In many cases, reports have been made of a sasquatch being seen making these footprints.

Article written by
guest contributor,
Paul Pinkham.

Illustrations by Ontario Sasquatch Investigator, Pat Barker.

This is more than can be said of other forms of what some consider evidence, like tree-breaks, limb-twists, rock throwing, vocalizations, hair samples, or scat. Sasquatch tracks also tend to be easily identifiable, as they are rather distinct in appearance compared to the track sign left by other North American wildlife. Occasionally, bear prints are distorted in such a way to resemble possible sasquatch tracks. The sasquatch track does however, resemble the human track and this is where identification gets tricky for some. There is also the possibility of hoaxing.

So what should one look for in determining whether or not they are looking at a human or sasquatch print? The following are some examples:

Shape:  The shape of the foot resembles a human’s, as there are usually visible toes and a pronounced heel. It is important to try and identify these crucial signs. If these are not visible, you can be looking at anything from human boot or shoe prints to indecipherable tracks of a known animal.

Size:  Though not always the case, sasquatch footprints are generally longer than the typical human’s. There is a notable difference in the width of a sasquatch track compared to that of a human. This is especially noticeable in the width of the heel.

Mid-tarsal break:  In many purported sasquatch tracks, a pressure ridge is visible demonstrating the existence of a possible mid-tarsal break; a flex point in the foot that is not found in human feet.

Other Sign:  Are there multiple prints in the area, either from a similar animal or different animals? What about droppings or food?

Location:  The area in which the track is found is also important. If extremely far away from obvious human-frequented areas, a bare foot track is an unusual find and should probably be noted. This also goes for the condition of the terrain, as it is not likely someone would be walking barefoot over rocky areas or in the snow.

Let’s look at possible, and most likely misidentifications, and how they can be ruled out using the five factors listed above:

Compared to the average sasquatch track, the lack of size should be a dead giveaway. Still, there is always the possibility of a small or young sasquatch. Grizzly bear tracks are larger, and may not be ruled out by size alone. The average Grizzly hind foot measures somewhere around 10 to 12 inches long, and 7 to 8 inches wide. The forepaw measures anywhere between 5 to 6 inches long, with a width much the same as that of the hind foot.

A bear overstep is when the hind foot track of a bear is combined with the forepaw print due to the bear stepping in its own track. Like a human or sasquatch foot, the bear hind foot contains five toes, but that is where the similarity stops. The bear print narrows toward the rear in a dramatic fashion, revealing what appears to be a very small heel. However, when overstep occurs, the combination of forepaw and hind foot prints can make the heel seem larger, and even lengthen the print somewhat. So how do you know if it is bear overstep or sasquatch?

Check for pressure ridges and the mid-tarsal break. Though not always apparent in sasquatch tracks, this identifying mark can be the deciding factor as far as what made the track. It is entirely possible that the process of making the overstep can create the appearance of a mid-tarsal break. The illusion of a mid-tarsal ridge due to the imprinting of the hind foot over the forepaw can lead to a hasty misidentification. That is why it is important to continue the investigation.

How many similar tracks are there in the area? Though bear overstep happens, it is unlikely to occur continuously in a trackway. Look for nearby signs of droppings or other animal sign.

Fig. 7: Black bear trackway demonstrating occasional overstep