American Beastiary Entry: The Not-Deer

Common Name: Not-Deer
Other Names: The Wrong Buck, Hollow Stag, Skinwalker Deer, The Watching Herd
Classification: Mimetic Predator / Appalachian Cryptid
Threat Level: Extreme
Status: Active, Uncontained

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Description

At a distance, the Not-Deer appears to be an ordinary white-tailed deer—graceful, still, almost serene. Closer inspection reveals a collection of errors that the human mind instinctively rejects.

Its proportions are subtly wrong:

• Legs bend at incorrect angles or move out of sequence.
• Joints flex where no joints should exist.
• The neck may be too long, too stiff, or rotate unnaturally.

The face is the most disturbing feature. Eyes are forward-facing rather than lateral, often glowing faintly in low light. The pupils may dilate independently. The mouth, when opened, reveals teeth inconsistent with any known cervid—too many, too human, or arranged for tearing flesh rather than grazing.

Observers frequently report the sensation that the creature is wearing the idea of a deer, rather than being one.

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Behavior

The Not-Deer is a patient ambush predator.

It is most often encountered:

• Along forest roads at dusk
• At tree lines bordering rural properties
• Near hunting paths and deer stands

Rather than fleeing from humans, it watches. Prolonged eye contact has been reported to cause disorientation, nausea, and an overwhelming sense of being evaluated—measured.

When threatened or wounded, the Not-Deer does not flee. Instead, it approaches.

Witnesses who survived encounters describe its movement as jerky and imitative, as though it learned locomotion secondhand. Once in pursuit, it displays bursts of speed inconsistent with its size and mass.

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Diet

Contrary to its appearance, the Not-Deer is carnivorous.

Confirmed prey includes:

• Small livestock
• Pets
• Lone hunters
• Injured or lost hikers

Evidence suggests the creature is particularly drawn to individuals who are:

• Armed
• Bleeding
• Isolated

Consumption is rarely clean. Remains are often partially eaten, arranged, or left in visible locations—suggesting territorial marking or psychological intimidation.

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Habitat

Primarily associated with:

• Appalachia
• Dense Eastern woodlands
• Rural hunting zones

The Not-Deer avoids urban centers but is frequently sighted near roads, suggesting an understanding of human travel patterns. Sightings spike during hunting season.

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Origins (Speculative)

The American Beastiary recognizes several competing theories:

1. Mimetic Entity Theory
   The Not-Deer is not a corrupted deer, but a non-human intelligence that learned its shape by observation—imperfectly.
2. Punishment Folklore Theory
   A manifestation tied to violations of hunting taboos: overhunting, cruelty, or killing for sport rather than need.
3. Threshold Predator Theory
   The creature exists to thin those who cross alone into wilderness spaces believing themselves to be apex predators.

No theory has been conclusively proven.

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Defensive Measures

There is no confirmed method of killing a Not-Deer.

Survival recommendations include:

• Do not follow deer that do not flee
• Do not fire a second shot if the first does not drop it
• Avoid eye contact
• Retreat immediately if a deer displays curiosity rather than fear

Hunters are advised:

If it lets you see it—leave.

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Notes from the Beastiary

“A deer runs from you.
A Not-Deer waits to see what you’ll do.”

Encounters are underreported due to ridicule, missing persons cases, and the tendency of witnesses to abandon hunting altogether.

THE NORTHERN OWLCAT

Strix rufus glacialis — “The Ghost of the Pinewoods”
Classification: Mid-Size Chimeroid Predator
Habitat: Boreal forests, high Appalachian ridges, northern Rockies, subarctic pine belts
Temperament: Silent, elusive, fiercely territorial

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Physical Description

The Northern Owlcat is a compact yet formidable hybrid of snowy owl and bobcat, built for survival in cold, forested environments. Its form is a seamless fusion of feather and fur, lending it an almost supernatural ability to blend into snowy undergrowth or moonlit branches.

Distinct Features

• Head: Rounded and feathered like a snowy owl, with piercing yellow eyes capable of seeing through blizzard conditions. Small, sharp-tipped ear tufts mimic a lynx’s silhouette.
• Wings: Long, broad, and silent—snowy owl wings engineered for stealth flight. When fully extended, they span nearly twice the creature’s body length.
• Body: Compact and muscular, covered in dense white fur marked with charcoal-gray bobcat spots. This coat provides insulation and camouflage in snow-blanketed forests.
• Tail: Short and bobbed, with a dark tip—perfect for maneuvering through pine branches without noise.
• Feet: Forepaws feathered and tipped with curved talons, a deadly combination of bobcat strength and raptor precision.

Standing only twenty to twenty-four inches at the shoulder, it is smaller than a typical griffin-type, but do not mistake its size for harmlessness.

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Behavior and Abilities

The Silent Glide

The Owlcat’s most iconic behavior is its method of hunting:
From a pine branch high above, it spreads its great wings and enters a near-motionless glide, descending toward prey with total silence. Its wing feathers absorb sound, while its bobcat musculature allows for sudden mid-air changes in direction.

This gliding attack is the origin of many local legends describing
“a ghost drifting down from the treetops.”

Winter Camouflage

Its snowy coat and spotted markings break up its silhouette, even while in motion. Under fresh snowfall, an Owlcat can remain invisible until the moment it pounces.

Territorial Intelligence

The species is solitary except during winter pairing season. Each Owlcat maintains a radius of forest claimed through:

• Scratched markings on trees
• Talon grooves on boulders
• Hanging owl-like pellets containing fur and bone

Trespassing animals are chased away with shrill, owl-like shrieks—far louder than their size would suggest.

Diet

They prey on:

• Snowshoe hares
• Mink
• Grouse
• Small deer fawns
• Occasionally, raccoons or fox kits

When food is scarce, they glide-fish along frozen riverbanks, plunging through thin ice with spear-like talons.

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Habitat and Range

Northern Owlcats thrive in:

• Deep boreal forests of Canada
• Upper Great Lakes wilderness
• Northern Rockies
• High elevations of the Appalachians (rare and disputed)

They prefer old-growth pine and fir where thick branches provide launch points for gliding.

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Cultural Significance

Several First Nations tribes associate the Owlcat with:

• Shapeshifters
• Dream-walkers
• Forest guardians

Because of its silent nature and bright yellow eyes, it is often called “The Lantern in the Snow.”

European settlers recorded sightings as early as the 1700s, typically describing it as:

“A white forest cat with owl wings descending like a specter.”

Modern cryptid researchers classify it as one of the Subarctic Chimera Forms, related to but distinct from the larger American Griffin.

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Threat Level

Moderate.
The Northern Owlcat avoids humans and rarely attacks unless:

• It is cornered
• Its nesting grounds are disturbed
• Hunger drives it to desperation during deep winter

When forced to fight, it unleashes a terrifying mix of aerial dives, slashing talons, and disorienting owl shrieks.

Most hikers who report encounters describe hearing nothing at all—until it’s already landing nearby.

THE AMERICAN GRIFFIN

Haliaetus pumae — “The Eagle-Lion of the New World”
Classification: Apex Chimeroid
Habitat: Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone Plateau, Sierra Nevada
Temperament: Noble, territorial, calculating

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Physical Description

The American Griffin is a hybrid beast formed from the union of two of North America’s most revered predators: the bald eagle and the mountain lion. Sleek and powerfully built, this griffin carries the regal intensity of an eagle and the silent strength of a big cat.

Its head and chest are covered in immaculate white feathers that transition into deep brown along its shoulders and wings. The breast feathers extend down its torso, tapering into short plumage that merges naturally with tawny mountain lion fur.

The forelimbs are unmistakably raptorial — golden scaled arms ending in curved black talons designed for crushing bone and gripping sheer cliff faces. The hindquarters resemble a lean mountain lion, long and muscular, bred for stealth and power. Its tail, unlike the tufted tail of the Old World lion, is a long, expressive mountain-lion tail used for balance during aerial maneuvers.

Most specimens measure around nine feet from beak to tail, with wingspans exceeding fourteen feet.

When resting, the American Griffin often lies with forelimbs crossed, wings partially open — a posture that appears regal and contemplative, yet ready to explode into motion at any moment.

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Behavior and Abilities

Aerial Hunter of the High Country

The American Griffin is one of the few creatures capable of predatory flight at high altitudes. Its eagle half grants unmatched eyesight: it can identify a moving object the size of a rabbit from over a mile away.

In the air, it combines:

• Eagle stooping speed (up to 120 mph)
• Mountain lion agility, able to twist or bank with unnerving precision
• A silent glide that precedes most of its ambushes

Territorial Intelligence

Unlike the more chaotic American Chimaera, the American Griffin is highly intelligent and exhibits:

• Complex territorial boundaries
• Long-term nesting sites
• Cooperative hunting when raising young

It is fiercely loyal to mates and offsprings, forming small familial prides known as echelon clutches.

Combat and Defense

When threatened, the griffin employs:

• A thunderous wing-beat capable of knocking a grown elk off balance
• A razor-precise beak strike, often fatal
• Talon grapples that immobilize prey instantly

Though naturally noble and stoic, a cornered American Griffin becomes a whirlwind of talons and feathers.

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Habitat and Range

Sightings most commonly occur in:

• High cliffs of the Rocky Mountains
• Pine forests around Yellowstone
• Alpine ridges of the Sierra Nevada
• Rare, disputed sightings in the high Appalachians

They build nests — called eires — the size of small cars, constructed from fallen logs and bones of previous kills.

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Cultural Significance

Among North American tribes, the griffin symbolizes:

• Watchfulness
• Protection
• Divine justice from the mountains

Early pioneers believed spotting one was a sign of fortune on long journeys… unless it circled overhead more than twice, which was considered a dire omen.

Modern cryptid researchers classify it as one of the “High Clade Guardians,” alongside the Thunderbird and the Iron Elk.

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Threat Level

High, but avoidable.
American Griffins seldom attack humans unless:

• Their nest is threatened
• They are wounded
• A traveler is mistaken for a rival predator

If spotted resting with wings half-open, it is not an invitation — it is a warning.

American Chimaera

Habitat: Rocky Mountains, Appalachian Range
Classification: Apex Hybrid Predator

Description:
The American Chimaera is a rare and formidable apex predator said to have been born from the continent’s primal wilderness itself. Its body resembles that of a dire wolf — broad-shouldered, sinewy, and built for both endurance and ambush. Two heads crown its form: one of a wolf, the other of a stag. The wolf symbolizes predation and instinct, while the stag embodies vigilance and sovereignty. From its tail grows a diamondback rattlesnake, ever poised to strike, its venom rumored to paralyze even a bear within seconds.

Behavior:
Unlike its Greek cousin, the American Chimaera does not breathe fire; instead, it rules through stealth and cunning. It is said to prowl during storms, when thunder masks its movements. Witnesses claim the sound of distant rattling in the wind heralds its approach. Each head serves a distinct function — the wolf hunts, the stag senses danger, and the serpent defends the rear.

Myth & Legend:
Native legends speak of the creature as the Spirit of Balance — a manifestation of nature’s duality, both predator and protector. Appalachian folk tales, however, call it The Backwoods Devil, a beast that punishes greed and trespass. In the Rockies, miners once left offerings of tobacco and whiskey to keep its gaze from their camps.

Habitat & Diet:
Solitary by nature, the Chimaera roams vast territories stretching from the shadowed hollows of West Virginia to the snow-laced slopes of Colorado. It preys on elk, wolves, and occasionally unwary humans.