Jackalope Square

The giant Jackalope statue in the centre of Douglas is the town's unofficial mascot and the most photographed thing in Converse County. The mythical antlered jackrabbit was invented here in 1934 when local taxidermist Douglas Herrick grafted a set of deer antlers onto a jackrabbit carcass and sold the result to a nearby hotel. The joke caught on, spread across the American West, and eventually earned Wyoming an official gubernatorial proclamation declaring the state the "Home of the Jackalope."

The statue itself stands several feet tall and makes for an easy selfie stop. The Chamber of Commerce, located nearby, leans into the legend with gusto: they issue official Jackalope hunting licenses to any visitor who asks, complete with a fictional hunting season (June 31, midnight to 2 a.m. — a date that does not exist). It is a cheerful piece of American roadside mythology, and Douglas plays it well.

things to do sight
A story
The Herrick brothers — Douglas and Ralph — created the first jackalope in 1934 after returning from a hunt and tossing a jackrabbit carcass next to a pair of antlers. Doug said "Let's mount it the way it is." They sold the resulting trophy for $10 to Roy Ball, who displayed it at the Hotel LaBonte. The Chamber of Commerce now issues official hunting licenses good for a single day each year: June 31, from midnight to 2 a.m. — a date that, of course, does not exist.

Other places in Things to Do