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A native to the deserts of the Southwestern states, Cactus Cat is another harmless cryptid, with a strange habit. Described as about the size of a bobcat with needle-like fur reminiscent of a porcupine, the Cactus Cat is said to slice open cacti at night and become intoxicated after drinking the juice that’s held inside. After drinking the cactus juice, the Cactus Cat simply stumbles around in a drunken stupor.
A massive, white moose, commonly referred to as “Specter Moose,” has been occasionally sighted around Maine since 1891. The moose is said to have 22 antler points on each side, and is seemingly indestructible. Reports of hunters shooting at the moose describe the bullets bouncing right off its hide.
The Chupacabra is the legendary “goatsucker” of the Southwest. Some versions of the legend depict Chupacabra as a reptilian, almost alien-like creature, while others describe it as a small, vicious canine beast.
The Fillamaloo is a bird from the American Northwest, also known as the Goofus Bird due to its strange behavior. The Fillamaloo flies backwards, allegedly because it doesn’t care where it goes, and builds its nests upside down. It is said to have a long, green neck, the head of a turkey, and one pink wing.
Native to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Dungavenhooter was a deadly creature said to have been born with no mouth but gargantuan nostrils. To survive, it would jump up and down on unlucky lumberjacks until they were beat down to nothing more than a gas, which the Dungavenhooter would then inhale for nutrients!
The Hodag is a beloved mythical creature from the woods of Wisconsin. The myth of the Hodag was originally started as a hoax by lumberjack Gene Shepard in 1893. Shepard claimed to have captured a vicious beast in the woods, with spikes along its back and giant fangs.
Thought to be a cross between an extinct species of pygmy deer and a “warrior rabbit”, the Jackalope has been mentioned by cowboys and frontiersmen since the 1700s, and is known to be able to mimic the sounds of humans. Some researchers think the source of this myth comes from rabbits afflicted by SPV, a virus that causes horn-like tumors to grow around the rabbits’ head and mouth.
According to legend, the Squonk is ashamed by its appearance and stays out of plain sight at all costs, spending most of its time crying and howling. If the Squonk is ever seen, apparently it can even dissolve in its own tears if startled, hence the scientific name Lacrimacorpus dissolvens.
Hailing from Idaho but with sightings spanning most of the Western, Midwestern, and Southern states, the Wampus Cat can take on many forms. Most commonly, it is described as a medium-sized cat that walks on its hind-legs, with dark black fur and glowing yellow eyes.
The Whiffenpoof, native to Idaho, is a large fish that can only be found in perfectly circular lakes and has an affinity for smelly cheeses. Allegedly hunted for its tender meat, but nearly impossible to catch, they can be found by boring a hole in the exact center of a perfectly circular lake, and dangling cheese (the Whiffenpoof prefers Brie or Liimburger) down the hole to coax the fish out of hiding.
One of the older creatures on this list, dating back to the German and Dutch settlers of Maryland and Pennsylvania, the Snallygaster is also one of the scariest. A half-bird, half-reptile, dragon-like creature, it has the terrifying added feature of octopus tentacles. Known to suck the blood out of its victims, it swoops down from above and carries away unsuspecting humans and livestock without a sound.
The Hugag, a harmless beast that is classified as one of the many “fearsome critters” that became popular in tall tales of the 1800s, is a forest-dwelling creature about the size and shape of a moose. Unlike a moose, however, the Hugag has an enlarged upper lip that prevents it from grazing, and it isn’t able to rest because of its lack of joints in its legs, making it impossible to lie down.
One of the most famous of North American folklore creatures, the Jersey Devil is mostly sighted in the northeastern states, and is thought to reside in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. There have been consistent sightings of the Jersey Devil since the 1700s.
Not so fearsome is the Squonk. Thought to hide in the Hemlock Forest of Pennsylvania, the Squonk is a particularly ugly creature covered in loose, wart-infested skin.
A then 17-year-old Bill Bartlett claimed to have seen the creature, described as having a bulbous head, a thin body, and orange skin, while driving his car late one April night. At first, Bartlett thought the creature was a cat or a small dog, before noticing its unnatural features just as it scurried away. Another youngster, 15-year-old John Baxter, saw the creature on the street and mistook it for a friend of his in the darkness. The creature again scurried away, leaving Baxter flabbergasted.
For years, Shepard would collect money from locals wanting to see the Hodag, but always had an excuse ready to account for the creature’s absence, even at his stand at the county fair. Eventually, the Smithsonian sent someone to investigate, and the hoax was found out. Nonetheless, the Hodag is still the official mascot of Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
Possibly an extraterrestrial visitor, possibly a “baby moose glimpsed under unusual conditions,” the Dover Demon was sighted by a number of school children in Dover, Massachusetts, under differing circumstances in the 1970s.
The Specter Moose of Maine is also thought by many to be a harbinger of bad news, similar to the Mothman. While the existence of a moose this large and this tough is unlikely, white albino moose have been spotted in nature.
Chupacabra has been blamed for thousands of animal deaths since the mid-1990s. In just about all cases, the cattle or goats have been completely drained of blood. There have been numerous reports of Chupacabra being captured, but these usually turn out to be feral dogs or coyotes.
Sources: (Legends of America) (Wisconsin Life)
Read More: 30 myths people (somehow) still believe
Since 1966, the Mothman has been spotted in different places around the world, sometimes thought to be trying to warn of impending disasters after being sighted in New York just before 9/11 and flying around Chernobyl just days before the catastrophic meltdown. The Mothman has been the subject of books, movies, and TV shows, and even has his own statue and museum in Point Pleasant.
Another superstar of North American mythology is the legendary Mothman. Originally sighted in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, the Mothman is a very elusive creature. The first sighting was in 1966, when two couples were driving near the sight of an old explosives and ammunition factory and saw a fearsome humanoid creature about seven feet tall (about 213 cm), with massive wings and glowing red eyes, swoop in front of their car and proceed to chase them down the highway at dizzying speeds.
The Wendigo, which subsists on human flesh, is said to commit random acts of violence, as well as instill urges of cannibalism in its victims. It is said in parts of Canada that the worst of Canadian criminals are actually Wendigos in disguise.
Described as a human-sized, bipedal, hooved creature, with wings like a bat and the head of a horse or mule, the Jersey Devil is sometimes classified as a type of dragon. Some reports say that the Jersey Devil can breathe fire and spit poisonous water, and is known to live on a diet of mostly children.
While fearsome in description, the Wampus Cat isn’t known to attack humans directly. Instead, it howls all night around towns and forest camps, and will occasionally set forests on fire with its glowing eyes. It’s scientific name is Aquilamappreluendens forcipe.
The Jackalope is an antlered species of rabbit that allegedly resides in the remote parts of Wyoming, New Mexico, and other western and southwestern states. While most of the famous taxidermied Jackalope trophies are simply jackrabbits with deer antlers attached, there are many who still believe this animal really exists.
Based in old Native American folklore, the Wendigo is an evil spirit that haunts the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada. Sometimes said to be up to 15 feet tall (over 350 cm), and with giant antlers in some cases, the Wendigo can possess humans and even turn them into Wendigos themselves if it wishes to.
Hailing from Loveland, Ohio, the Loveland Frogman is reportedly a bipedal frog over three feet (over 100 cm), first sighted by local police officers in 1972. The creature seems to mind his own business, and doesn’t cause his human neighbors any trouble.
The United States has a long, storied history of people supposedly running into critters, aliens, and supernatural creatures of all different shapes and sizes. Most of these accounts tread the line between fact and fiction, with no concrete evidence. Nonetheless, for decades, and in some cases for centuries, people have been claiming to see things that can't quite be explained.
Some of these creatures are elusive, some murderous, while others are just harmless and goofy. Intrigued? Read on to find out more about the most interesting creatures of American folklore.
Silly and spooky mythological creatures of North America
Not every mythological being is frightening (but a few definitely are!)
LIFESTYLE Halloween
The United States has a long, storied history of people supposedly running into critters, aliens, and supernatural creatures of all different shapes and sizes. Most of these accounts tread the line between fact and fiction, with no concrete evidence. Nonetheless, for decades, and in some cases for centuries, people have been claiming to see things that can't quite be explained.
Some of these creatures are elusive, some murderous, while others are just harmless and goofy. Intrigued? Read on to find out more about the most interesting creatures of American folklore.