Legend has it these towering creatures roam the woods of Coӧs County.
By Dan Mathers
How often have you been deep in the woods and suddenly had that feeling that maybe you weren’t alone?
Or perhaps you heard a howl or screech or scream and thought “That didn’t sound like any creature I’ve ever heard before.”
Or saw something dash across the trail or road that looked… well, unnerving.
Few activities kick our imaginations into high gear quite like being out in the wilderness. Maybe it’s being in unfamiliar surroundings. Maybe it’s a feeling of vulnerability. But whatever the reason, few would argue that exploring the outdoors goes hand-in-hand with ghost stories and monstrous tales around a campfire.
Since it’s the season for spooky tales, let’s explore the legend of a mysterious creature that some swear resides in the woods of far northern New Hampshire.
People see a lot of things in the Granite State’s North Country: moose, bear, fox, and occasionally things they just can’t explain. One of those mysterious things some people have reported seeing in Coӧs County is what is known as a “wood devil.”
According to eyewitness reports, these wood devils stand more than 7 feet tall, are covered in grayish hair or fur, and they are known for their sleek, thin build. They walk on two feet, much like a human, and can move with shocking speed.
They use their tall, thin build to hide behind trees, and legend has it they are so good at blending in with their surroundings that you’d nearly walk into one before you saw it.
These wood devils are said to shy away from human contact and prefer the remote woods of northern New Hampshire near the Canadian border.
Some people have suggested these wood devils might actually be a sasquatch (or bigfoot). However, their sleek build has others thinking it might be something else entirely.
Old timers say these creatures were much more common in the area in the early 1900s. But some sightings continue to be reported nowadays.
A man reported seeing one in early November 2004 while deer hunting with his grandfather. Both men reportedly saw the creature, which they said was tall, had a long, pointy head and gave a high-pitched yell.
In another incident in 2000, a husband and wife were taking a sunrise hike when a tall, hairy, barefooted creature on two legs crossed the trail in front of them.
Maybe there’s nothing to these reports other than people misidentifying an animal or their eyes playing tricks on them.
Or maybe, just maybe, there’s something to them.
Either way, next time you’re out in the woods, pay attention to your surroundings. You might discover that you’re not alone.
