HODAG!

Hodag sculpture at Rhinelander (Wisconsin)

The hodag has a curious history.  In 1893, a practical joker named Shepard claimed he and a bunch of others killed a hodag in the vicinity of Rhinelander (Wisconsin).  Subsequently he claimed to have captured a live hodag (chloroform helped with this) and put it on display, jerking strings to make it move.  Eventually, it was admitted it was a hoax.

This has led to the hodag's being labeled a hoax in various cryptozoology works.  However, there is some evidence that the hodag is based on a genuine creature of legend, ranging in size from a collie to a bear.  It is said to eat rabbits.  Look for it in the swamps of Oneida and Vilas.