Researchers tend to believe wood knocks are used in a range of manners to convey different messages based upon context. Single loud wood knocks, coupled with a loud whoop or other vocal, could be a “are you there?” if you will. Maybe they ask the question “is there any body out there?!” The wood knock portion of a knock/vocal combination could serve two purposes, the first being punctuation “!”, and the second being confirmation (that I am indeed a member of your species, and not some other animal vocalizing in the wilderness).
Softer wood knocks seem to be used as a means of keeping track of each other when in close proximity, and/or when danger may be near. Making a milder warning knock that your buddies a few hundred feet away can hear seems wiser than a loud bash, that would also alert the source of danger to your presence. Then there seems to be the intimidation type of wood knock, observed on a few occasions by field researchers.
While many believe wood knocking is the act of hitting trees or sticks together, some researchers believe Sasquatch could simply be creating the sound by the use of clapping or hands. Many researchers use this method to identify with Sasquatch and to establish their presence.