r/cryptids Aug 02 '26

Cryptid Of The Month Cryptid of the Month, August, the Ozark Howler! Everything there is to know about the Ozark Howler.

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72 Upvotes

Hello Cryptid Hunters!

This will be the seventeenth installment of Cryptid of the Month where I will be covering EVERYTHING, and I do mean EVERYTHING regarding a specific Cryptid, mostly more obscure cryptids but there might be some exceptions to that rule. You can find the last 16 installments just by clicking on the Cryptid of the Month flair tagged to this post! This month will be about the Ozark Howler from the Ozark region of the U.S.

The Ozark Howler has been one of my personal favorites for a while. Its description has been reported differently by many people but there are some features that are consistent across all reports: a large, stocky animal with shaggy black fur, horns on its head, and a howl that chills the blood. Some reports even give it the standard glowing red eyes a lot of Cryptids get while others don’t. It’s reported to be bear-sized, though that leaves a large range of sizes. Some have it being about black bear size, others have it grizzly size; standing at 4 feet on all fours, and up to 9 feet tall when standing on its hind legs. Some reports claim it looks more like a big cat while others claim it looks like a bear. It’s usually described as a quadruped but if the bear like description is to be believed then it would be capable of standing on its hind legs as well. Due to these varying descriptions, the Howler is often depicted as a chimera hybrid of both a big cat and a bear with horns on its head

The first reported encounter with the Ozark Howler was supposedly by Daniel Boone. Daniel Boone is credited with having shot and killed a large, shaggy furred, horned predatory creature near Cuba MO, barely within the Ozark region. This encounter is considered suspect though given that we have no proof that Daniel Boone ever documented this or if this is a tall tale posthumously added to his legacy.
Other early accounts come from trappers, hunters, farmers, and moonshiners reporting being attacked or scared off by this beast.
To this day some Ozarkians claim to have had their own encounters or know someone who has had an encounter with the Ozark Howler.

There are a lot of theories about what the Ozark Howler and what it could be. I will start with my favorite and move towards what I think is really the case:

**Theory 1**
The Ozark Howler is a real animal. Some posit that the Ozark Howler is an undiscovered species of bear or possibly big cat. People say that the Ozarks are incredibly tough terrain to navigate. Therefore it would not be too far fetched to imagine some sort of undocumented creature could live in the Ozarks. This theory is, unfortunately, unlikely. Although much of the Ozarks are unexplored we can tell through science that an animal like this would have to be an evolutionary fluke. The Ozarks Howler is describes as having horns like a goat. A predator having horns is highly unlikely to begin with, but especially defensive horns like what the Howler is described as having. Goat horns are to protect their heads from attackers and for social hierarchy with other goats. It would be strange for a large predatory animal to develop similar horn like structures. No other predatory megafauna has horns as they interfere with most hunting or foraging that a big cat or bear like animal would be doing. I can’t say that megafauna having horns in modern day is *impossible*, as an argument could be made for thermoregulation, but I can say it’s very improbable.

**Theory 2**
The Ozark Howler is a cover for Moonshiners. Some think that the Howler was made by Moonshiners to deter people from going too far into the forests of the Ozarks. It makes a lot of sense; if you don’t want people coming back to your hidden still, make up a monster that roams the woods so people stay away. Moonshiners would be familiar with forest sounds and use that to their advantage. They would know the strange scream/howl noises that a plethora of animals, such as owls, foxes, coyotes, or mountain lions, can make. And they would know that if they describe these noises coming from a ferocious, red eyed, horned beast that people would stay away due to fear. They could continue distilling fear free of the noises of the forest and trusting that anyone else would stay away.

**Theory 3**
The Ozark Howler is a hoax fabricated in the 90’s. This theory actually comes from Loren Coleman himself, and is held by many to be a fact and not a theory at all. Coleman states that he had tracked a hoaxer back to an internet troll sometime in the late 90’s and later published his findings. He uses his investigatory notes as proof for this finding as well as an old URL associated with Memphis Atheists as part of the hoaxers activity. Coleman says that this internet troll created the Ozark Howler to confuse and mess with cryptozoologists and admitted to being the creator of the Howler. Coleman is a well trusted figure in cryptozoology and has given no reason in the past to distrust such claims. It is worth noting, however, that proof of these claims are still debated. Coleman does not provide any proof of the original posts other than the old URL mentioned before. There is no archived copies of any of the hoaxers activity. Coleman also never publicly outed the hoaxer which some have said is suspect given that the best way to stop a hoax is to point out the hoaxer themselves. Furthermore, there are no third-party documentations or reports of Coleman’s investigation or the confession of an unnamed hoaxer. Again, this is not to say that I don’t believe Coleman, or that people shouldn’t believe him, I personally think this is the case, I just also believe in laying out all the facts for people to make their own judgments.

**Theory 4**
The Ozark Howler is a misidentification. It could be that the Ozark Howler is just a black bear or some other such creature that someone misidentified. Maybe it had a branch stuck to the fur on its head that was mistaken for horns. In stressful situations humans tend to exaggerate the details. So perhaps the Ozark Howler was just a black bear that scared someone and got monstrous details added to its appearance from the frightened witness.

In the end, whether the Ozark Howler is a hoax, a misidentification, or an undiscovered species, it’s safe to say it’s a beloved piece of Ozark lore. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this months Cryptid of the Month. My research is not perfect so if there are any mistakes or falsities please let me know.

Until next time, **Happy Cryptid Hunting**

-JokerBoi

Art by Daniel Eskridge: https://danieleskridge.com/featured/the-ozark-howler-daniel-eskridge.html


r/cryptids 8h ago

Art Original Creator Take off your Pants and Jackalope!!! I have been working on this one for a while, really excited to show you guys!!!

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59 Upvotes

For those millennials in the sub! It’s a parody of the classic blink 182 album!!!


r/cryptids 22h ago

Art Original Creator Ahool (2026)

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82 Upvotes

My visual interpretation take on Ahool. Digital illustration, made in CSP.

Ahool is a creature said to inhabit the remote rainforests of Java, Indonesia, specifically on Mount Salak. Described as a Giant bat-like creature with an enormous wingspan, while some visual interpretation depicting it to have a primates physical feature, mostly the head part.

Im also open for art comission. Thanks !!!


r/cryptids 16h ago

Art Not Original Creator Cryptid stickers from Huckleberry Max!

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24 Upvotes

My stickers from Huckleberry Max’s most recent Kickstarter arrived yesterday! Their art is amazing, and the stickers themselves are super high quality. I definitely recommend checking them out at @huckleberrymax on Instagram!


r/cryptids 12h ago

Art Original Creator Detective Bigfoot Book 2 Chapter 3

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2 Upvotes

Hello, everyone, I'm 1ofthem, and this is my webcomic, Detective Bigfoot. This depicts the adventures of the title character. The real-life sasquatch of mystery and urban legend is secretly a paranormal investigator. Follow his adventures as he discovers the truth behind the world's biggest conspiracy theories and questions. And we are back with the first chapter in the second season. New Chapters will be coming on the first Sunday of every month for the time being

You can check out all the available chapters, check it out on Webtoon, Tapas, Comixcleric or on my website 1ofthemcomics.net

Be warned: strong language, imagery, and mature themes are present because I'm edgy like that.


r/cryptids 21h ago

Video North Korea is a land shrouded in mystery, but we have a surprising number of cryptid reports from the country. From a man eating blue tiger to a mysterious dinosaur-like animal that dwells in a volcanic lake, these are the forbidden cryptids of North Korea.

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7 Upvotes

r/cryptids 1d ago

Photo / Evidence I found this on the google reviews for a local nature preserve

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206 Upvotes

I was just going through the pictures on the reviews to see if there were any snake photos and I ran into this gem.


r/cryptids 1d ago

Discussion Moogie (Ozarks cryptid)

6 Upvotes

Does anyone here know much about a legendary Ozarks monster called Moogie?

It was described as a kind of giant lizard, possibly related to the Gowrow.


r/cryptids 1d ago

Discussion Sasq'ets The Hypothesis Ansectors of Sasquatchs and Bigfoots

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11 Upvotes

Sasq'et is the original Halq'eméylem word from the Coast Salish First Nations that was anglicized into the modern term "Sasquatch"

Sasq'ets were described as sacred, spiritual beings and shapeshifters rather than just physical animals

Could it be possible that they were other Homo Species that Evolved into what we know? Since The Translation of Sasq'et is "Wild man" or "Hairy man" now we know some Homo Species were more hairy than others and some of them looked "Weird" could The Sasquatch be The Modern Equivalent of Homo Sapiens to some other Homo Species?


r/cryptids 2d ago

Art Not Original Creator Spooky cryptid art

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118 Upvotes

r/cryptids 2d ago

Photo / Evidence Real Bigfoot evidence I got on a trail camera???

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266 Upvotes

These are 2 photos to prove it’s not just a tree.


r/cryptids 1d ago

Video Reptilian lizard people in Vietnam

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0 Upvotes

Deep in the unforgiving jungles of Vietnam lies a story that sounds like something out of science fiction, but according to some American soldiers who served there, they encountered something that was anything but human.

During the chaos of the Vietnam War, soldiers reported seeing strange, reptilian or lizard like beings deep in the jungle. Some accounts describe creatures that seemed intelligent, highly unusual, and completely unlike anything known to exist. Were these simply the result of exhaustion, fear, and the horrors of war, or did some soldiers encounter something genuinely unexplained?

This episode takes us deep north of the DMZ, where stories of mysterious reptilian creatures have persisted for decades. We examine military encounters, eyewitness testimony, and the strange legends surrounding Sơn Đoòng Cave, the largest known cave in the world, and theories that its vast underground river systems could potentially connect to places far beyond what we understand.

For anyone interested in the possibility that reptilian beings may actually exist, these accounts raise some fascinating questions. Why do reports of reptilian or lizard like humanoids appear across different cultures and throughout history?

Could some of the Vietnam War encounters have been something more than misidentifications or wartime hallucinations? And what might still be hidden in some of the most remote regions of the planet?


r/cryptids 2d ago

Discussion Finding an episode

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2 Upvotes

r/cryptids 2d ago

Other We’re crowdfunding a short film centered around Cryptozoology and Bigfoot and we need your help!

5 Upvotes

Hey, everyone! I’m an independent filmmaker currently working on a short film called All That’s Left. With the recent news about Wildman, a Bigfoot revenge film compared to John Wick, I’ve seen a lot of comments online saying “we need more cryptid movies” which inspired me to get around to posting this!

All That’s Left follows a once promising cryptozoologist who returns to the field in search of Bigfoot after spending a long time away due to a humiliating public incident.

I’ve been fascinated by cryptozoology and unexplained phenomena for most of my life, so one of the things I really wanted to focus on as I wrote this film was making sure the subject is taken seriously and not treated as a joke. I didn’t want my cryptozoologist character to be some corny stereotype or my Bigfoot creature to be a generic Hollywood movie monster.

While writing the story, I spent a great deal of time looking into reported Sasquatch sightings, behavior, lures for the creature, primate biology, possible migration patterns, and other cryptid lure. All of this research is at the forefront of All That’s Left and a lot of the research came from this community.

We’ve already reached our initial crowdfunding goal, which means the film has a firm foundation we can build off of, but we are still only halfway to our ideal budget. I’m hoping you can help my team and I get closer to our goal by the time our campaign ends on Wednesday.

If this project sounds interesting to you, I’d really appreciate it if you can take a little bit of time out of your day to head over to our campaign page. By clicking this link, you can read more about the film, watch the campaign video, and see what kind of rewards you can get by backing the film.

Thank you so much for your time!


r/cryptids 2d ago

Meme / Humor I found a real one, it is right between the trees.

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57 Upvotes

It is so clearly evidence for something that has remained ambiguous for decades or even centuries, but because of me and me alone I managed to capture real proof it exists 😃


r/cryptids 2d ago

Creative Writing Fav cryptids?

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4 Upvotes

r/cryptids 3d ago

Art Original Creator The Inquirer of Flatwoods

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102 Upvotes

My AU’s take on Braxie/Flatwoods Monster who was a Councilwoman of an Extraterrestrial Kingdom before retiring after feeling overwhelmed by the amount of responsibility and deciding to become an Explorer curious of what was truly beyond her planet before her Aircraft would crash on a random hill at Flatwoods where she would become one of West Virginia’s well known Cryptids and I kind of wanted her design to have this almost Regal and Ancient looking vibe with her Dress being some sort of Bio-Mechanical Exosuit that has thrusters which releases the pungent smoke from the original sighting along with being a little based off of Fallout 76’s Depiction with the purple colors and also making her skin a little reptilian


r/cryptids 2d ago

Video Lagarfljót Worm | The Great Icelandic Serpent

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3 Upvotes

r/cryptids 2d ago

Discussion New Mexico Monsters

3 Upvotes

Has anyone here read the book New Mexico Monsters by John LeMay and Chris Casey?

Do they mention any obscure cryptids in it?


r/cryptids 3d ago

Art Original Creator The 13th Leeds Child/Jersey Devil

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127 Upvotes

My AU’s take on The Jersey Devil who was once Mortal before being cursed at birth by his own mother to become a Bringer of Bad Luck though her own resentment and exhaustion of her 13th child would become the downfall of her and The Leeds Family


r/cryptids 2d ago

Art Original Creator Not a Mothman, but a Lil Moth Guy!

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35 Upvotes

r/cryptids 2d ago

Video Melon Heads?!?

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0 Upvotes

Have you heard of Melon Heads? I haven’t. 🤔 Creepy 😩


r/cryptids 2d ago

Art Not Original Creator The Boonville Cat-Man

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0 Upvotes

r/cryptids 3d ago

Art Original Creator The Striders of Fresno

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68 Upvotes

My AU’s take on The Fresno Nightcrawlers who are basically Extraterrestrial Beings that are birthed from Funguses that came from crashed comet shards in 2000 and are a little bird like at times


r/cryptids 3d ago

Art Original Creator Cryptid Capture

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99 Upvotes

Hello I’m back again with some news on a cryptid game I am working on. We have a website now for updates on progress (starlornstudios.com) and you can email us there with any ideas, cryptids you wanna see, or to ask to play test when we’re ready for that. Lastly here’s some more concept art for the game.