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Trippy Tales from the Back Yard
The Beast of Bray Road
Welcome back, Young and Young-At-Heart Explorers! Welcome back to Trippy Tales from the Backyard! The show where we explore some of the strangest, scariest, and most curious urban legends from around the world, especially the good old U.S.A.! Be they unknown cryptids, horrific hauntings, or random unexplained phenomena, the stories we tell on this show explore the mostly untapped supernatural side of the 50 states and beyond!
As we continue to celebrate the Halloween season, it would only make sense to spend our time tonight discussing one of the season's many unofficial mascots; werewolves!
Or perhaps to be more precise, we will be sharing our s'mores with one particular werewolf-like creature who's been seen hunting prey in the American Heartland town of Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
Indeed, for many centuries, werewolves have shared the crown for the most infamous and lucrative of supernatural beasts with the vampire throughout multiple countries, cultures, and walks of life. Many different parts of the world have had their own variation on this horrific shapeshifter. In fact, the U.S. in particular has had several!
However, I'm not talking about the howlers of Hollywood, no. Although these creatures may look not to dissimilar to the Larry Talbots and David Kesslers of the silver screen, the werewolves of American Folklore have come to be under a rather different set of circumstances.
For decades, many moonlit sightings of wolflike creatures with humanoid characteristics have been reported across the highways of the 50 states. And these supposed werewolves often don't even need a full moon in order to hunt! Many of these creatures have often been connected to Native American Folklore in particular.
However, tonight's subject is perhaps one of-if not the-most well-known and mysterious of these urban cryptids. Those in Elkhorn, Wisconsin who find themselves on the town's 17-mile stretch of blacktop dubbed Bray Road have claimed to have seen this particular creature for the past 9 decades. That creature has been dubbed by locals, rather simply, as the Beast of Bray Road.
Indeed, since the Depression era, The Beast of Bray Road has made its supposed presence known on moonlit nights on the roadsides of Elkhorn and its neighboring towns and counties. Also known by names such as The Wisconsin Werewolf, The Indigenous Dogman, or the Bear-Wolf, The Beast of Bray Road has become as important a part of the American Midwest as its cheese-based dishes.
So, gather around the campfire, my friends, and make prepare to have chills roll down your spine, as we share a Trippy Tale from The Backyard!
Here, Doggy doggy...
Unlike the Jersey Devil, the last legendary cryptid that we discussed on this show, The Beast of Bray Road is a relative newcomer to the folklore of the comparatively younger than the rest of the world United States. This is actually a fact that you will find to be relatively common with a lot of American cryptids that will be discussed in future articles.
But, back to the topic at hand. While nobody knows exactly where the Beast of Bray Road may have come from, it hasn't even been a full century since he was first reported!
The first time he was sighted came one pitch black evening in 1936. On that night, a man in his 30s named Mark Shackleman was making his usual nightly rounds as a security guard for The St. Colleta School for Exceptional Children. Located in Wisconsin's Jefferson County, the site of the school was built within a former Franciscan convent where multiple old buildings still stood, and several ancient Native American burial mounds remained preserved in the fields.
Shackleman was crossing these empty fields, flashlight in hand, when he suddenly came across a large, unidentified shadow. Its shape was canine in form, but it appeared to be too large to be any mere dog or wolf. The shadowy mass appeared to be digging into one of the preserved graves when it suddenly became aware of Shackleman's presence.
The strange form turned its head towards the security guard, and without warning, leapt up on two legs. The faint light of Shackleman's flashlight revealed the vague form of a humanoid beast with a muscular frame, but with the shaggy fur and head of a canine-like creature. The creature growled at Shackleman as the smell of rotting meat permeated the air before making its escape through the bushes.
Shackleman was left shaken by the incident, but the next night, he continued with business as usual. And then the creature reappeared again in the same spot. It stood up and opened its mouth, revealing rows of sharp fangs. The creature snarled at him with a speech that was described as "half-human and half-beast" and then fled once again.
After that night, the beast never returned to St. Colleta, but Mr. Shackleman carried the memory of the horrid creature for seemingly the rest of his life, eventually managing to share his tale with the public.
Paw-sitively Perilous
Since, then, The Beast of Bray Road has made multiple sudden appearances on Elkhorn's 17-mile Bray Road, often being described with the same characteristics noted by Mr. Shackleman. It has also been said that the beast is capable of both quadrupedal (four-legged) and bipedal (two-legged) movement, and usually doesn't harm humans per se, instead having an insatiable appetite for the local wildlife.
One notable incident occurred in 1972, when an as-of-yet unidentified citizen reported that a creature matching the Beast of Bray Road's description attempted to break into her home one evening, and returned another evening to attack and injure one of her horses. The only evidence that supported her claims was a large, 12-inch-long footprint.
However, much like a lot of the nostalgic fads of popular culture, it would seem that The Beast of Bray Road may have been most active during the 80s and 90s, as that was when the majority of its hidings to date are logged as having happened. Many sightings were spread across Racine, Walworth, and Jefferson counties during that time period.
Among these sightings included one by a local dairy farmer named Scott Bray in 1989. He described the creature as a "strange-looking dog" that seemed to have the characteristics of a German Shepherd. He attempted to track down the beast, only to be led to a large pile of rocks.
During Christmastime in 1990, an 11-year-old girl named Heather Bowey was playing with her friends near a cornfield, when she saw a strange doglike creature hobbling nearby. She called to it, only for it to get up on its hind legs before charging towards the group of children on all fours. It chased them about halfway to Heather's house about 250 yards away before vanishing.
But perhaps the most terrifying incident occurred on Halloween Night in 1999. On that night, an 18-year-old woman named Doristine Gipson was driving on Bray Road on her way to the nearby town of Delevan. She suddenly felt something hit her right tire, and she stopped to investigate. She didn't find any run-over animal or misplaced litter, but shortly thereafter, ended up face-to-face with something much worse. A large beast matching the description of the Beast of Bray Road started careening towards her from the nearby dark roadside. Gipson scrambled back to her car, and the creature pounced on her trunk. Luckily, she was able to shake the creature off as she sped away.
All of these incidents eventually caught the attention of a local reporter named Linda Godfrey, who contacted a local animal control officer. Upon meeting the officer, she found that he had a manila envelope labeled "Werewolf", which, upon inspection, was revealed to have had multiple reports of the beast collected inside. Godfrey eventually took her findings to the printed page, publishing her knowledge in a 2003 book entitled The Beast of Bray Road: Tailing Wisconsin's Monster.
A Case of Mistaken Identity?
Although the actual origins of the Beast of Bray Road have yet to be determined, there have been several skeptics who have dismissed the story as a harmless prank made by the locals. Many others have also noted that the so-called creature may just be a misidentified wild animal.
A lot of skeptics will often state the easy explanation of the creature merely being a regular wolf or stray dog, often misidentified due to it being sighted on dark days and nights. Other have pointed out that it could also be a bear, which is not only around the same size as the reported creature, but also has the ability to stand on its hind legs for extended periods of time.
However, there have been just as many who still believe in the creature's existence, and have come up with many potential theories of the beast's potential origins.
Some say it may be some sort of unidentified evolution of the wolf with human-like qualities. Others believe that he may be a man-made species who is an escaped lab experiment.
Many others also believe that the Beast of Bray Road may also be one in the same with other famous cryptids, such as Bigfoot, or the nearby Michigan Dogman, or possibly a relative of either or. Some have also connected him to a supposed Wisconsin-based cousin of Bigfoot, often dubbed "Eddy" or "The Bluff Monster" by the locals.
The large Native American heritage of the area has also caused some to connect the beast with the local folklore of said Natives. Those who do believe that he may be one in the same with-or a relative of-folklore creatures such as the infamous Wendigo, or similar creatures such as the Skinwalkers of the Navajo.
The Movie Star of Bray Road
But, whatever the case to its origins may be, The Beast of Bray Road has left a very niche legacy on the world of cryptozoology, and especially on its home state of Wisconsin. There, it has become a popular site amongst the locals around the spooky season, with haunted hayrides, ghost tours, and various other productions and attractions often being hosted by local communities.
However, must like a lot of America's other cryptids and urban legends, its legend hasn't been as widespread outside of its own stomping grounds-especially outside the United States. Perhaps its legend may have been overshadowed by the more well-known werewolf tales of both old folktales and the mainstream big screen. Perhaps Wisconsin's lack of cultural awareness compared to other US States have kept its legend hidden. Perhaps international cultures may have taken an aversion to the legend's themes.
It could also be this lack of cultural impact amongst a mainstream audience that has perhaps led to a limited exposure in popular culture compared to a lot of The Beast of Bray Road's contemporaries. Unlike the Jersey Devil that we discussed previously, The Beast of Bray Road hasn't had the fortune of having appeared in notable media franchises.
However, the Beast of Bray Road has still managed to have a couple of lesser-known credits in the media world to his name. In addition to being a mainstay of documentary shows such as History Channel's MonsterQuest, The Beast of Bray Road has had a few low-budget features to its name. Perhaps the most notable being a 2005 direct-to-DVD film, simply titled The Beast of Bray Road (a still from which is pictured above), brought to us by The Asylum, the same company that brought us the highly-memed Sharknado franchise. Another film based on the legend, a more comedic take on the story also titled The Beast of Bray Road, recently premiered in Wisconsin in March 2025.
It has also, alongside many other folklore creatures from America and beyond, become a part of the lesser-known trading card game MetaZoo, a game designed with an art style influenced by Pokémon with gameplay inspired by Magic: The Gathering that focuses on collecting and battling many critters from folklore.
Some Things in this World You just Can't Explain
So, in the end, while we may never truly be able to pinpoint the true origins of The Beast of Bray Road-or even 100% prove its existence thanks to conflicting evidence-we can ultimately say that it has left an impression on the world of cryptozoology, however minor it may be.
While very few seem to know about this strange beast, those who do have come to find a strange enigma that has kept people guessing for decades now. And this small audience has become a dedicated one at that, devoting time and resources to immortalizing its legend in one way or another, be it the printed page, the movie screens, or even a simple online blog post such as this one. With the digital age in full swing, perhaps this legend may not remain niche for much longer!
And if nothing else, The Beast of Bray Road has definitely become an image of pride for its home of Elkhorn, Wisconsin. This town and several other nearby towns and counties have adapted the legend as part of its cultural identity, often making the beast as integral a part of its Halloween festivities as Snickers bars and Michael Myers masks thanks to local events and haunts.
But what about you? Were you familiar with the tale of the Beast of Bray Road before I explained it in this article? Are you a native of Wisconsin who grew up with the legend? Or did you first find it through the magic of the Internet? Are you interested in learning more about it after tonight's tale? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
And I would also like to send a special thanks to the YouTube channel Mythology Unleashed, who recently did their own video on the creature that provided some information for this article. Check them out in the link below!
And with that, this Trippy Tale from the Backyard, has been finished, and this meeting, adjourned!
Sources:
Alexander, K. “The Beast of Bray Road, Wisconsin.” Legends of America, Mar. 2023, www.legendsofamerica.com/beast-of-bray-road/.
Huberty, M. “Beast of Bray Road: 30 Years of Fear and Sightings.” American Ghost Walks, 25 Sept. 2025, www.americanghostwalks.com/blog/2021/12/25/296-the-beast-of-bray-road-returns-the-30th-anniversary-with-linda-godfrey.
Parquette, A. “The Legend of the Beast of Bray Road.” Milwaukee Magazine, 18 Oct. 2023, www.milwaukeemag.com/the-legend-of-the-beast-of-bray-road/.
Rinpoche, T. (2024, August 15). The Beast of Bray Road. Tsem Rinpoche’s Paranormal Zone. https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/paranormal/creatures-and-monsters/the-beast-of-bray-road.html
Traylor, D. “The Beast of Bray Road: A Real-Life Mystery .” HubPages, 23 July 2019, discover.hubpages.com/education/The-Beast-of-Bray-Road-A-Real-Life-Mystery.
Virellan, G. (2025, June 12). The beast of bray road: Wisconsin’s claim to Cryptid fame. HowStuffWorks Science. https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/beast-of-bray-road.htm
Beast of Bray Road (Release Deck) | MetaZoo Wiki | Fandom
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