The jackalope is a modern marketing invention that became a global cultural icon.
In short: Born from a 1930s taxidermy prank in Wyoming, the jackalope—a rabbit with antelope horns—is a quintessential American tall tale. While rooted in ancient folklore about horned hares, this specific hybrid was crafted to boost local tourism, eventually evolving into a worldwide symbol of adventure, experimentation, and commercial branding.
The American jackalope originated in 1932 when Douglas Herrick, a teenager who learned taxidermy by mail order, accidentally placed a pair of deer antlers onto a jackrabbit carcass. Alongside his brother, Herrick began selling these mounted hybrids to local businesses in Douglas, Wyoming. The creature, a portmanteau of jackrabbit and antelope, quickly captured the public imagination. By the 1970s, the jackalope had become a fixture in American bars and gift shops, with towns like Douglas using the legend to drive tourism through annual festivals and souvenir licensing.
Folklorists, including John A. Gutowski and Richard M. Dorson, categorize the jackalope as a product of American 'boosterism.' This phenomenon involves small communities using local hoaxes or monster legends to gain national attention and economic growth. Unlike global monster myths, which often serve as cautionary tales or literary motifs, the American jackalope is a deliberate public relations tool. This entrepreneurial spirit, which Dorson traces back to colonial promotional literature, has allowed the jackalope to transcend its humble origins as a roadside curiosity.
While the taxidermy mounts are deliberate fabrications, the legend likely draws on historical sightings of rabbits infected with the Shope papilloma virus. This virus causes horn-like tumors to grow on a rabbit's head, creating a startling appearance that has fueled myths about horned hares in Asia, Africa, and Europe for centuries. By the end of the 18th century, however, scientists had largely dismissed these creatures as biological impossibilities. Today, the jackalope persists not as a biological reality, but as a flexible cultural symbol, appearing in everything from Pixar films and video games to craft brewery logos and alternative rock band branding.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Jackalope
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