The beginning of the end

[Rusty2]

Howdy folks , I'm afraid I'm just about at the end of the road . I've painted myself into a corner and I've taken this method (CCTV) as far as I can .

Video number 50 which is almost finnished will be one of the last videos of my search for answers . It's not neccessarily the end but it is the end of my attempt to catch these guys in a forest situation with full time cctv . There are multiple reasons for this .

1. I've run out of places to look . My only option is to go further into the middle of no where which I really don't want to do .
2. The current camera trap , although it was our best chance is too big and too heavy for me to drag around anymore . The batteries alone weigh over 100 kilos . Our only option is trail cameras and I don't believe they work .
3. I've had enough and this hobby has cost me over $53000 . Any further attempts at the forest method would just be a waste of my time and money .

But , because the audio recorders are so small , there's still places I can put them were we haven't been . I am going to continue collecting audio at my own pace but I won't be uploading any videos of that .

There's one other thing I'd like to try again and that is long distance surveillance . I'll be putting a telescopic time lapse camera out to see what's happening in a number of areas and I'll be keeping a record in case we find something . There's also the live search method of distant mountains which I reckon might produce a result .

This isn't the end and I'll be making a compilation video of the last 7 or 8 years . I'll also be making a professional yowie video for the general public with all the bells and whistles and I'm currently in the process of organising it .
Video number 50 will be out in about a month .

[Limehouse]

Rusty, you are a credit to the site. I’ve been following you for a number of years and your professionalism, good nature and encouragement to other “searchers” is unequaled. All the best for the future and we all know ...it’s only a matter of time !
Cheers DK

[Wolf]

You had a damn good go. Well done. Kudos for persistence.

I agree your best bet is concentrating on sound recording... light, easy to hide, and no more damned huge batteries to lug into the bush.

Looking forward to the summing up video and the public consumption one you're working on.

[Scarts]

G'day Rusty. Your hobby has only cost 53,000 dollars over an 8 year period. That's only about six and a half thousand dollars a year. That's not too bad going for a hobby. It's also only money. This hobby has cost other researchers so so much more.

I'm glad to hear you have the wisdom to know when to quit while you're still ahead. All the best for your future endeavours.

[Mad Academic]

Rusty,

I am full of admiration for your level of tenacity and persistence, not to mention the investment you have made in both time and sheer dollars.
Professional biologists often do not show such dedication.

Best wishes for the future.

MA

[Rusty2]

DK , thank you so much ! I see you say "it's only a matter of time" , I'm not sure about that anymore . I sort of feel sorry for them , must be getting soft in my old age .

Thanks Wolf , the audio is relatively easy and I can do it at my leasure . Mmm , the public yowie video should be an eye opener for people who don't know . At the very least we should be able to say that something is going on in the forest .

Your absolutely right Scarts with all those points . It's a lot of money for me but relatively cheap for a hobby . Yep , it's only pieces of paper , it aint gonna mean anything when I'm dead .
Unfortunately your right about other researchers . We all know people who've lost everything over this , very sad . Like you said , gotta know when to quit , thank you !

Thank you MA ! Wow , that's quite a compliment , those lazy biologists haha , thanks for the nice thoughts mate !

[Slats]

Hey Rusty
Thanks for all the work you have done it's an inspiration for new researchers like myself. Good luck with your future endeavours and I look forward to video 50 and the possible doco you mentioned on your channel.

Cheers Slats

[MrHead181]

[adventurer]

Cant thank you enough Rusty for all your time and help. You have gone far and beyond with your research, which has been a huge help to all of us. I wish you all the luck with your upcoming movie and if anyone deserves to get that PROOF its you, try get 1 gliding will ya lol. Dee

[Rusty2]

Hey Slats , thanks mate , I'm glad I've helped you in some way . Yep , 3 videos to come .

Tony , lol , in aint that bad mate , but "everything that has a begining has an end" .

Not a problem Dee , good luck with what your doing too . Oh , if only I could get that on video .

[Shazzoir]

Rusty, you have been a stalwart of this forum for so long now, openly sharing your finds and discoveries and taking on board all kinds of comments, criticisms and genuine interesting aspects and questions by us here. Your recordings, analyses, theories and captures have been astonishingly in-depth and you have always been humble and open in your dealings with all of us, and the members of the general public who follow you on YouTube.

Thank you for your tenacity, and I stick by my theory that if anyone's going to come up with indisputable evidence of Yowies, it's going to be you.

Time for a rest of sorts, so you can tackle what you need to from a different direction. Massive thanks for all you've done to show there are genuine research people out there who are respectful, respectable, and most of all, 100% no bullsh*t.

Shazz

[Yowie bait]

Hey Rusty. Great work with everything youve done. You have succeeded beyond expectations with the evidence you have available on your website and youtube and set an excellent example for all youtubers with therusty222 channel.

The hairys will always be around and you have been doing the work of ten men with your research and deserve a break.

People are changing and will one day accept the Hairy men and if they want to find out more then youve provided a lot for them to ponder. Well done and very much looking forward to that doco!

[Yowie88]

Like to ecco what everyone has said, thankyou for your hard work and dedication mate.

Chris

[paulmcleod67]

Don't give up mate.
You have worked for years and invested thought, time and pretty substantial resources, all of which has made you
"THE BENCHMARK" for analytical studies of the Yowie phenomenon.

If not for your work I would still be sitting in Sydney procrastinating.

If the results (All your work and efforts are great by the way) of static camera rigs are not getting you what you want, ie HD photographic proof, change tactics matey.

Trail cam attempts world wide by thousands of punters has yielded limited (some excellent) results for many reasons I'm sure. You know the right areas and you know the targets, turn up at night randomly with a good I.R camera film and leave. Go back and film daylight footage of the same area.... and make a video.

Whether you know it or not you have an excellent camera eye for filming the Australian bush and I would continue to watch and enjoy your work for those reasons alone, I'm also certain everyone of your followers would as well.

Make Cryptid studies second to that and just let it happen when it happens.
Your early adventures up and down and through the bush of South Eastern Australia was gripping stuff mate. I still watch those video's for inspiration.

You are fortunate enough to live in a beautiful and diverse part of Australia that most would kill to live and work in
and trust me matey in your later years you will regret not seeing it all through.

My bet has always been that good ol Rusty would be the man to prove the species or at least bring serious science into the fray.

And besides whom else of the public researchers knows hair samples like you? Bloody nobody that's who...lol

By the by mate do you have any idea of the genus of marsupial that my hair sample came from?
I've not seen marsupial fur strands as long as the one I sent you. The local wildlife is all short haired where I'm living. Being ever the optimistic bloke that I am...I keep thinking about the upright marsupial theory.

As K.C and the sunshine band aptly intoned...

"Please don't go"

Cheers mate

[Searcher]

Hi Rusty,

In the best Aussie tradition, you had a go. Gave it a real crack and showed heaps of persistence along the way. Really enjoy watching your videos as they are full of inspiration. Can fully understand the reasons why you are pulling up stumps with this type of research.

As others have said, we were all expecting you would be the man who provided the big breakthrough. To see the undeniable evidence on the big screen in HD was something fervently hoped for. Maybe it can still happen with your long distance surveillance plans. Never say die!

Also good to hear you are producing a Yowie video to educate the general public. Just hope it get's the recognition it will surely deserve. Or a million You Tube hits...

[Rusty2]

Thank you so much Shazzoir , I'd give you a big hug if I could ! Thanks for the kind words and all the best in 2018 !

Thank you very much Yowie bait ! Yes , people are changing which is so good to see . The unknown evidence surely must make the most critical viewer have a serious think about things .

That's very kind of you Chris , thank you !

Thanks for the nice thoughts Paul I do appreciate it . I've pretty much had enough . I've run out of places to look and anything other than continuous cctv seems to be a waste of time . Mind you I'll still be tinkering in the background . This subject is like eating steak for every meal . It's great at the start but eventually your craving for something else . I'm over it .
As for your hair sample , which I don't have anymore , the longest hair samples in Australia come from sheep and man . A sheep has a maximum hair length of 110mm . If they are marsupial then they are marsupial . Neil Frost has a hypothesis that they are marsupial but proving that may be impossible . The few hairs I've found look to be very similar to human hair .

That's right Searcher , I had a go . In the end we collected some cool stuff and now people have evidence that they can compare to . I have had a number of subscribers and newbies on here say "that's what I heard" . I'm pretty sure the calls and vocalisations are them but may never be able to prove it . Anyhow , we took a great step in the right direction .

[Gavin]

Rusty you're a legend. What u do inspires us all. Thanks.

[yowiedan]

Rusty will you try to set up some food in an area and then put a sound recorder there and then have the long distance cameras trained on it to see what takes it.

[Rusty2]

Hey Gavin , than you very much !

Hey Daniel , I won't be feeding any yowies but may leave a can of fish at a long distance in an area I believe there are big cats .

What I know is that yowies have paths and walking habits . I heard a story from a trusted friend and now believe they will use remote firetrails to get from A to B . If I can watch these places then I might be able to see something , worth a try .

[ChrisV]

Thanks for your input and advice over the years.
You've educated a great amount of people in your research. Yes the ultimate result still eludes everyone but you've bridged the gap more so and given the Yowie in Australia some character, a face and respect.

Stick around and keep us updated if things change....

[Rusty2]

Thanks Chris , it's interesting isn't it , I'd never ever heard a single noise in the forest that I wasn't aware of till this . Makes you wonder what else is going on that we're oblivious to . All we have to do is look .

My finger will still be in the pie mate but the pressure is off . All the best for 2018 !

[thehairyone]

As everyone else is saying a big thank you Rusty , as Chris said you have taught a lot of people on here a lot , I am top of that list , enjoy your sabbatical and who knows you might come back bigger and better than ever
Cheers Greg

[Rusty2]

Thank you very much Greg , although I can't prove any of it , I think we all learn't something .
Have a great weekend !

[Tim*]

Rusty, sounds like you've well and truly milked that area mate.

A suggestion. Why don't you shift your focus further afield? I'm not sure how often you go out but rather than hammering the local 20 times a year, make less frequent, more targetted trips in other locations.

That could be branching out in your state or even country wide.

Depending on your work/family situation you could plan expeditions into known hotspots. 2 or 3 big expeditions a year instead of dozens of small trips.

You already have the equipment so the biggest expense would be travel or time off work.

It would be refreshing for you psychologically if nothing else and I believe that is a large part of why researchers like yourself do what you do.

Be very selective of your locations. Perhaps you could collaborate with someone else. Someone whos research complements and adds to your own. They could provide you with data on hotspots to help you narrow your search. Paulmcleod for example seems like the type of bloke who would share his data in the interest of furthering the research field.

Anyway goodluck mate.

[David]

My finger will still be in the pie mate but the pressure is off .

Well said Rusty and all the best for your future efforts. Adapt, improvise and overcome mate..

[Simon M]

I can't really add anything to what's already been said, Rusty. Your work really is first rate, and I admire your achievements. You have to do what you have to do though, and that's understandable. You're a champion.

[Rusty2]

Hey Tim , I hear ya . There's more than one reason to chuck it in mate but the main reason is I'm completely over it and have been for years . I swore to carry one till I couldn't carry on anymore and I think I'm at that point now . Thanks for the suggestions , hope you know where I'm coming from .

Thank you AustralopithecineOz ! I'll be adapting to my new lifestyle , already luv'n it .

Thank you Simon , I appreciate the kind thoughts !

[Rusty2]

Here's my latest video including apology .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xurFGVL7Kk0

The interesting parts for me were the interaction between the lyrebird and barking subject and the double woodknocks . It's the double woodknocks that got me thinking about direction and what I could do about it .

I just need to put this out there so you know , I'm over it . Not upset or anything just over . I've taken it as far as I can and a huge weight has been lifted from me . I'm very happy with all the unknown calls and vocalisations I've collected but what I find the most intriguing are the vocalisations that sound like speech .

[Yowie bait]

Yes i think that was one of your best Rusty. You collected a lot of great audio.

Youve done enough mate. Those things moving around you was troubling as well!! It is a big ask and you have done an excellent job!

[Dion]

There's more than one reason to chuck it in mate but the main reason is I'm completely over it and have been for years . I swore to carry one till I couldn't carry on anymore and I think I'm at that point now . Thanks for the suggestions , hope you know where I'm coming from .

Hey Russell

I have never seen such dedication from a researcher the way you have gone about it and that goes from across the world, I have just watched your latest video and must admit I haven't watched one of your videos for quite some time, in fact I haven't watched much yowie stuff for quite some time, not because they are disinteresting, far from it, but because I had already made up my mind that they know what we are doing before any researcher even sets foot in the bush. I have admired the way you go about it for years but having not seen a video of yours for some time and I applaud the effort put into that rig in your latest video, its outstanding and you sure have come along way from your first video and rig set-up.

I guess where I am coming from is that.....If you are chucking it in the hard questions now arise..... after all the years of doing what you have been doing (all the expeditions and experiments) what do you believe or know for that matter what they are? Is it just a matter of finding them like a needle in a hay stack or is there more than meets the eye? something unexplained about the whole phenomenon?

These are questions every researcher needs to ask themselves. I dont mean to put you on the spot, PM me if you think that's the best way to get you point across, but I am sure people here would love to know your thoughts.

Regards