When they got to the spot they noticed the earth and surrounding plant life was disturbed like something big frequently passed there, a game trail of sorts. In the official report the officer filed he was honest, but kept the details to a minimum, it was a very tall dark figure, with no description of clothing. Despite your personal beliefs in the supernatural, these legends abound and continue to be told in the cajun lands to this day. The creature stood upright on two legs. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! It ended up passing within 15 yards of Mr. Klibert. Sorcery is everywhere, and after repeated viewings of Hocus Pocus, we know what were dealing with. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Heed our warning and be on the look out for cajun folklore monsters when youre roaming the wildest parts of the bayou state. Makes that morning commute not seem so bad, right? Stories of the rougarou in Louisiana derive largely from 16th-century French legends of a beast called loup garou, essentially a werewolf. In others, they are demonic forces that play tricks and lead you to your demise in the swamps. Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com. we have similar creatures in northeastern NY along with a few other cryptids like pig men and Bigfoot but i also have seen a panther like cat with black bat like wings by the tree line in a small town along lake Champlain. Bobby Brettel grew up in New Orleans, nearly 40 miles away from the moss-tangled bayous of eastern St. Tammany Parish's Honey Island Swamp. The Rougarou (Cedar Point) roller coaster is located at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. The Rougarou myth is even so prevalent that the term "rougarouing" or similar terms have become used to describe a person who stays up late or is active at night. The officer reported that the creature crossed a 22 foot wide street in three strides. The man dropped his gun and ran. Dont believe us? Its popularity has seen it placed on shirts, mugs, in Hollywood and even seen roller coasters named after it. The neighbor, who was unaware of the husbands sighting, stated that while walking with his dog in the woods, his dog got spooked and ran back toward their house. There are multiple categories you can enter, including ones for kids and pets. "Reporting a sighting of Bigfoot, Sasquatch and even the Honey Island Swamp Monster does not get you labeled a crazy person anymore, and therefore, those who believe eyewitnesses are not labeled crazy either," said Dana Holyfield, granddaughter of Harlan Ford a man often credited with having the first recorded encounter with the purported swamp monster. The Rougarou is also thought to be nothing more than a bogeyman story to scare children or Catholics into obedience. He checked out the deer kept driving and turned around at the lake headed back towards Hwy. The commuter stated Unlike the sloth, it was man-like. Full report can be found on bfro.net Report #514. That is if we are to believe that these creatures are flesh and blood biological entities. The student waited 5 more minutes to see if the sounds would return but the encounter was over. Stories of these cajun folklore spirits originated in French culture and made their way into Louisiana folklore over time. The neighbor then said he saw an 8 foot tall creature standing on two legs. 61 when they saw a creature pop up out from the bank of the canal that parallels Airline. I dont remember verbatim what he told me that day but the gist of that conversation has stuck in my psyche with clarity for nearly 30 years. A woman reports that several nights before the actual sighting there was something rummaging around underneath ther house. In this region; cities, towns, and neighborhoods tend to arise on the dry patches of earth that are surrounded by vast, thick, primordial swamp. Could these sightings be and unknown species of hominid living for the most part, undetected in the southeast Louisiana wilderness? Perhaps this giant was not a fan of small talk, and from the direction of travel I suspect the giant was heading home to Chackbay. A Police officer and his partner, responding to a neighborhood prowler call. My Encounter With a Rougarou "aka Louisiana Werewolf". Sometimes I mix all of these subjects together. Rougarou Sightings According to a lady from Louisiana, a local child was being chased by a dog when he decided to cut it with his pocketknife. While the officers were talking to the lady, a K-9 unit arrived on scene and when they began their search the dog alerted to something. However, many people also believe it's just a dog. If you'vegot a questionabout something Louisiana-centric, ask us. The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Just Might Be Louisianas Biggest And Baddest Foodie Event, The Historic Restaurant In Louisiana Where You Can Still Experience The Old American South, Treat Yourself To A Homemade Ice Cream Cone At The Sweetport In Louisiana, This Train Restaurant In Louisiana Is The Most Enchanting Place To Eat, 7 Folktales, Legends, and Superstitions Every Louisianian Has Heard At Least Once, The Sinister Story Behind This Popular Louisiana Swamp Will Give You Chills, The Story Behind This Legendary Swamp Monster In Louisiana Will Give You The Chills, 7 Creepy Louisiana Ghost Stories That Will Make You Sleep With The Lights On, Wanderluster/E+ Collection via Getty Images, Cavan Images/Cavan Collection via Getty Images, Troy Harrison/Moment Collection via Getty Images, 2ndLookGraphics/E+ Collection via Getty Images. A cattle bridge that crossed the Yellow Water River was mentioned as a landmark in the report. Over the decades, numerous people have talked of an ape-like creature or creatures living in swamps. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. The cousins were ridding toward the creature when they spotted it walking on side of the road in their direction. The mud was too sloppy to retain any prints. http://www.gcbro.com/LAassumption03-12-2016.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAlivingston0001.html, http://www.gcbro.com/LAsttammany0004.html. Offer subject to change without notice. This particular evening something strange caught the seminary students ear. Loup-garou. Since the migration, many of the legends began to change to match the times and the dialect. We use cookies to provide you with the best possible browsing experience. Legends of the Rougarou. See. Many rumors haunt this road, also known as LA-57. I hunt all over america and even in Africa a couple times ive run across crap that has made me avoid entire states and run across other things that i tried to stalk and kill one of these things i tried to kill is a loup garou i lived in deep louisiana until i was 11 i know about these things your gonna need some back story for this i subscribe to the idea that they are cursed humans and will have the curse till they die like wherewolves and the loup garou may even be a wherewolf because the only time ive ever found a claim of one that i couldnt easily blow off the description was the same as a where wolf like a humanoid grizzly bear on two legs with lots of steroids that aside i was doing some hunting one night for hog and saw a huge animal walk out stood 6 or 7 feet tall on two legs couldnt make out fine details due to light but i took a shot at it after i saw enough to realize it wasnt human i shot it in the head with a 45-70 those of you who dont get that its a rifle capable of taking large game like an elephant with one shot very strong round and for those of you who are gun people ill give some specs it was a 500 grain soft lead bullet hot loaded on 72 grains of powder (that doesnt sound like much but i shoot black powder in it not smokeless and no its not a muzzle loader it shoots brass cased bullets like a normal gun) anyway i hit it in the head and it got really pissed of and started to charge from about 200 yards away i shot it again in the chest and it ran off i spent the night tracking it mind you this all happemed at about 10 i only quit when i lost blood trail and foot print trail right around daylight i went home and that night there was a story of a man whos body had been found with two large holes that resembled bullet holes but it was ruled out because there was no trace of any lead or powder and he was drained of all his blood that chalked it up to a satanic ritual now to me it sounds like i killed a loup garou but hey maybe its still out there and just really pissed off. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Turns out voodoo is still in. It is most often described as having a human body with the head of a wolf or dog, with glowing red eyes and razor-sharp teeth. Strange noise ? But for decades, hes wondered about one of the swamp's fabled creatures the Honey Island Swamp Monster, a legendary 500-pound beast that some claim hides amid the cypress trees andmurky waters. 2023 Atlas Obscura. During this time, however, the Rougarou was called Loup-garou. Just hope this Louisiana monster doesnt get hold of you. Once the girl was halfway to the vehicle she noticed her friend was still standing at the front door of the house. Bears can stand up and run on their hind legs, whereas, wolves cannot. I spent a couple summers in Sabine Parish out on North Fort Fort Polk on a tract of ground called Peason Ridge(Little Nam). Louisiana monsters have been the subject of controversy for years. A lover of tasty meat, he lurks in swamps and hunts down unsuspecting humans. I believe that people are seeing these poor mangy bears instead of werewolves. I want more! Thats no werewolf, though. The different versions of the Rougarou beast are as many as reported sightings of the beast. For instance, in 2015, the floorless roller coaster Mantis was renamed Rougarou. The brave friend continued on to the car, opened the door and started to feel around in the dark for the purse in the passenger seat. I realized that parts of our folklore and our oral traditions were getting lost, he says. The dark figure crossed the road from the passenger side to the driver side, so it was traveling due south when it crossed the road. After years of inbreeding, their appearance became less and less human-like, resulting in what people now call The Grunch. According to reports, this Louisiana monster looks human, except for his sharp teeth, goat legs, and many abnormalities. 9 Scariest Louisiana Monsters from Folklore, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Rougarou, Legendary Monsters of Louisiana: Cauchemar, 6 Exercises You Can Do with a Resistance Band, 4 Southern Traditions You Should Know About. People claim he leaves behind webbed footprints (presumably to navigate the swamps effectively) and mutilates wild boars. In this version, the Rougarou is in human form during the day, only transforming at night, meaning he could blend in with society and no one would ever know! A close friend of the family who was on his way to pick up his girlfriend, she lived down the street from my dad. The French Catholics claimed that you would be turned into a loup-garou if you did not follow the rules of Lent for seven consecutive years. She says a local boy was being followed by a dog when he decided to cut it with his pocketknife. The creature continued on as it reached a woody marsh area near a canal then disappeared. The K-9 unit lost the scent once it ran into the marsh. I came across a LObservateur article that ran around Halloween 2002, titled: Let the haunting good times roll. Ruston doesnt have a swamp, but if it did. A recent novel called The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. The seminary student had the urge to run back to the monastery to tell someone but a thought emerged NO. The 12 year old that was operating the mini-bike accelerated so hard that thier cousin fell off the back. The Cajuns (also known as Acadians) are an ethnic group that makes up a significant portion of south Louisianas population. Its incredible that I actually witnessed one and I do believe thats the only thing it couldve been. While you're in Houma, don't forget to stop by A-Bear's, home to some of the most delicious homemade desserts in Louisiana. According to the woman, "The next day a prominent physician appeared in town with his right arm cut and in a sling. An illegal moonshine distilling business once drove much of the area's economy, but competition could be shot down without any repercussions, according to the article. When this is done on the 101st after the curse was initially placed, the former Rougarou is freed from the curse and allowed to take human form permanently. The student claimed it was the exact same sounds they heard during their encounter. Some versions of the myth involve witchcraft, wherein a witch has the ability to curse someone to be a Rougarou. Children are told by their elders to behave or else the Rougarou will get them. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dad's house for the evening. Once the human is cursed, it is permanent. Did your house get ransacked during the night? That gator is looking pretty good right now, huh? mystery of Marie Laveau, Louisianas Voodoo Queen, Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire, Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of the Louisiana Snowball and Its Flavors. It was getting late so I was heading back to my dads house for the evening. They described it as a cross between a whimpering dog and human crying. A quick browse and youll find many pictures of the Rougarou. Its too late to turn back! Click the image below to read our free eBook "The Big Book of Credit Union MythsBUSTED! Thats what we in Louisiana call the Rougarou, cher. When many of the French migrated to Canada and the southern United States, they took the legend of the loup-garou with them.