Ozark Howler
The Ozark Howler
Bone Chilling Night Caller
The Ozarks:
The Ozark Plateau is a geographic region in the Southern United States known for its massive plateaus, thick forests, and mysterious wildlife. It's the sort of place where one can never be truly sure if they are in the presence of the ordinary or the extraordinary.
The area is rough, rugged, and pocketed with over 7,000 limestone caves. It covers over 2 million acres and has hundreds of unique water features that make travel treacherous at best and deadly at worst. It is the exact kind of topography where one could imagine a creature going undetected by even the most curious biologists, only to be sighted (or rather heard) by locals often enough to become legend (1).
The region is home to a number of otherworldly creatures including Snawfus, The Blue Man of Spring Creek, MoMo, The Arkansas Wild Man, The Gao, and more, but perhaps the most mysterious of all is known as the Ozark howler. A feline creature as dark as a shadow and mysterious as the night with a screech that can chill your very bones.
(Image credits: The Ozark Howler Image Courtesy of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. The Ozarks Map Image courtesy of The Smithsonian)
Description:
The Ozark Howler (A.K.A. The Black Howler, The Devil Cat, The Nightshade Bear, Hoo-Hoo, etc.) is a giant feline creature with shaggy black fur and glowing red eyes. Its visage has been compared to that of a saber tooth tiger or a cross between a bear and a cougar with paws the size of a man’s head. Its body is muscular and somewhat stocky, looking like it could easily overpower even the largest predators of North America. Its most fantastical trait though, is its pair of large, gnarled horns that call to mind a ram, bull, or even classic Indigenous American monsters like the wendigo. The cry of an Ozark Howler is said to be similar to an Elk’s bugle, but lower pitch and with an almost human-like tone underneath. Some say its call is reminiscent of a woman’s screams. Much like the legend of La Llorona, the creature’s call has the distinct feature of inverse volume meaning that the closer the call sounds, the further away the monster actually is (2,3).
(Image credits: The Ozarks Howler Image courtesy of Unlock The Ozarks)
Sightings:
~1816:
Many believe that the first reputable sighting of the creature was in the year 1816 when legendary American adventurer Daniel Boone supposedly tracked and killed an Ozark howler. Award winning biographer, John Mack Faragher recounts this story in his seminal work on the life of Boone (4):
…Tradition said that Boone visited Limestone about that time, staying with his cousin Jacob Boone, a prominent merchant in that town. Boone had supposedly come downriver after visiting his son Jesse at Greenupsburg and was honored at a gala dinner that included all of the distinguished local citizenry.
After the meal one of the men asks Boone for a story, and he begins a tale but is interrupted by a man who claims that his story is “impossible.” With this remark Boone shuts up and despite urgings that he continue, he refuses to speak further.
Later that evening, when he has retired to the room he shares with the son of the tavern keeper, the boy asks him about his silence. “I dislike to be in a crowd” Boone explains, and “would not have opened my lips had that man remained.” Well, we are alone now, says the boy, and he presses the old man to tell the story.
“You shall have it, honey” says Boone, who has taken a fancy to him, and proceeds to tell of killing a ten foot, hairy giant he called a “Yahoo.” The Yahoos were giant beasts in human shape from Boone’s favorite book, Gulliver’s Travels. It was a tall tale that Boone repeated to a number of people during his last year, one such as he would have told in a winter camp.
It is important to note that the story never once refers to the creature as an Ozark Howler, but instead as a Yahoo. In the world of Fiction, a Yahoo is a large hairy humanoid creature that appears in Jonathan Swift’s classic piece Gulliver’s Travels. A book which Boone is known to have read and enjoyed at the time, meaning that it is possible that the account was less one of fact and more a campfire tale. But even if you assume that the tale is true, there is little in the way of proof that the Yahoo mentioned by Boone is the same kind of creature as the Ozark Howler (4).
Yahoos are commonly known to fall into the sasquatch category of cryptozoology. With hairy, yet humanoid features and bipedal locomotive habits. This does not match with the consistent descriptions of the Ozark Howler as a distinctly feline creature. The only real similarity between the two is that yahoos are also known to make a bone chilling, screech-like call (thus the name Yahoo), but this is not nearly enough to claim them to be the same species or even that closely related (4,5).
(Image credits: Portrait of Daniel Boone Image courtesy of The Smithsonian)
~1946, Red Oak, Oklahoma:
There is very little documentation on this particular rash of sightings, but according to local stories, there was a huge rush of veterans coming to the area looking to build new lives for themselves after the second world war. New houses were being built and more people were encroaching on the natural habitat of the creature leading to several encounters wherein the Howler was described as being four feet tall at the shoulder with thick dark fur. It was said to have a shape similar to a big cat or a very thin bear with red glowing eyes that were inconsistent with the reflective yellow often seen in cat eyes under low light conditions. Its howl was described by witnesses as being similar to an elk’s call(3).
~1980:
This sighting is widely cited as the one that solidified the legend and physical appearance of the Howler. It is not widely documented, but supposedly there was a long haul truck driver who pulled off to the side for a rest. In the darkness he spotted a massive feline creature with horns and those same red glowing eyes that are present in nearly every account (1,6).
~2005-2010:
From 2005-2010 there was a noticeable increase in sightings of the creature, many of which are catalogued on the Unlock the Ozarks website; An indie site which focuses on place-based education as well as the collection and preservation of local history. It includes several text transcripts of witness accounts including the following:
“A friend of mine got up very early in the morning, about 4:30 am, and when he went outside he noticed his livestock were very frightened and had huddled in a cluster in the corner of the fence by his house. He had some binoculars, so he took a look in the direction from which they had run. He said what he saw looked like a big, black panther. He quickly changed his mind when he began walking down to his field and saw the thing running along his fence line. He said it had very long ears, or horns, and was black with thick fur. It had a long tail like a cat, but looked like a mix between a cat and a dog. It was broad and about as big as a great Dane, and it had eerie reddish eyes that gave him chills. There is no reason for him to make up such a story, and he was very shaken up after the sighting. This was in Oregon County, MO.”
This online repository is one of the largest collections of Ozark Howler sightings, making for a great read to any cryptid enthusiast (1).
The John Meyers Photograph:
The final notable encounter we will be covering merits its very own section here in the codex: the supposed “authentic” Howler photograph. In 2015 Ozark native John Meyers supposedly snapped a complete and clear photograph of the legendary beast.
The encounter occurred on the Yellow Rock Trail in Devil’s Den. A short 3 mile hike through an Arkansas State Park with views of the gorgeous Lee Creek Valley region smack in the supposed range of the Ozark Howler.
Meyers claims that he was hiking the trail when he came upon the creature and snapped a quick photo before it disappeared. He submitted the photo to both the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission as well as local news station 40/29 News. Both recipients found the photo’s credentials to be iffy at best and the Game and Fish Commission outright stated that they had no knowledge of such a creature living in the area (13,14,15).
(Image credits: John Meyers Howler Image courtesy of 40/29 News)
A strange sight indeed, though I can’t help but question the image itself. The stiff posture and slightly uncanny facial structure reminds me of a piece of hobbyist taxidermy. I suppose anything is possible though.
-The Archivist
The Ozark Howler Escape Room:
Springfield MO has a special offering for cryptid enjoyers in the form of an Ozark Howler themed escape room. 417 Escape Artist is a delightful escape location run by artist and entrepreneur Ann Gilbert who offers the experience to players 7 years old and over. The game is played in complete darkness with only flashlights to guide your way. The Howler calls in the distance, ever approaching the trapped players. Can you escape before you become yet another part of the legend?
More information and specific escape room details at: https://417escapeartist.com/springfield-ozark-howler-escape-room/
Surviving the Ozark Howler:
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission are no strangers to calls related to the Ozark Howler and they do have suggestions on survival. They state that the best thing you can do is treat the cryptid just as you would a bear. Just back away and leave them to whatever they are doing. Don’t make yourself their problem and they should generally leave you alone (21).
Possible Explanations?:
Skeptics have a particular fascination with The Ozark Howler, likely due to its lore being such a tantalizing puzzle. A creature so similar to the ones we know, but whose existence is known only by word of mouth and whose most defining feature is a mysterious, blood curdling scream. How could you not want to investigate a puzzle as cryptic as that?
I collected the most interesting theories here. Some are based more in logic, others in legend. Explore these entries with a grain of salt and an open mind. Who do you think The Howler truly is?
Escaped Big Cats:
One of the most mundane explanations is that the Ozark Howler is simply a traditional species of big cat that was once a pet, but was turned out into the wild when it became too cumbersome to care for. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon practice in the world of illegal exotic animal trade. Similar situations created the common playground legend of alligators in the New York sewer systems.
It’s possible that something similar occurred in the Ozarks. This would explain the constant reports of a feline creature despite there being no breeding big cat populations in the area. It doesn’t however explain many of the other consistencies in Howler stories such as the horns or glowing red eyes (7).
Extinct Felids:
A slightly more unusual version of a similar theory states that the Ozark Howler may be a descendant of an extinct species of North American big cat: the American lion (2).
The American lion, A.K.A. Panthera atrox was a species of feline that lived in North America during the last ice age. They were very large specimens, measuring up to about 4 feet tall at the shoulder and up to 8 feet in length (just like the Howler). They are believed to have survived by hunting large prey nearly 10,000 years ago. In the present day, fossilized footprints and other remains can be found all over the continent. Is it possible that the creature in the Ozarks is a descendent of these long extinct felids (8)?
(Image credits: Fossilized Felid Print Image courtesy of U.S. National Parks Service)
American Red Wolves:
The Endangered Wolf Center, a conservationist organization based in Missouri, argues that the Ozark Howlers could very well be misidentified American red wolves rather than a feline creature at all. Canis rufus is the most endangered wolf in the world with its territory being shrunk down to less than 1% of their original range. It makes sense that so few people, even Ozark natives, would be unfamiliar with the look and sound of these creatures, potentially assuming their calls to be something otherworldly.
The main issue with this particular theory is that red wolves look far more like regular domestic dogs than anything resembling a monster. It seems more likely that a confused onlooker would attempt to pet a red wolf rather than claim it to be some strange and unknown creature. This is especially true given that red wolves are relatively small, sizing up at only two feet tall at the shoulder and four feet long from nose to very end of the tail. These good boys are hardly monster material (9,10).
(Image credits: American Red Wolf Pup Image courtesy of Animal Planet & The Endangered Wolf Center)
Melanistic Bobcats:
Bobcats are a common sight in the North American ecosystem, and their feline nature coupled with their somewhat stocky appearance makes them a compelling suspect. The issue is that bobcats are known for their easily identifiable tawny brown coat that contradicts nearly every eye witness account of the cryptid. There is always the possibility of misidentification in the dark, but what if there is a more compelling argument in the form of melanism?
Melanism is essentially the opposite of albinism, causing creatures to take on a dark look rather than their typical coloration. It is a condition which has been recorded in numerous species including bobcats. Numerous studies have recorded instances of melanism in wild bobcats including a particularly compelling study featured in the National Library of Medicine which concluded that nearly .5% of bobcats recorded in the Greater Everglades region exhibited cases of melanism. While this region doesn’t include the Ozarks, it stands to reason that the distribution of the melanistic mutation would be somewhat comparable, especially considering that the Ozarks are the ancestral home of the North American bobcat population (16,17,18).
Could these rare and wonderful creatures be the true identity of the Howler? Their unusual nature and bone chilling screams make them a fantastic candidate, but much like the red wolf, they are simply too small to fully explain every possible sighting of the creature and as always, bobcats can’t possibly explain the horns of the Howler.
(Image credits: Melanistic Bobcat Image courtesy of University of South Florida Digital Commons. Image captured in Polk County, April 1990 by Steve Laing.)
Wampus Cat:
The Wampus Cat is yet another feline cryptid native to the American South. The creature is massive and cougar-like with six powerful legs that allow for incredible strength and agility. It originates from Cherokee myth and has been sighted numerous times throughout North American history. The creature is native to the Appalachian Mountains just a valley away from the Ozark Plateaus and is also known for its shrieking call. The similarities between these two cryptids are uncanny, leaving one to wonder if they are one in the same or perhaps ancestral cousins of sorts who now stalk a similar geographic region (19,20).
(Image credits: Wampus Cat Image courtesy of World Anvil)
A Black Dog (Cù Sìth):
The final mythological explanation for the Howler is a complicated one that touches on one of the most wide spread mythological tropes in human history: The Death Omen. Death omens go by many names, each carrying their own lore, rules, and ancestry, but many make themselves known in the form of a jet black animal that foretells the coming of the end.
The two versions of the creature most commonly associated with the Ozark Howler are the English Black Dog of Death and the Irish Cù Sìth. Both iterations are ghostly canid creatures which roam the earth to warn those for whom death tolls. They can take corporeal or incorporeal forms and are said to only be visible to those they mean to inform. It is believed that, should the Howler actually be a Black Dog, it is likely that it came along with the European settlers to the region way back during the era of colonization.
The nebulous and culturally hybridized nature of Black DOg mythos mean that the physical differences between sightings can be written off as simply the nature of the creature. The stories surrounding the Cù Sìth in particular are compatible with the lore of the Howler given that it is known to call three times to truly symbolize the coming of a person’s demise. The rub comes when you actually analyze first hand accounts of the Ozark Howler. There just aren’t any accounts that describe a death or tragedy following the sighting. Despite all the similarities, the lore doesn’t quite match (3,13,6,2).
The Unknown:
There is always the unique option. That the Ozark howler is a creature all its own that we simply don’t understand. It is important to remember that assuming we know every detail of our own world is as foolish as believing an elephant can fly.
A Final Note on the Nature of Folklore:
Despite the inclusion of a section on possible skeptical explanations of the creature I find myself feeling the need to note that the “truth” or “untruth” surrounding the creature is unimportant. The existence of these stories, corroborated or not, is incredibly special. Storytelling and legend sharing is a beautiful and ancient part of human nature that has value in and of itself. It is how we impart complex knowledge. It is how we connect to one another and preserve whimsy in the world around us. I implore those reading this to not forget these facts when confronted with skeptics or logical explanations. They do not invalidate the cryptids and monsters we find so captivating. It is simply another perspective on the legends we hold dear.
-The Archivist
Sources:
https://hangar1publishing.com/blogs/cryptids/north-american-cryptids
https://www.unlocktheozarks.org/stories/folklore-legends-and-myths/ozark-howler/
John Mack Faragher. Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer. (1992).
https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2019/05/yeahoh-yahoo-or-bigfoot.html
https://discover.hubpages.com/education/The-Ozark-Howler-Mythical-Beast-or-Elaborate-Hoax
https://417escapeartist.com/springfield-ozark-howler-escape-room/
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1624&context=ffn
https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/wampus-cat.htm
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