Our Famous Jackalope-Western Born and Raised

Last updated on October 20th, 2024 at 12:23 pm

If you have lived in the Western United States, you could already know of the Jackalope. You’ve seen him in bars, roadside cafes, souvenir shops, and cowboy shops that sell jewelry, clothing , and boots.

(AlphabeastiaryJ by Samotage)

This charming creature is a jackalope. He is a jackrabbit with horns .Go out west and you will find him.

The Wall Drug Store in Walls, North Dakota. 60 miles from Mount Rushmore, it started as a small family store that gave away free ice water. The Store is now a tourist attraction displaying an arcade, a cafe with a menu of home cooked meals. The Wall Store sells every known type of western souvenir, including jackalopes. The Store has huge outdoor statues of jackalopes and dinosaurs. Still gives away free ice water.

The World’s Largest Jackalope. Found in Douglas, Wyoming. Douglas claims itself as “Home Of The Jackalope.” He sits outside of the Douglas Railway Center.

Behold the world’s Largest Taxidermy display of a Jackalope. Driving down US Highway 26 , the sign reads “See It. Touch It. Believe It.” This specimen is on permanent display at the Country Store in Dubois, Wyoming.

The Laughing Jackalope Bar and Grill of Las Vegas . Opened in 1998, is now closed.

This jackalope sits on the roof of a car dealership in Fort Worth , Texas

Ride the jackalope at the Jackalope Bar in Austin , Texas

The jackalope is not real but we like to pretend that he is

Yet when I worked at a Nevada gift store , we sold jackalope postcards. Tourists would come up to me and ask, “Are these real?”

There is a virus that attacks rabbits and causes keratin growths on their heads. Called Shore Papilloma virus. There are theories that people saw these poor wild rabbits and started the jackalope myth. But many of us do not think that is the sole reason. Variations of the virus also attacks squirrels and deer.

Jackalopes started from tall tales because they are so much fun. They are a beloved part of western lore along with the hodag and the hoop snake. They are our very own cryptid.

If anything, they bear a closer link to the Wolpertinger, a kick-ass rabbit of Germany and Bavaria that also has wings and fangs.

The myth of horned rabbits was not a novel concept. In addition to the Wolpertinger of Bavaria, Europe included the Rasselback of Germany and the Skyvader of Sweden.

European immigrants settled in the American West. Once they saw the jackrabbit with their insanely long ears, they told of their beloved horned rabbits and the myth of the Jackalope was launched.

Because combining animals is a favorite sport, our jackalopes are irresistible. You will find many photos of jackalopes. Enjoy them. but sadly, they do not exist. I wish they did.