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Their story was challenged on all sides by researchers, some of whom refused to accept any of their claims, believing that they were part of a conspiracy to discredit the circles. The following year, film producer John Macnish entered into a loose agreement with Doug and Dave, as they became known, whereby they would let him know in advance of their circle-making plans and he would film them, using infra-red cameras. He spent many hours filming them in action at night and by the end of the 1992 season, had amassed substantial evidence of their abilities, much of which is included in his video Crop Circle Communiqué II. They had declined, despite repeated invitations and the £3, 000 first prize, to enter the circlemaking competition. However they were out in the fields, at Aston Rowant, the same night producing their own pictogram. Ironically, this was later shown as an example of the 'real' circlemaker's art, mystically appearing during the competition. Whilst scientifically sound, the circle-making competition also had some effect in stimulating the English circlemakers and provided an opportunity for notes on technique to be exchanged. There seems little doubt that the hoaxers' capabilities have expanded, spurred on by both competitiveness and cooperation. Two Wiltshire farmers to whom I spoke were in no doubt of this; the steady Back in 1986, Doug and Dave had pressed out the words 'we are not alone’ at Cheesefoot Head, which they later said was their response to a second, rival group of circlemakers who they believed were operating in Wiltshire. After 1991, as the implications of their story sank in, increasing efforts were made by researchers to identify hoaxing groups. George Wingfield and Jurgen Kronig wrote several pieces collating gossip, rumour, observation and detective work to name the individuals behind particular formations. Paul Fuller, in The Crop Watcher, had been pursuing this line for some time, publishing various details that suggested there were increasing numbers of hoaxers at work all over the United Kingdom, and elsewhere in the world. Some circlemakers did not even try to hide their identity. Julian Richardson, alias 'Bill Bailey’, entered into an agreement with a researcher, Michael Inns, similar to that which Doug and Dave had with Macnish, providing advance information of his plans. In 1993, he made a large, geometrically complex formation in Northants, England, which became known as the 'Bythorn Mandala’. This later became the centre of a controversy which illustrated how difficult it was for some of the circles fraternity to accept the extent of human circle-making. Through a combination of carefully vague reporting and the fact that nobody in the United Kingdom has yet been prosecuted for circle-making, quite a number of hoaxers have put their ‘confessions’ on record. As a result of this, a great deal is now known about the techniques and motivations of the hoaxer. At a very conservative estimate there are a dozen teams or individuals who are known to have made circles in England. ‘improvement’ of the designs over the last ten years suggested practice making perfect. Other Circlemakers