You've decided you want to see a Bigfoot, perhaps to prove to yourself they exist, to spend more time outdoors, to try and get an exceptional photo or film. There is no reason not to enjoy these things with family and friends, but some people wish to join a team and learn from others who've been the field longer.
Here's the steps I would tell you to go through before you affiliate with a team.
First, know your motivation - why are you wanting to join a team? What do you hope to achieve? Once you have your head in the right place and you decide you want to be aligned with a team instead of going solo, the real task is before you -
Investigate the team and the members.
Bigfoot researchers are often times very vocal online and opinionated. You can observe their words and behaviors to discern much about them - do they attack others? Bad mouth other teams or people in the industry? Have a defensive attitude? Try to sell expeditions or make cash on the process? Trying to vie for a TV show? Create drama? Associated with hoaxes? Draw attention to themselves? Are polarizing personalities? Pro-kill? Trust your gut on these personalities. We all know a douchebag when we see one. Listen to that inner voice, no matter how "popular" the team is. I can't tell you how many folks in this field of study have come to me after they went against their instincts and joined a polarizing team. They greatly regretted it, some were so beat down by the gang mentality, they walked away from Bigfoot research all together.
It is hard for anyone in this field of research to not be exposed for either being well appreciated, genuine, and not ego-driven or money-driven or being a control freak, angry, greedy, or downright criminal. Don't be afraid to google their names and see what you find.
Get to know groups online and be free to talk to others in Bigfootery about what they think of this group or that, this individual or that. Reputations are a hard thing to cover up. Just because a name is recognizable does not mean that's a good thing. To get that degree of exposure, one might do so by being a downright media whore. Some of the "big" names in the industry are known to be addicts, criminals, thieves, drunks, adulterers, and more.
Just because a team has a very big name does not mean it's right for you. Learn about fees, rules, requirements. Will your team want to own or claim any evidence you accrue? Is it such a large group that expeditions are too noisy and chaotic? Check out their Facebook page if they have one. The things they allow on their wall and the way they handle mediating the page says a lot.
There will be infighting and egos, issues and logistics. They may take advantage of you to buy equipment or they may lose your equipment. They might not plan well and expeditions are a serious hot mess. Talk to people on the team. They will often tell you what it's really like to be on the team. And, never be afraid to step away from a team if they are headed in a direction you're not comfortable with, like carrying firearms and getting drunk by the campfire.
In an ideal situation, you join a group that becomes mentors, friends, curious and outdoorsy folks who want to understand subjects like anthropology and ecology, tracking and survival, archaeology and linguistics. You will have amazing experiences to talk about for years, watch each others backs and evolve as investigators. This is what a team can offer when it is led, not with egos, but with safety and intelligence, honesty and teamwork. True paranormal geeks.
I wish you luck on your endeavors and remember, in this field we need to encourage everyone doing positive things and cast out and ignore those who are doing bad. If your team is a great one to be a part of, be sure to praise them for their attributes and let everyone know that there are true researchers and honest, hard-working folks looking for answers about our hairy cousins.
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