The Jackalope is a fascinating cryptid that is found in North American Folklore and is thought to have originated in the early 1900s in Wyoming, United States.
Cryptid Name: | Jackalope |
Location: | Wyoming and surrounding states.![]() |
Category: | Folklore Cryptid |
Description: | Hybrid cryptid that is described as a jackrabbit and deer antlers. |
Size: | Typically described as being the size of a rabbit. |
Behavior/Characteristics: | Elusive and rarely seen. |
Diet: | Herbivore. |
Habitat/Environment: | Open grasslands and forests. |
Evidence: | Taxidermy mounts and folk art. |
Sightings and Encounters: | No scientific evidence. |
Skepticism/Explanations: | Most people agree that it is a confirmed hoax. |
What Does The Jackalope Look Like?

The Jackalope is described as a hybrid between a jackrabbit and an antelope. It has the general appearance of a rabbit, including long ears and short tail and its fur varies in color.
The most iconic feature of the jackalope is the branched antlers that it has on its head which are similar to those of a deer.
It is described as being about the size of a typical rabbit with the exception that it can run at speeds of up to 90 miles an hour!
Are Jackalopes Real Or A Myth?

Source: Jimsy2, Public domain
Unfortunately, Jackalopes are not real. And, while stories and legends about mythical rabbits that resemble the Jackalope go back for centuries, especially in Europe, the legend of the Jackalope as we know it began in 1932 when two brothers, Douglas, and Ralph Herrick went on a hunting trip.
During their trip, they managed to shoot a jackrabbit and when they returned home Douglas tossed the carcass of the jackrabbit onto the floor next to a pair of deer antlers. Douglas had studied taxidermy and when he saw the jackrabbit lying next to the deer antlers he decided to put together the first Jackalope using his taxidermy skills.
The first jackalope taxidermy was sold to a local hotel and before long they became incredibly popular and the brothers began selling them to the public. The craze spread rapidly and soon you could find taxidermies and images of the jackalope everywhere from taverns, to homes, to postcards, etc.

Source: City Of Douglas
Jackalope Hunting Licence
The jackalope became so popular that the Douglas Chamber of Commerce started issuing Jackalope Hunting Licenses to tourists for only one day a year: 31 June – bearing in mind that June only has 30 days! The original licenses specified that hunters had to have an IQ of greater than 50 but not over 72 and that you could only hunt it between midnight and 2 a.m. Even though the hunting license is a gag, it hasn’t stopped thousands of people from buying it since it was released!

Source: City Of Douglas
Jackalope Statue
In the 1940s Douglas proclaimed itself the “Jackalope Capital of the World” and in 1965 it erected an 8 foot / 2.4 meter stature of the Jackalope to celebrate the local legend that has brought fame to its town.

Source: Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
Jackalope Days Celebration
The Jackalope Days Celebration is an annual event that takes place in Douglas, Wyoming every year. It celebrates the legend of the jackalope and is a fun-filled festival for all ages. It includes different events such as a car show, live music, food vendors, a scavenger hunt, a costume contest, and much more.
Similar Cryptids
- The Hodag – Wisconsin
- Cactus Cat – Southwestern United States
- Loveland Frogman – Ohio
- Batsquatch – Washington State