Another one of Pennsylvania’s cryptids, the giwoggle is the official monster of Clinton county. The creature has the body of a wolf with bird talons instead of front paws and horse hooves in place of back paws. It walks upright and stands around six feet tall. According to the legends, the giwoggle is not naturally occurring, but is instead conjured by a witch. The mixed up body parts an intentional part of the spell in order to confuse trackers. The creature doesn’t harm people, but is instead sent to annoy those that had offended the witch, often with pranks and petty vandalism. Farmers would find their crops trampled, animals frightened, or tools damaged.
Bernard at PA Wilds traces the stories of the giwoggle back to the mid1800s as an oral tale passed down through generations. It is most common around West Keating Township, PA. The earliest written record of the giwoggle was an article in a folklore periodical, where George Rhone recorded the tale of the creature having heard it from his grandmother. There are even tales of a local hero, Loop Hill Ike, having defeated giwoggles and their witches.
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