Hello young cryptozoologists! If you happen to be out in the woods, or even in your own backyard, and happen to see a footprint you *think* might be from Bigfoot, it’s really easy to make a cast of it so you can research it further! Follow the instructions below!

*Materials Needed: Casting material (Hydrocal, Fix-it-All etc), tape measure, mixing spoon, bucket or plastic bag to mix material, water, plastic gloves, field notebook and pen, camera, gauze (optional)

1. Take a picture of the footprint with the tape measure next to it so you can document how big it is! If you don’t have a tape measure, put your foot next to it for size comparison.
2. Examine the footprint, and if it didn’t imprint far enough into the soil, make a dirt dam around it so the plaster doesn’t seep out.
3. Mix the casting solution in a bucket or plastic bag. Wear gloves while doing this! Or ask an older cryptozoologist for help. Do not get casting solution on skin.
4. Solution should be the consistency of pancake batter, but don’t eat it! It’s not pancake batter.
5. Slowly pour a thin layer of plaster onto the bottom of the footprint. If you have gauze, put a layer of gauze down to reinforce the cast, then pour more plaster into the print.
6. Wait! It could take between 30 minutes to an hour to let the cast dry. In the meantime, survey the area! Write in your field notebook the date, time and location of the print. Then look around. Are there more tracks? Broken tree branches? Listen in silence for any Bigfoot grunts if its still in the area! Note all of these observations in your field notebook.
7. Once plaster is dry, dig out the dirt around it like a moat. Then *carefully* wiggle your hands underneath the cast and lift it out.
8. Take the cast home and wait two weeks for it to fully dry. Once it’s dry, brush off the dirt and examine for clues! Some cryptozoologists claim that Bigfoot has a flat arch in the middle of its foot as well as a wider heel. What do you see? Is there another animal that might have made this print? If you really want to do some further exploration, research what a ‘mid-tarsal break’ looks like. Some cryptozoologists believe that Bigfoot is ape-like, and some apes have the ability to lift just the heel of their foot without the rest of the foot coming up because of the mid-tarsal break in the center of their foot. Try it! Can you lift just your heel? Does the footprint cast look like it could have a mid-tarsal break? Once again, write down your observations in your field notebook and if you think you have something, share your data with a Bigfoot research organization! Or keep the secret of your discovery all to yourself! It’s your choice.
9. Have fun, my young cryptozoologists! Enjoy the adventure! With proper research, it might just be YOU who proves the existence of Bigfoot!