Have You Heard Of These Terrifying American Monsters?

The Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp is said to be seven feet tall and part man, part reptile. His body is said to be covered in hair, while his face, feet, and hands are covered in scales.

On June 29, 1988, a 17-year old named Chris Davis claims to have been changing his tire on the outskirts of Scape Ore Swamp at two in the morning when he spotted the Lizard Man running towards him. Barely escaping in his car, Davis says that the creature leapt onto the roof of the vehicle, leaving large scratch marks before it finally fell off and was left in Davis's dust.

Reports of the Lizard Man have continued since then in the surrounding areas of South Carolina, quite often describing the creature trying to attack a vehicle. Most recently, a woman claimed to have captured the creature on film, and the picture quickly went viral.

Reports of the Pope Lick Monster claim that the creature is part man, part sheep, and part goat. He is said to reside underneath a railway overpass that crosses the Pope Lick Creek near Louisville, Kentucky.

There have been a wide variety of claims surrounding the Pope Lick Monster. Some say that the creature tries to lure people to their deaths on the train trestle by using vocal mimicry and hypnosis. Other reports say that the monster is so frightening that people leap off the trestle to their deaths simply to get away from it.

Another theory says that the creature is actually a former circus performer who is seeking out revenge for being mistreated. In spite of an 8-foot fence around the overpass, there have been a significant number of mysterious deaths and accidents at the site over the years.

The Wampus Cat is said to be part woman and part cougar. The cat supposedly haunts the woods in the eastern part of Tennessee.

In the more rural areas of the state, it is believed that the creature is actually a spirit of death. Supposedly, whenever a person hears the cry of the Wampus Cat, it means that someone will die and be buried within the following three days.

This specific creature dates all the way back to the Cherokee people who claim that the cat contains the soul of a woman who was caught spying on men and their "sacred stories." Over the years, several high schools in America have adopted the Wampus Cat as their mascot.

The Jersey Devil is one of the more famous and legendary American monsters. It is described by Wikipedia as having "the head of a goat, leathery bat-like wings, horns, small arms with clawed hands, cloven hooves, and a forked tail."

The creature supposedly lives in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. Sightings date all the way back to the 1800's, when Napoleon's brother Joseph Bonaparte claims he spotted the Jersey Devil while out hunting. In 1960, a reward of $10,000 was offered to anyone who was capable of capturing the monster.

One group known as the "Devil Hunters" is specifically dedicated to researching and tracking down the Jersey Devil. Though no hard evidence exists, reports claim that the creature moves extremely quickly and often lets out blood-curdling screams.

Stories of the Pukwudgie date all the way back to the Native American tribe known as the Wampanoag. The creature supposedly resembles a human with grey skin, giant ears, and giant fingers. Some describe it as being half troll and half porcupine, with porcupine quills forming its back.

According to Native Americans, the Pukwudgie is said to have a number of magical powers. It is supposed to be able to disappear, use magic, create fire, and shoot poison arrows.

Stories about the Pukwudgie involve the kidnapping of children and the burning of villages. Some reports claim that the Pukwudgie would lure people into the woods before killing them.

Reports of the Thunderbirds go back centuries, describing these giant bird-like monsters as having 12-18 foot wingspans and several lizard features.

Two cowboys claim to have killed a giant bird-lizard creature back in 1890. They claim the monster had smooth skin, featherless wings, and the face of an alligator. Sightings are still reported of these giant birds in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania writer Robert R. Lyman said, "Thunderbirds are not a thing of the past. They are with us today, but few will believe it except those who see them."

The Alkali Lake Monster is said to reside in the Alkali Lake in the northwestern part of Nebraska. The creature is described as being 40 feet long with rough skin and the appearance of an alligator.

Reports of the monster date all the way back to the 1920's. In 1923, three men claimed to have seen the Alkali Lake Monster. They said they had spotted it from 60 feet away and that it began to thrash its tail around violently when it saw them.

Local newspapers wrote about the Alkali Lake Monster for years, but some claim that they were simply making the "news stories" up.

The Loveland Frog is a creature from Loveland, OH that largely resembles a half man, half frog. The monster is said to be roughly four feet tall.

Reports of the Loveland Frog date back to 1955, when a local resident spotted "three frog-like men" standing by the side of a road. Nearly 20 years later, a police officer reported seeing a very similar creature on one of the city's bridges.

While some experts claim that the Loveland Frog is simply the stuff of fantasy, frequent local sightings seem to indicate that something else might be going on.

Reports of Momo The Monster come from the state of Missouri, where locals describe a Bigfoot-like creature with a pumpkin-shaped head and fur covering the entire body.

Sightings date back to 1971, when a group of picnickers spotted Momo emerging from the woods. The monster reportedly ate their food while they hid in their car. Claims about the creature continued throughout the early 1970s.

Even as recently as 2015, Momo has been spotted near Missouri campgrounds. Several families reported seeing the creature by a clubhouse campfire, and hair samples were supposedly later discovered.

The Shunka Warakin has been spotted in Montana and is reported to be wolf or hyena-like in nature. Some even claim that it is a hybrid of the two species.

It's name, Shunka Warakin, means "carries off dogs," likely in response to unexplained disappearances of canines. Between 2005 and 2006, a wolf-creature was reported as killing 36 sheep and injuring 71 others. Some suggested that the Shunka Warakin was responsible.

While some experts think that the creature may just be an unusually large wolf, others believe it descended from prehistoric mammals and now resides in the woods of Montana.

The Mogollon Monster has often been spotted along the Mogollon Rim in Arizona. The creature is said to appear like Bigfoot, or perhaps a giant ape.

Claims of the Mogollon Monster say that it is over seven feet tall and that it possesses superhuman strength. It is said to be covered in hair, with the exception of the chest, face, hands, and feet. Many reports say that the monster often lets out blood-curdling screams.

The Mogollon Monster was first reported in 1903 near the Grand Canyon. It was said to be drinking the blood of two cougars and letting out unearthly screams.

Have you heard of any of these monsters before? Have there been claims of other monsters near where you live? Let us know in the comments.

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