Folkloric Creature: The Great Horned Jackalope of North America
A cross between a hare and an antelope, this rare whimsical antlered creature is rarely seen by sober, upstanding citizens. It is elusive and exceedingly fast when frightened and can be extremely dangerous when cornered or provoked. And purportedly to the lucky few whom have taken one in the hunt claim that they taste just like lobster.
The Jackalope that Didn’t Get Away
Oh yeah, -it looks cute and adorable here. Generally when anyone gets close enough to see one for real it has blood dripping from its sabre-like horrible fangs (airbrushed-out in this image so as not to frighten the gentle reader) and dried remnants of blood & entrails still hanging from its formidable dagger-like antlers. These Jackalope (Lepus-temperamentalus) creatures are deadly, dangerous and never to be trifled with!
Also called an antelabbit, and a Wyoming thistled hare its existence may have been based upon of all things, an actual disease called “Shope papilloma virus” which causes protuberances of bony or horn-like growths to sprout in various places of the rabbit’s body. Generally, of the rabbit’s skull giving it attributes of other animals not unlike the Chimera. The Chimera was a monstrous creature of Greek Mythology having body parts of various animals, the body of a lioness with a neck & head of goat emerging from the spinal region, and having a tail which cumulates in the head of a venomous viper.
Jacklope X-ing Sign
Some feel that road-crossing signs are warranted although these creature are so rare it is highly unlikely that you would ever see one crossing the road. They are more of a danger on the open prairie where their highly acidic spit erodes the soil forming deep hole that have been incorrectly attributed to the burrows of prairie dogs. Many a cattle rancher can conform these deep holes exist, it is not a fallacy that these jackalopes are a menace to life everywhere.
Shh! Be Verwy, Verwy Qywit!
It could be called a “Wabbawope” (corruption of “Wabbit” and “Antewope”) by cartoon character Elmer Fudd. Elmer, a cartoon character, is the quintessential embodiment of a big game hunter with a child-like demeanor and notable speech impediment, his inability to to pronounce the consonant “R” and substituting it with a “W.” He is definitely the second-best and most memorable Warner Brothers cartoon creations after of course, Bugs Bunny.
Elmer Fudd’s speech impediment was legendary, replacing his R’s with W’s to comedic effect deus ex machinas so as to say such things as quotes from Shakespeare’s Romeo as “Soft, what wight thwough yonduh window bweaks!”
Always trying to ‘kiww the wabbit! Kiww the wabbit!’ he was the epitome of unswerving antagonist to the cartoon character and star Bugs Bunny. But Elmer Fudd seriously lacked effective malice to be ever a real threat. He usually just ended up hurting himself and true to cartoon character always reappeared unscathed and uninjured in the very next scene and more resolved than before to ‘git that wascly wabbit!’
Another Rare Sighting of a Jackalope
Exceedingly shy, potentially dangerous if approached, the legend of the jackalope persists. Many claims of the creature’s habits abound, that they are some unholy interbreeding of a heretofore unnamed or uncatalogued pygmy deer specie, and an equally unclassified form of deranged killer rabbit. People whom have tried to hunt this most elusive of quarry claim that they can mimic human speech and have such abilities as shouting “There he goes! That way!” and other such diversionary tactics designed to throw the hunter’s attentions elsewhere thus allowing for a speedy escape.
Postcard-Worthy Jackalope Image
Winged Jackalope
A few jackalope have been sighted that have wings, possibly a cross between a true jackalope and a prairie hen or quail. Mostly this anomalous variation of the jackalope tale seems to be concentrated around Wall, South Dakota where they have an abundance of taverns and establishments that serve liquor. This may be an apocryphalic observation but upon studying the case facts, the claim does seem to hold some merit. There are usually whiskey or other liquor bottles to be found in the vicinity of where the claimants purports having sited the creature, although they insist that those bottles are not theirs and were not present when the observation was made.
A Canadian Moosealope, eh?
There may be some basis for the jackalope in the fossil record, for an entire skeleton of a great horned Moosealope was unearthed recently and is on display. The skeletal body is small and in this image, is concealed entirely behind this massive skull. Having the disambiguation of enormous palmates of horn that resemble those of the moose, this must have been a terrifying site to the early aboriginal inuits of the northern territories as they trekked across the great land bridge that separated Asia from North America. The fact that they tasted like lobster however, prevented them from returning home. And at the current price of around $13.00/lbs. for live lobster, hell yeah I would have stayed in the New World too where the damn things were running around free and available for the taking despite the clear risk to life & limb! I love steamed lobster with melted butter. Jacklope, -it tastes like lobster!
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User Comments
stephencardiff
On March 16, 2009 at 3:16 am
I havve never even imagined ther was such a thing… funny looking creature all the same good find and thanks for sharing stickman Im older and wiser now…
Sandra A Flowers
On March 16, 2009 at 3:33 am
very cute,, those rabbits get around, ever heard of a cabbit, cat and rabbit, hehe, a neighbors rabbit once was in love with one of my cats,though they never reproduced, there is a legend of the cabbit as well, great article,
denus
On March 16, 2009 at 3:49 am
there pretty cool!
Edward J Rodrigues
On March 16, 2009 at 4:27 am
it looks so cute…at first i thought it was a creation of graphic designing….
DA Cournean
On March 16, 2009 at 5:26 am
Very entertaining Stickman. This jackalope would make for a scary nightmare I think. I wuv the way you described my buddy Elmer! Whats up Doc?
Patrick Bernauw
On March 16, 2009 at 5:30 am
Ah this good old Jackalope… Love it!
Glynis Smy
On March 16, 2009 at 6:40 am
What an interesting creature you are stickman, you find the most unusual to entertain us.
s hayes
On March 16, 2009 at 8:19 am
omg a bunny with horns ! – fabulous article
Mr Ghaz
On March 16, 2009 at 9:50 am
Excellent! Great work! That was awesome. well-written piece with nice pics too. Thanx 4 sharing
Jo Oliver
On March 16, 2009 at 4:14 pm
What an odd looking little guy. You and RJ find the absolute greatest creatures.
thestickman
On March 16, 2009 at 5:15 pm
“…You and RJ find the absolute greatest creatures. “
There is no higher compliment.
-THANKS!
-thestickman
Paul Roberts
On March 16, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Now neighbor ,this aint just some old fart your allowing to read this. I’ve a hunted a many a day in them woods down in Texas and I’ve seen the hind end of more rabbits then you’ll ever hear me repeat, and I tell you what them jackalopes do not taste like lobsters! Great write, your friend,fan,smile
Karen Gross
On March 16, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Ah yes, I remember well the days when Pa would take the old shotgun down to go out to the fields to catch us a jackalope for our supper…
thestickman
On March 17, 2009 at 5:31 am
“…I remember well the days when Pa would take the old shotgun down to go out to the fields to catch us a jackalope for our supper…”
We grew up poor, too. We could barely afford “Hamburger Helper” and even then that was without the suggested 1lbs. of hamburger mind you …we would just eat the ‘Helper’ part right out of the box, dry!
lindalulu
On March 17, 2009 at 8:30 am
Fun stuff stickman!
R J Evans
On March 18, 2009 at 4:11 pm
This is so cool – amazing that I havent heard of this little critter before!
Blogged!
http://www.webphemera.com/2009/03/great-horned-jackalope-of-north-america.html
Thanks!
Paula Mitchell Bentley
On March 18, 2009 at 4:25 pm
I love it! Sobriety aside, these are too cute.
Juancav
On March 18, 2009 at 4:33 pm
No. see is to believe.
Lost in Arizona
On March 18, 2009 at 4:45 pm
There is a place in Arizona, at one of the Dairy Queens where they have this offside attraction. They call it “The Thing.” So as you’re driving along, you begin to see the signs that say, “What is it?” “The Thing!” Well, once you pay the five bucks and get into this dark room, of all things, what should one see? A jackalope…lol! This article just reminded me of that.
thestickman
On March 18, 2009 at 5:13 pm
P.T. Barnum of “Barnum & Bailey Circus” fame was the one whom coined the expression “There is a sucker born every minute!” and to this end, he had realized that he could not get MORE money-paying customers into his sideshow ‘freakshow’ tents until he got the customers that were already in there, OUT.
So, he had a doorway set up with a sign that pointed to it and the sign said “Visit the Egress”. -Sounds like what, -a bird maybe? Well, you walk through the door (which closes behind you & locks) and you walked down a chute and found yourself standing back on the outside of the circus tent! “Egress” being of course, a fancy-pants word for “EXIT”…
Humming Buzz
On March 18, 2009 at 5:17 pm
There’s a jackalope that keeps stealing watermelons out of my garden, I swear.
And I ain’t been in no jug, neither…
Bill M. Tracer
On March 19, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Hilarious!
Lauren Axelrod
On March 19, 2009 at 9:57 pm
OH my lord, what is that creature. I never knew anything like this existed. Only you would find something so strange. I love it.
B Nelson
On March 25, 2009 at 9:11 pm
we have them around our property all the time, but they show up most around April 1
Bo Jack Russo
On May 14, 2009 at 1:29 am
Awesome Stick,I’ve heard of them,they do exist.
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