I don't know that we can dismiss Bigfoot out of hand; I don't think enough resources have been devoted to true scientific research. A few cameras placed in the Pacific Northwest aren't really sufficient to cover such a vast area. But these knuckleheads in Georgia do so much damage with their hoax, that it makes it virtually impossible to try to get support for any serious research.
From what I've seen, there's no conclusive evidence to prove the existence of such an animal, but there's enough anecdotal/eyewitness information to allow for a serious question about its existence. That is, enough people, who seem sincere, who do not appear to act in concert, and at different times over many years, have seen something that warrants serious investigation.
But for those clowns in Georgia, I mean, c'mon! The head in their pictures is obviously a gorilla suit mask. And as someone else noted in this thread, one of the conspirators is a sherrif, or deputy sherrif, and as such, may have broken the law by helping with the hoax. If that bears out, he should be prosecuted.
Prost!
Brad