I just got a postcard of an unknown creature...

January 20, 2003 3:59 AM

1932, Wyoming: Douglas Herrick and his brother Ralph go hunting and discover the Jackalope. The legend spreads across the globe. 2003, Wyoming: Douglas Herrick dies. Jackalopes all over the world mourn. (last link NYT, and courtesy of Tom Tomorrow)
posted by Katemonkey (13 comments total)

I'm fast as fast can be, you'll never catch me!!!
posted by Space Coyote at 4:57 AM on January 20, 2003

Line breaks?
posted by matteo at 6:25 AM on January 20, 2003

This is a metatalk circle jerk waiting to happen.
posted by The Jesse Helms at 6:56 AM on January 20, 2003

My favorite jacklope statue is in downtown Douglas, Wy, the birthplace of the legand. Mr. Herrick was a local taxidermist there. The statue is 8 ft tall, possibly the largest in the world.

Wow, does knowing this make me pathetic, or what?
posted by jazon at 7:12 AM on January 20, 2003

jazon: Not in the slightest. In fact, making the pilgrimage there would make you unbelievably cool.

Especially if you took pictures.
posted by chicobangs at 7:22 AM on January 20, 2003

yeah, sorry about the line breaks -- I thought I got it all worked out, and yet they appeared. deeply irritating.
posted by Katemonkey at 7:29 AM on January 20, 2003

chicobangs - next time I pass through I'll try to snap a few. ROAD TRIP!

On further reflection, I probably have some in an old photo album somewhere.
posted by jazon at 8:00 AM on January 20, 2003

Man, Google Image-ing on "jackalope" yields a wealth of funstuff: For example, this embroidered jackalope. I think he's supposed to be standing next to a thistle plant, but instead it looks like he's taking a really massive crap...

(Matt should take care of the breaks, and then No Biggy. I think maybe there were just ‹p›‹/p›'s in there, no? They don't work here.)
posted by Shane at 9:27 AM on January 20, 2003

Jackalope, jackalope, that's all I hear... Basselopes just don't get no respect... (LOL: "exhaust"! Is there a little homage to Seuss here, too?)
posted by Shane at 9:32 AM on January 20, 2003

"To catch the elusive jackalope, you must become the elusive jackalope...

"And that ends our seminar. Happy hunting and good luck to you."
posted by Shane at 9:50 AM on January 20, 2003

SHHHH!!! Be vewy, vewy quiet...I'm trying to catch a jackawope!
posted by davidmsc at 10:55 AM on January 20, 2003

I'm fast as fast can be, you'll never catch me!!!
posted by thomcatspike at 2:47 PM on January 20, 2003

So here I am, getting off a plane in South Korea in the mid 80s, taking a jackalope to a friend as a gift (he'd seen one in a tourist shop in Montana). The customs guy opens my bag and sees the jackalope. Having never seen such a creature, he calls over several other customs people to look at it. They begin a discussion to decide if this is some kind of endangered species. At first, I didn't help much saying that it was the "legendary jackalope, one of the meanest animals in the western US." Finally, when the supervisor came over I started to get worried and spent the next 10 minutes explaining the joke to them.

They finally let me through and let me keep my jackalope, but I think they all thought I was a kook.

Anyway...
posted by Plunge at 11:43 AM on January 21, 2003