The story goes that the very first jackalope was created by a Douglas taxidermist. But is that reality or myth? You see, if the first jackalope came from the inspiration of an animal stuffer, how come the animals have been known to sing harmony with cowboys riding the range? And why is there now an annual hunting season on the critters? Did they take on a real life after creation like Alice's friends in Wonderland? Either way, there's no doubt that the Jackalope Capital of Wyoming (possibly the world) is Douglas, where you will find all kinds of the curious critters, including an eight-footer at the town's Jackalope Square.
According to legend, after hunting some jackrabbits with his brother, Douglas Herrick took one to a taxidermy shop, a skill he had learned as teenagers through a mail-order course. As the rabbit lay near mule deer horns, inspiration hit Herrick, who had soon mounted the crossbred critter.
Roy Ball placed a 10-spot on the counter and bought that first Herrick jackalope, displaying it for years in the Labonte Hotel in Douglas until thieves swiped it in 1977. The town that gave birth to the hybrid buck with big feet soon had them everywhere. They graced business shelves, the sides of fire trucks and park benches. After the original was destroyed, a new larger-than-life replica was placed in Jackalope Square in the center of Douglas, where it stands to this day. An even bigger 10-foot version is on a hillside adjacent to I-25 north of the city.
Every summer, the city hosts Jackalope Days, and there are warning signs throughout town that read: "Watch out for the jackalope." Reportedly, some people believed that meant the animals had a propensity to attack when threatened, although there are no documented jack attacks.
The jackalopes multiplied so rapidly, obviously reflecting their rapid breeding, that the state opened a hunting season. Licenses are available from the Douglas Chamber of Commerce. If you are unsuccessful on the hunt (the season is from midnight to 2 a.m. each June 31), don't despair, you can find a can of jackalope milk at stores so the family won't go hungry.
If you keep your eyes peeled as you travel west from Douglas, you might see jackalopes in the wild (I said might!). In some areas of the state, cowboys camped out on the range have reported hearing the animals sing harmony with them (this usually occurs only after the cowboys have emptied their whiskey bottles). The best place for you to search for a jackalope in the wild is in wide open country where there aren't a lot of other distractions. I recommend driving I-25 to Casper, U.S. 20/26 to Shoshoni, then crossing onto the Wind River Indian Reservation and continuing to follow U.S. 26 to Riverton and Dubois.
If you don't spot a jackalope on the drive, don't feel too bad. They are elusive. Unsuccessful jackalope hunters will say there is simply nothing out there. But don't despair, because you will definitely see a jackalope when you get to Dubois. He is big and pink and stands in front of the Country Store, home of the Jacklope Museum. Inside is possibly the world's largest, most docile long-eared jackalope in existence. Get ready to ride, cowboy – this fine animal is saddled and just waiting for you to climb aboard. You'll also find a hallway display with jackalope replicas, relics and memorabilia, plus news articles about sightings that date back to the 19th century. All this makes it clear that the jackalope is reality. Or is that just a myth?