Have you ever experienced the eerie feeling of being followed or watched while hiking in the woods? If so, you might have encountered the Hidebehind – a predatory and elusive creature of folklore that is talked about in the northern border region of the United States and Canada. For almost a century, this creature has been frightening people who explore the woods, but what exactly is it or does it exist in reality?
The Hidebehind, a creature from American folklore, is shrouded in mystery and is regarded as a terrifying creature. It is believed to hunt humans who venture into the woods at night, and was blamed for the vanishing of colonial loggers who did not make it back to camp. Despite the fact that no one has ever seen it, early records describe the Hidebehind as a sizable and strong animal.
1Hidebehind Able To Conceal Itself In Order To Prey On Humans
The Hidebehind derives its name from its knack for concealing itself. Whenever someone tries to look at it directly, the creature rapidly ducks behind either the observer or a nearby object to remain out of sight. The Hidebehind takes advantage of this ability to stalk humans without being detected and to launch sudden assaults. After killing its prey, the Hidebehind carries the victim back to its hideout to be devoured.
2In American Folklore, Hidebehind Is Responsible For Developing Fear Among Lumberjack Communities
The Hidebehind is a creature of American Folklore that emerged in the 19th century, primarily within lumber communities in North America, and was particularly feared by lumberjacks. During this time, lumberjacks had numerous concerns while on the job, such as physical injuries, dangerous wildlife, falling trees, and the Hidebehind.
Legend has it that the creature was named after its hunting tactic – it would hide behind its prey. The Hidebehind would lurk behind trees in the forest and stealthily stalk its prey while blending in with the surrounding environment.
3The Intestine & Stomach Are Hidebehind’s Major Spots To Attack
The Hidebehind has a gruesome modus operandi – it creeps closer to its prey when their back is turned and then instantly attacks, gouging out the stomach and intestines of the victim. It then feasts on the raw meat of its kill. The attacks are so sudden and terrifying that even if the victim manages to survive the assault, they often die of fright.
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4Hidebehind Looks Like A Humanoid or Wraith Like Form
The physical appearance of the Hidebehind is difficult to determine as few have actually seen it. However, those who claim to have caught a glimpse of the creature describe it as having a wraith-like, canine, or vaguely humanoid form.
5According To Legends, Hidebehind Can Shapeshift & Tear Apart Victims With Its Deadliest Claws
The Hidebehind’s body is slender and capable of hiding behind various trees, suggesting it has the ability to contort itself. Its fearsome claws are likely used to quickly tear apart its prey. Because there are numerous descriptions of the creature and it can hide behind any object, some believe it may have shapeshifting abilities or a highly flexible body.
The Hidebehind is known to produce eerie and unusual sounds that are frequently heard near camping areas during the late hours of the night. This creature is symbolic of the unease that often accompanies being in a natural and unfamiliar environment, eliciting feelings of fear and danger stemming from the unknown.
6Not God, But Alcohol May Protect You From Hidebehind Attack
Given its elusive nature and highly developed hunting skills, avoiding this creature may seem like a daunting task. However, there is a straightforward solution: consume a substantial amount of alcohol. According to most reports, the Hidebehind has an aversion to the scent of alcohol. Therefore, if you were to intoxicate yourself, the creature would be less inclined to make a meal out of you.
With the knowledge that consuming alcohol can serve as a defense mechanism against the Hidebehind, lumberjacks adopted this practice as a means of protection when they suspected the creature was lurking in the vicinity. However, as expected, some individuals used this as an excuse to indulge in excessive drinking.
7Regardless Of Alcohol, One Can Ward Off Hidebehind With Bonfire
In addition to alcohol, fire has also been identified as a tool to ward off the Hidebehind. Maintaining a sizable bonfire throughout the night serves as an effective method to keep the creature at bay and prevent it from approaching the campsite.
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8What’s The Origination Theory Of Hidebehind
How did the legend of the Hidebehind originate? As previously mentioned, these tales were prevalent in logging communities across North America, particularly in the Northern United States, such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. During the 19th century, these areas still had vast expanses of untamed forests.
Being a lumberjack in this region was a challenging and perilous occupation, with numerous hazards to confront on a daily basis. One theory proposes that the Hidebehind was a story fabricated to keep men alert for bears and other wild creatures that may be present in the woods. Alternatively, it could be a more general reminder for lumberjacks to remain vigilant at all times to avoid becoming vulnerable to any potential threats.
It might also be a strategy for dealing with enigmatic deaths and disappearances of other lumberjacks. The beast is described as “a predatory cannibal beast that lurked around the loggers’ camps until one was alone long enough to be grabbed and carried away to be consumed” in Carol Rose’s book Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth. The fear of unintentional deaths, missing men, and betrayed friends may have been allayed in logging camps by this creature. These tragic incidents raise the question if Hidebehind exists in real life.
It’s actually an interesting point to make because it sort of relates to information about the Missing 411 phenomenon. Which, in general, has to do with people going missing in the woods and is something we might look into in the future.
9The Creature Was Portrayed In Carol Rose’s book Titled As “Giants, Monsters, and Dragons”
It is possible that the creature described in Carol Rose’s book, Giants, Monsters, and Dragons: An Encyclopedia of Folklore, Legend, and Myth, was created as a means of coping with the unexplained disappearances and deaths of fellow lumberjacks. The creature was said to be a carnivorous predator that would stalk around the logging camps, waiting for an opportunity to snatch and devour its prey. It is conceivable that this creature was invented to help loggers deal with the fear of losing their colleagues to accidents or other unknown causes.
This is an intriguing idea that is reminiscent of the Missing 411 phenomenon, which involves unexplained disappearances of people in wooded areas. While this is a topic that we may explore in the future, it is certainly relevant to the issue of mysterious disappearances in the woods.
10Hidebehind Was First Mentioned In The Book “Fearsome Critters”
The HideBehind was first documented in 1939 by Henry H. Tryon in his book Fearsome Critters. According to the report, the creature exhibited aggressive behavior and was known to hunt for prey, although it was capable of surviving without food for up to seven years. The creature was frequently reported in early 20th century newspapers and magazines, with sightings of the HideBehind and its distinctive appearance being documented.
In recent years, the Grand Haven Tribune from Michigan has reported eyewitness accounts of the creature in both 2000 and 2007, which match the descriptions from earlier reports. However, in these recent cases, the witnesses reported being stalked by the creature, catching only brief glimpses of its wild black fur and fiery red eyes.
11From Harry Potter To Famous Novels, Hidebehind Has Claimed Its Place In Pop Culture
Despite not being the most popular mythical monster, the Hidebehind is frequently mentioned in popular culture, spanning across literature, movies, and television series over the years. For instance, Charles H Snellings’ 2006 horror/suspense novel of the same name portrays a group of rafters encountering the creature on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.
In Pecos Bill Catches a Hidebehind, a cowboy named Pecos Bill captures and donates the creature to a zoo. The Young Wizards series by Diane Duane also features small Hide-behinds with the ability to induce fear in those they stalk as a defense mechanism.
Additionally, J. K. Rowling’s Pottermore, an official Harry Potter-themed website, introduces the American equivalent of Hogwarts and includes a Hide-behind that preys on humanoid creatures.
The Gravity Falls short “Dipper’s Guide to the Unexplained: The Hide Behind” portrays the creature as a slender, humanoid figure that stalks hikers. Finally, the Hidebehind is the focus of Parker Finn’s 2018 short horror film of the same name.
12According To The Harry Potter Story, Hidebehind Is A Crossbreed Of A Ghoul & Demiguise
The Hidebehind was a ghostly creature that lived in forests and was active at night, preying on human-like beings. Despite its ability to change shape and hide behind almost any object, a witch and Pukwudgie were able to defeat the creature. The Hidebehind came into existence accidentally due to the crossbreeding of a Demiguise and a ghoul. The creature is also mentioned in the updated version of the book “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
13In Harry Potter, A Witch Or Warlock Can Only Survive From Hidebehind Attack
Despite possessing the ability to become invisible, the Hidebehind was reportedly tall and had silver hair, resembling a thin bear, according to eyewitness accounts. It could also twist its body to hide behind any nearby object. The Hidebehind was known to prey on humans, and Magizoologists suspected that this behavior was due to the mistreatment of creatures under the control of Phineas Fletcher. Surviving an attack by the Hidebehind was thought to be possible only for a witch or wizard.
The Hidebehind came into existence as an unintended consequence of Phineas Fletcher’s illegal activities. He tried to bring a trafficked Demiguise into America to make Invisibility Cloaks but the Demiguise escaped from the ship and bred with a stowaway ghoul. The resulting offspring of this crossbreeding fled into the Massachusetts forests.
During the early 1620s, Isolt Sayre was able to drive off a particularly large and powerful Hidebehind after it had taken a young Pukwudgie captive. This same creature was responsible for killing the parents of Chadwick and Webster Boot, but was eventually defeated by Isolt Sayre and William the Pukwudgie.
Pottermore, an official Harry Potter news website created by J.K. Rowling, published a story in 2016 about Ilvermorny, a wizarding school. The story included a Hidebehind, described as a specter that lives in forests and is active at night, preying on human-like beings.
Resource:
Mythical Creatures of the USA and Canada by Walker D. Wyman
American Myths Legends and Tall Tales by Christopher R Fee. and Jeffery B. Webb
Hidebehind – Wikipedia