Jon Solo Sebastian 07/19/2026:

Ever wonder why national parks and reservations close at night fall? Sure, there are valid reasons, but could it also be for safety issues… like keeping folks safe from the things lurking in the woods at night? A wolfman, or werewolf, perhaps? Or is this just my paranormal/supernatural brain getting the best of me?

A common theme for cryptids, is that our eyes and minds play tricks on us in the dark. If you’ve picked up my graphic novel titled: The Hunted, there is a scene near the beginning that was based on a real life situation my friends and I encountered when we were teenagers. We were completely convinced a vampire or evil entity was following us on a bike path one summer night. Was it a vampire? Probably not, but we didn’t stick around to let whoever or whatever catch up with us. It could have just been someone walking home from the movie theater just like we were doing. Point being, without any concrete evidence, how can we know any of these cryptid/creature sightings have a leg to stand on in reality? It’s still fun, and hey, that brief description of my experience back then has led to my lifelong interest in things that go bump in the night!

So what is the Beast of the Land Between the Lakes? I’m shortening this to “LBL” for land between lakes, and I am naming the beast “Mittens,” just so I’m not typing all that out every time I mention the location or the creature. First, where is LBL? LBL is a peninsula that is set between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley in the western part of Kentucky and Tennessee. It’s made up of forests, hills, bears, and elk; it’s a very popular location for hikers and folks that love being out in the wilderness.

The Beast, Also Known As: Mittens

So what is this creature that has been blamed for deaths, murders, and terrifying wildlife explorers since the 1800’s? In the simplest description, it is basically werewolf-like, or like the Dogman. It is believed to be half man, half wolf, bipedal, five fingered hands with sharp claws, a massive canine-like jaw with large pointed fangs, and it is said to be around seven feet tall, and it has glowing red eyes. Those who claim to have been close enough to “Mittens,” have mentioned the creature’s foul odor saying it smells similar to a decaying animal on a hot summer day. As is the case with any of the strange and weird, authorities have told eyewitnesses and reporters that Mittens has been mistaken for a bear, coyote, or wolf, though if I’m not mistaken, wolves do not reside in Kentucky or Tennessee anymore; and wolves are not bipedal creatures that are seven feet tall.

The Origin of Mittens

Legends on the origin of the creature have referred to it being a shapeshifting Native American; possibly cursed, or something to that effect. While none of this can be confirmed, I really dug some of these stories I found over on Cryptids Fandom:

“Another legend speaks of a man who left Europe in the 1800s to settle “Between the Rivers”. This man supposedly possessed a disease that turned him mad after nightfall. The disease was believed to be genetic and was passed from parent to child over the years. They remained in seclusion, never going to school or having the desire to socialize with others until one day when they went silent. Many believed that the family had died. An investigation in the early 1900s revealed that their homestead was vacant and abandoned.

Early accounts from French explorers and traders in the region speak of their being warned of the shadowy presence of a loup garou by Shawnee fur traders. A later legend claims that the monster is the spirit of a shape shifting Shawnee shaman, who was killed in wolf form by the inhabitants of his village for abusing his powers. His spirit is said to still walk the woods in search of revenge.”

Sightings/Encounters

The stories linked to killings caused by Mittens are gruesome and a bit strange. In one instance, a family on vacation from Florida in the early 1980’s was found torn to pieces inside their RV (recreational vehicle). As if that’s not awful and tragic enough, one family member’s remains was found up a nearby tree. How does this happen? What could have carried the person up there? I don’t believe it was a human. Maybe this particular case belongs to the Glimmer Man.

I’m purposely leaving a lot of details out about the encounters with Mittens due to them possibly being a little too horrific for some members of the audience. Another story I’ll touch on briefly took place in 1973 when some university students went camping at LBL. The group felt like they were being watched and began to hear rustling of leaves near their campsite. They tried to shrug it off and assumed it was just a rabbit or other small animal doing their nightly routine… until the howling began. They began to think they were surrounded by something evil, and even saw glowing red eyes from either one creature or multiple creatures. The howling grew louder and had a bloodcurdling sound to it.

The college students took their chances by making a mad dash to their vehicle. Once inside the van, the driver had the “pedal to the metal,” and when they looked back, they witnessed the bipedal wolf-like beast gaining on them. They slowed down to take a turn, and that’s when the vehicle stopped moving. The creature allegedly caught up with them, and it was holding onto the vehicle. They managed to break loose and never looked back. When they were very far, far away, they stopped off in a well lit area. The driver got out to inspect the vehicle, and had to tell everyone to come out to see what was on the back; very deep claw-like gouges in the back of the van. Whatever it was, it was after them, and it wanted their blood.

With all these werewolf types of stories all around the globe, what do you think it is? Is it possible these creatures once roamed the earth in greater numbers, and now there are very few of them left? Or is this all just a case of fear taking over… or some drug induced “encounters?” Like I always say, I want to believe.