HODAG
AKA: Bovine Spiritualis | Wisconsin Monster
📍 QUICK FACTS
| Origin: | Rhinelander, Wisconsin |
| State/Region: | Wisconsin |
| Country: | USA |
| First Sighting: | 1893 |
| Category: | Cryptid |
📖 DESCRIPTION
The Hodag is described as having the head of a frog, the grinning face of an elephant, thick short legs with huge claws, the back of a dinosaur, and a long tail with spears on the end. It stands about 7 feet long and 30 inches tall.
👁️ FAMOUS SIGHTINGS
- ►Eugene Shepard claimed to have captured a Hodag after stunning it with chloroform
- ►Shepard displayed his 'captured' Hodag, later revealed to be a hoax
🎭 CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
The Hodag is the official symbol of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Despite being a known hoax created by Eugene Shepard, it has become beloved folklore. The annual Hodag Country Festival celebrates the creature.
