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Hodag

Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 Next review Nov 9, 2026

Painted illustration: whimsical horned spiny green beast with a toothy grin in a northern Wisconsin forest, folk-art style — AI rendition based on witness descriptions, not an actual photo.

A hodag surrounded by a group of armed men. — A hodag surrounded by a group of armed men · Unknown author · Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons) · Image source

The 'Hodag' in front of the Rhinelander chamber of commerce. — The 'Hodag' in front of the Rhinelander chamber of commerce · Gourami Watcher · CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons) · Image source · License

A horned, fanged beast 'captured' and displayed in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.

Hoax Verdict: A deliberate 1890s hoax that is now the town mascot.

Region: North America · US East & Midwest · United States
First reports: 1893 (Eugene Shepard, Rhinelander, Wisconsin)

Key sightings

Eugene Shepard staged a capture in 1893 and showed a 'live' hodag in 1896, later admitting it was a hoax.

Best evidence

Admitted hoax.

Sources

Wikipedia: Hodag ↗