Jackalope

image The jackalope is an antlered species of rabbit found throughout the western United States. The jackalope has two unusual qualities. First, it is highly aggressive and is willing to use its antlers to fight. (Thus, it is sometimes called the "warrior rabbit.") Second, it has an uncanny ability to mimic human voices. In the old West, when cowboys would gather by their campfires to sing at night, jackalopes would frequently be heard singing back, mimicking the voices of the cowboys. When chased, jackalopes use their vocal abilities to elude capture by calling out phrases such as, "There he goes, over there," to throw pursuers off their track.

The traditional method of catching jackalopes is to lure them with whiskey, since they are extremely fond of this drink. Once intoxicated, the animal becomes slower and easier to hunt. Some people attempt to catch jackalopes in order to milk them, believing that their milk is a powerful aphrodisiac. However, it is not advised to milk a jackalope! It is curious to note, however, that jackalope milk comes out already homogenized on account of the animal's powerful leaps.

Douglas, Wyoming has declared itself to be the Jackalope capital of America because, according to legend, the first jackalope was spotted there around 1829. A large statue of a jackalope stands in the town center, and every year the town plays host to Jackalope Day, usually held in June. Jackalope hunting licenses can be obtained from the Douglas Chamber of Commerce, though hunting of jackalopes is restricted to the hours of midnight to 2 a.m. on June 31.

It is common to find mounted jackalope heads in bars and homes throughout the American west. Douglas and Ralph Herrick, residents of Douglas, Wyoming, were the first to start selling such heads during the 1930s. Jackalope postcards are also a popular Western souvenir.



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Comments

Your text accompanying the picture of the Jackalope seems to lead one to believe that it really did (or does) exist... I trust this was not your intention... or was it?
Posted by Scott Nafz  on  Fri Apr 27, 2001  at  05:23 AM
It has come to my attention through Backpacker magazine that the Jackalope may not be the hoax we once thought it was. Jackrabbits in the West have been found bearing a virus that causes bony growths to come out of their heads, proving the source of the original jackalope. The legend, of course, is attributable to the rarity of this disease.

http://www.backpacker.com/article/0,2646,1202,00.html
Posted by  on  Wed Mar 13, 2002  at  03:21 AM

So, is the article on "jackalopes" tongue-in-cheek, or do you *really* mean they're real? I find it more than hard to believe...

Thanks for a great site!
Posted by Kim  on  Tue Dec 03, 2002  at  04:44 PM
jackalope Here are a couple of mounted "Jackalopes" from here in the small
town of Tuxpan, Jalisco,Mexico. Hope you like them.....
jackalope
Posted by Kim J Egelston  on  Mon Jan 27, 2003  at  04:23 AM

Re: the jackalope. The man who was given credit for "inventing"it is Douglas Herrick.His obituary was in the 1 Feb. Boston Globe; originating w/ the L.A.Times.The obituary was quite interesting - you may have seen it, also. I have enjoyed the book very much.
Posted by Evelyn  on  Mon Feb 03, 2003  at  03:29 PM

Jackalopes, you can never trust them.
Posted by A.T.  on  Thu Nov 20, 2003  at  09:11 PM

I am shocked to learn that there are people who, even today do not believe that the Jackalope exists. As a young man it was my pleasure to hunt and bag a trophy Jackalope. The head was mounted and I still possess it! What more proof could you wish?
And I am a retired Polygraphist... and if you can't believe a Polygraphist, (expert in the instrumental detection of deception) I ask, who can you believe?
Posted by Kenneth E. Murray  on  Mon Dec 01, 2003  at  10:39 PM

A couple years ago, I saw a cottontail with "horns," looking fairly much like the jackalopes of legend, but obviously a virus-infected animal. It hung around long enough for other people to get a look at it (in a park in Minneapolis). There's a nice photo at http://www.tsukiyo.org/Myths/jackalope.html showing what the real ones look like, and the Science Museum of Minnesota did a nice exhibit perhaps 20 years ago, with mounted examples of both real rabbits with virus-induced horn-like growths on their heads and at least one taxidermist's jackalope.
Posted by Mary Arneson  on  Wed Dec 03, 2003  at  01:59 PM

is it actually real? You act like it is! My Dynamath magazine said it's
not.Make up your mind! This is seriously going to decide if I am going to take a trip
to Wisconsin!

That was my friend, Diana. This is me now, Mallory.
I don't beleive in the jackalope. But I think it's HILARIOUS how you make it
seem so REAL! Diana was saying, "They are making it seem like it's rel!" over
and over again! It was funny! while she was doing this, I was struglling to
read out loud because I was laughing so hard! I love your web site! Respond to
this please! 😊
Posted by Diana and Mallory  on  Thu Jan 15, 2004  at  07:47 PM

jackalopes arnt real this is just like people who belive that ghosts are real
Posted by nate  on  Tue Mar 09, 2004  at  07:01 PM
We are also known as Antelrabbits. The horny comments are exaggerated. Most of our energies are expended hoaxing gullible humans.
Posted by Jack A. Lope  on  Tue Mar 30, 2004  at  04:00 PM
I had the opportunity to photograph a specimen in Montreal last winter. Hope you like it:

http://www.banlieusardises.com/loisirs/archives/000691.html
Posted by Martine Gingras  on  Mon Apr 05, 2004  at  08:45 AM
I saw a realy tall rabbit just south of Ada, Oklahoma about 10 years ago, I was in the company of about 10 school teachers.
Posted by Shirley  on  Tue Jun 22, 2004  at  10:27 AM
Earlier this year (2004), my wife and I noticed some rather odd looking tracks in the snow near our barn. At first we thought little of them until we saw they went towards our birdfeeders. There, on the ground, the snow was cleared away as though someone had scraped away the snow and exposed the earth. Just a few nights before while passing the Enstrom place I caught glimpse of 3 to 4 odd looking animals crossing a small open field leading towards his cabin. Although small, they appeared to have antlers on their heads. My wife, Elizabeth, said she had read an article in the local paper, "The Bradford Gazette", that a dog was found dead from what appeared to be a stabbing, however the vet, Dr. Littleton, found a broken tip of an antler. At first he thought it was from a deer, but on closer inspection, realized it was not the case. He took it to the county ag. extension agent, who then took it to Penn State Univ's Department of Natural Resources. They claim it's unlike anything they've got on record. Professor James T. Ghilley heard of this and contacted an associate from NMU (New Mexico Univ. at Riverton). He examined it and determined it to be from the dreaded and sometimes dangerous jackelope. This reported sighting is the first known sighting in Pennsylvania. Local officials scoured the areas adjacent to the Enstrom place and are hopeful to located the dwelling place of these creatures. Enstrom, not a local resident, will be contacted once officials get the tax roll information. It's the strangest damn thing in here parts for many years!
Posted by Aston Walterson  on  Fri Sep 17, 2004  at  02:24 AM
I found something on the Goatman. I don't exactly no what a goatman is. http://www.thegoatmanchronicles.com
Posted by James Ray  on  Fri Oct 29, 2004  at  01:49 PM
He he, i thought Jackalopes where real, because my father has one hanging up in his Cabniet in the Garage, i asked him about it one day, and he told me it was attacking his dog (Smurf) so he shot it. I thought this was true for 2 years now!
Posted by Maria Jo  on  Tue Nov 09, 2004  at  07:59 PM
Dudes i hate to tell u all this but their r no such things as jackalopes. 😏 If they havnt caught 1 alive then i bet u they realy dont exist. 🐍 Please give me a break 🧛 But i still have little hope they mite exist. How do u no they do. Wut proof do u have and who was the 1 who even made up the animal 🙄 ❓
Posted by lexi  on  Sat Nov 13, 2004  at  10:21 PM
In all the jackkalope pistures i saw they looked so fake. I also studied tha their r some rabbits that r infected that have those horns. So sry ever1 who beleives in this mysterious animal.
Posted by lexi  on  Sat Nov 13, 2004  at  10:30 PM
One day i was in my backyard and i saw this odd looking animal. It was a rabbit with antlers! I tried going up to it but it ran away. But their was no way i was going to let this weird animal go. So i ran after it. It went to this wierd place. I looked around me to c were i was still keeping my eye on the weird animal. But then it just dispeared. When i looked over bi it i saw nest with an egg in it. I brought it home with me and kept i it warm. But then this wierd thing hsppened 1 day. I started to hear this wierd noise an di saw a baby jackalope. Till this day i will never 4get that pet, and do u no wut esle....i cant beleive u guys beleived me. pPlease do u really think they exist. Ill beleive wen i c it with my own eyes. 🐍
Posted by lexi  on  Sat Nov 13, 2004  at  10:39 PM
I honestly think that the iq of the average american is slipping badly. Fact, newspapers have downgraded their grammar to the 6th grade level. Fact, we're behind too many other countries in our education department to even have any pride in our school system. Fact, most americans would prefer to watch tv than read a book, and I think we're seeing the fruits of the tv raised generation now.
No wonder everywhere you turn there's someone saying something stupid. They don't stop long enough to think logically for themselves if something's true. Think about it people, if it were a true animal where has it been hiding all these centuries? Hmmm? Even a fish that was thought to be extinct was found back in the 20's. People have covered nearly every inch of this country, it's more logical to believe we'd find a missing species and or not yet discovered species in the rain forests than in the usa. If you really believe this creature exists, then the fairy and unicorn hunters really need people like you.
BTW, someone mentioned ghosts. Has anyone ever stopped and wondered why people who claim to see ghosts only see them from after the 1700's? Has anyone ever seen one from the renaissance, or before? What about during the time natives only lived here, where are their ghosts? Or the ghosts of dinosaurs? If you stop and think you'd realize many of the things people believe in is pure nonsense. No wonder mags like the star, and the enquirer sell so well.
Posted by mina  on  Tue Nov 23, 2004  at  05:14 PM
:P That has to be the oldest joke in history the jackalope. It was first brought up in alberta canada. It was a made up story of yrs gone by. It is funny to see it is still around but to think that some people are that stupid to beleve it is beyond me thank you.
Posted by charles johnson  on  Fri Jan 07, 2005  at  07:31 PM
I have a stuffed Jackalope hanging on my office wall. It was captured near my ranch in Wyoming. :coolsmile: Micro Ranch Mike, http://www.iradcorp.com/microranch.htm
Posted by Mike Gauthier  on  Mon Jan 10, 2005  at  11:17 AM
O, yes, twas a early eveing on a cold spring night i was sittin on me back lanei, and me daughter only a todler god bless her soul, screamed as loud as i ever heard a scream, so i says, what tis the matter? she points down to the groud and there was a nest of baby Jackalopes! Jumpin Jahosifatt is say's, i then took the babys inside to get them out of the cold, as the night grew old and i was about to fall asleep, i hear a rusalin and a bussalin out on the porch, i says what in the devil be there? and all i hear is GIMME MY BABY'S, i says who be there? and the creature says IT IS I THE GREAT JACKALOPE!!! and I start shakin and i hide behind a table like a young child, then i gathered up some courage to ask if it wanted to come in. It just sat there for a while and finally replied and said HECK YES ITS AS COLD AS ICE OUT HERE. So I invited the enormous creature in, it stood about 4'11 and weighed around 245 pounds give or take a few, so my face is white with amazement as i stare at the creature not knowing what to say, i says how do you talk? and the creature says back in the old west we would mimick the ranchmen and cowboys, and i says well that kinda unusual for an animal to be talking, and he said yes i know, then he turns to its baby's and says, i darn im late for jury duty, the creature grabs its children and dashes out the door never saw it again, believe me im not crazy Jackalopes are indeed real
Posted by Samsonite  on  Fri Jan 21, 2005  at  11:28 AM
I will tell you my comments after when you reply to me back
Posted by HARRY JOOF  on  Wed Feb 02, 2005  at  06:29 AM
God, I really wish they were real, that would be really cool. Of course, people used to be this way about the Komoto Dragon until proof of existance was found. But unfortunetaly this appears to be a different case.
Posted by nyb  on  Tue Jul 12, 2005  at  03:48 PM
This is an interesting story, but I have to wonder what people who believe in them base these beliefs on. Just wondering.
Posted by TC  on  Fri Aug 19, 2005  at  12:26 PM
You'd be surprised to find out what really exists out there that people don't know about.

I've heard about sightings of them around their native home in the midwest and here in Kansas where a few might have survived extinction.

Even if they aren't real, it's fun to believe anyway. 😉
Posted by Sokotra  on  Sun Jan 22, 2006  at  07:52 PM
they ARENT REAL trent so stop tellin tristan they r
Posted by tristan  on  Tue Jun 27, 2006  at  01:20 AM
Smileys


Cold walk in Texas
Jackrabbit horns in the snow
Dead hound at my feet
Posted by dwd  on  Thu Jul 27, 2006  at  06:31 AM
irresistable
horned furry creature of lore
you are real to me
Posted by MJM  on  Tue Sep 19, 2006  at  08:21 PM
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