10 Appalachian Cryptids

The Not Deer differs from creatures like the Mothman or the Jersey Devil. This elusive animal first looks like something else.The Not Deer hails from the foothills of the Appalachia Mountains.This cryptid mimics a deer. But as people watch more, they see things go wrong. Proportions shift suddenly, or the animal has too many joints.

Some witnesses say the Not Deer does this.The Not Deer moves like a newborn fawn.Others say it jerks forward awkwardly, twitching its body in strange angles. Its eyes sit on the front, not the sides of its head, like a predator.

The Not Deer does not seem afraid of humans. It makes eye contact instead of running into the brush. Witnesses feel dread near it; though no attacks are reported, they sense a threat.

Little is known about the Not Deer. Some link its origin to shapeshifting Skinwalkers of Navajo folklore. Others connect it to Wendigos. If you see a deer while traveling through Appalachia, keep driving.

In Braxton County, West Virginia's rugged area, seven eyewitnesses and a scared dog had an encounter that remains unexplained.

The story claims that in 1952, a group of children playing football saw something.A group of children playing football saw something.A bright object streaked across the sky, then crashed near a farm. The children called for their mothers, and others joined them to see what fell. What they saw changed their lives.

Witnesses described the Flatwoods Monster as a Frankenstein-like monster. Seven witnesses reported it measured ten to twelve feet tall. It had a green face, a red body, and claws instead of hands. Its eyes glowed as it floated toward them, sending a sickening metallic order as it approached. Others saw this in Point Pleasant, WV.When others returned to the site, only a foul order and two large skid marks remained.Investigators investigating the site found only a foul order and two large skid marks.

The event was so strange it caused Project Blue Book.Project Blue Book studied the event.Project Blue Book, an initiative by the US Air Force to study unidentified flying objects, sent investigators to examine the incident and interview witnesses. The Flatwoods Monster never reappeared, making it a puzzling mystery in the village's history.

Mothman, one of Appalachia's main cryptids, has its story woven into the region's folklore.

Legend says Mothman first appeared in the mid-20th century. It is a bipedal, winged creature with glowing red eyes that pierce the night. Its eerie presence was first seen flying over two gravediggers.Mothman was first seen flying over two gravediggers.Four other residents in Point Pleasant, WV, also saw the creature near the Silver Bridge disaster.An abandoned National Guard Armory.Mothman stood seven feet tall before rising like a helicopter and chasing a car. Reports of missing dogs and strange creatures near homes started circulating. A deadly bridge disaster then put Mothman in the national spotlight.

On December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge collapsed over the Ohio River from a broken suspension chain. Forty-six people died in that town's deadliest event. Some locals claim they saw Mothman before the collapse, linking the creature to the disaster. After, Mothman connected to other disasters.It was an 8.1 magnitude earthquake.This happened in Mexico City in 1985.

Mothman's presence at these terrible events makes many see it as malicious, causing disaster. Others think Mothman is an omen, warning people of future catastrophes to save lives.

Rooted in Cherokee folklore, the Raven Mocker is an evil spirit that...It takes the hearts of the dying.Raven Mockers are said to feed on the hearts of dying people to preserve their own lives. These entities usually show up as old, withered men and women in human form. They use the stolen lives of their victims to extend their time on Earth. Sometimes, they turn invisible. Only the dying and the medicine men hunt them.

When someone is sick or dying, the Raven Mocker flies into the air in a fiery form with sparks trailing behind. They glide through the sky with outstretched arms, making the sound of wind and an unearthly raven cry. Those who know about the Raven Mocker hide in their homes, knowing the sounds signal death or loss.

Unless a medicine man drives the spirit away, the Raven Mocker enters the home unseen by everyone except the victim. They then torture the victim, hurting body and mind, before eating the heart without leaving a mark. Families know the Raven Mocker came for their loved ones because they are missing their hearts.

A monster prowls the dense woods of Grafton, WV. Journalist...Robert Cockrell first encountered the creature.He saw the creature during a late-night drive home.

Cockrell could not grasp what he saw when headlights hit a monster on the road. He described it as a mix of Bigfoot and a troll. He ran away scared, but...He returned with two friends.The grass where the creature stood showed signs of being trampled by something heavy.

Dubbed the Grafton Monster, this lumbering humanoid cryptid stands over 7 feet tall and weighs up to 900 pounds. A large hunchback often makes it look headless, and its skin has a slick, sea-like look.

Cockrell's account of the Grafton Monster caused search parties to sweep the wilderness. Many people returned with their own sightings, but no one found proof of its existence. Regardless, the Grafton Monster remains a local legend, and tourists still explore the woods seeking an encounter.

Deep in southern Appalachia, a fearsome creature is rumored to walk the land. Rarely seen, its eerie cries hit the night air, frightening anyone who hears them. The Wampus Cat emerges from American folklore.The Wampus Cat traces its roots back to Cherokee folklore.Stories speak of a woman who wore a mountain lion's hide to watch a male-only dance. She got caught and cursed to live in the creature's skin forever.

The origin story shifts over time. European tales of witches and shape-shifters prowling the forest at night appear. Because of mixed folklore, descriptions vary. Some stories feature a hybrid of a mountain lion and a woman, with other tales showing wings or tails or no human traits. Witnesses report its eyes glow red or yellow, and it runs erect on all fours. Wampus Cats possess feline agility and stealth, explaining why they are rarely seen but often heard.

Like West Coast mountain lions, their screams and missing wildlife signal their presence in an area. In 1918, the Wampus made headlines inThe Greeneville SunThe newspaper blamed the creature for deaths of dogs, pigs, and other animals in the area. Skeptics dismissed the sighting as misidentified large cats. However, since mountain lions left Tennessee by the early 1900s, something else likely killed family pets.

Appalachian mountain residents never whistle at night. This avoids attracting wandering spirits. They also avoid looking into the trees because they do not know what might look back. Travelers unaware of mountain rules risk angering the fabled Devil Monkeys.

Like Sasquatch,Devil Monkeys look like primates.But they have a long, dog-like snout. Rumors say Devil Monkeys stand about five feet tall, switching between walking on all fours and leaping on two feet. Legend states Devil Monkeys areDevil Monkeys are extremely territorial and aggressive.Devil Monkeys pounce on those who get too close. Regular bystanders face danger; however, Devil Monkeys camouflage well, making accidental sightings easy. Locals warn that if trees sway alone, camouflaged monkeys might swing. Move away from the area; if a Devil Monkey spots you first, you face trouble.

In 1959, a motorist from Smyth County, southwestern Virginia, faced a Devil Monkey attack. He drove into the monkey's area, and the creature jumped at his window, aiming for him with its claws. Three scratches ran the length of the car when he returned home. Sightings continued through 2001; the Danville Fire Chief and 11 others saw the creature in town. They also saw it again in 2014.

Devil Monkeys are seen often, so there have not been many violent fights with these cryptids. But given their attitude, keep your distance.

In 1994, Ed Rollins was hunting Mothman and UFOs.Rollins hunted Mothman and UFOs in West Virginia's dense wilderness near a creek. Rollins initially found no evidence but expected a more elusive encounter. Reviewing tips from a UFO investigation group, a bizarre creature walked from the brush to drink from the water. Rollins lacked a camera but watched the beast for several minutes before it vanished back into the woods. Later that year, two children saw the same creature playing in their Boone County yard. More sightings of what Rollins saw occurred along the Morgan's Ridge mountain range before the public understood what they faced: Sheepsquatch.In West Virginia's thick wilderness, Rollins stopped at a creek. He felt discouraged because he found no evidence on his hunt. Still, Rollins faced something much harder to find. Rollins studied tips from a UFO group. A strange creature walked from the brush to drink water. Rollins lacked a camera. He watched the beast for several minutes before it left the woods. Later that year, two children saw the same creature playing in their yard in Boone County. Rollins saw more of what he saw along the Morgan's Ridge mountain range. The public later understood: Sheepsquatch.

Sheepsquatch is a quadruped beast about the size of a bear. It walks on two or four legs. Its shaggy, wool-like white hair identifies it. It has a dog's face, raccoon paws, and two horns like a goat. This makes it one of the region's unusual creatures.By a coal miner in 1929.The smell originates from the TNT Area.The smell comes from Mason County, which holds empty coal mines and WWII-era TNT bunkers. Others suggest the smell connects to weasel-like animals with musky odors.

Sheepsquatch reportedly smells like sulfur. Some people assign this smell to it.It originates from the TNT Area.It comes from Mason County. This county has empty coal mines and abandoned World War II TNT bunkers. Others suggest the smell links it to weasel-like animals with musky odors.

A phantom Black Dog haunts Maryland and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. This creature is known as the Snarly Yow.The sinister canine.The Snarly Yow has jet-black fur. It has a fearsome red mouth. It has luminous eyes. It carries an aura of otherworldly menace.

Encounters with this unearthly creature began in the early 1900s. Many Tri-State Area residents shared chilling stories about a massive black hound with a fiery crimson mouth. Most tales feature the Snarly Yow chasing people walking or riding horses. No actual attack occurred, but the encounter alone caused terror for anyone who crossed its path. The community tried to stop the apparition, but bullets passed through its body without injury, leaving everyone confused.

People still report seeing the Snarly Yow today. 1975, a bus carrying children Hit a large black dog.on the way back from a field trip. Passengers felt the bump as they passed the dog, but the driver exited the car to find it standing unharmed on the road. The driver said the dog showed its teeth at him before vanishing. Another couple hit a dog with their car; they watched it disappear as they got out.

Maryland's folklore holds the mysterious Snallygaster, a cryptid whose origins trace back to early settlers.

The first hints of the Snallygaster appeared in 1735, starting a wave of sightings across Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. People described it as a A bloodsucking dragon-like creature., the Snallygaster supposedly has wings, horns, and a reptilian tail. Perhaps it has lizard scales and bird claws. It has one or two eyes. Instead of scales, its body resembles a wild cat. People disagree on its look, but they agree on the smell—a sulfuric stench that stays long after it leaves.

Settlers in Frederick County, MD, blamed the Snallygaster for minor problems like knocking over light objects, eating livestock, and frightening people with its loud cry. One story says it lifted a person into the air, and another blamed the cryptid for eating pets. Settlers chased the Snallygaster away after finding it avoided a specific hex sign painted on their barns and houses, but it did not stay gone for long.

The creature reappeared during Prohibition. Moonshiners needed to scare off revenue agents. Strange screeches in the mountains and bodies drained of blood gave the Snallygaster new life. Stories of a large, flying creature attacking people with tentacles became common.The Middletown Valley Register. The Baltimore Sun., andThe Washington Post.until it was reported dead in November 1932.

The Snallygaster rooted itself in the region's history even in death. Pepsi paid tribute to the beast by introducing 'The Snallygaster' drink in 1960.