The legend of werewolves has blurred the lines between human and beast, captivating our imaginations with the idea of someone turning animalistic under a full moon. For centuries, werewolf sightings have been reported, and while science offers no concrete evidence as to their existence, these mythical creatures don’t seem to be going anywhere.

We don’t know exactly when the legend of the werewolf began, but there’s evidence it appeared in Greek mythology and Nordic folklore. Since then, countless stories have been told through the years, and now in an internet age, many encounters have been reported, often accompanied by blurry photos and grainy videos. This only adds further speculation as to the beasts that lurk among us.

We’ve pulled together some of the top werewolf sightings in the U.S., from North Carolina, to Wisconsin, and everything in between. Whether you’re a hardened skeptic or a fervent believer, this list may confirm your beliefs or maybe change your mind.

1. The Beast of Bray Road (Elkhorn, Wisconsin)

One of the more famous and well-covered werewolf sightings, the Beast of Bray Road is said to inhabit the rural area around Elkhorn, Wisconsin, located in the southern part of the state. First reports came about in the 1930’s as people claimed to have seen a seven-foot tall creature with glowing eyes and a wolf-like head, accompanied by a foul odor. 

While some people believe it to be a werewolf, others propose it to be a type of Bigfoot or a Wendigo, an equally terrifying creature originating from Indigenous folklore. Skeptics are keen to claim this “beast” as a wolf, dog, or bear with a skin disease called mange.

People unlucky enough to encounter the Beast of Bray Road report scratch marks on their doors and some have seen partially eaten animal carcasses with specific organs removed splayed across Bray Road. According to Milwaukee Magazine, an 18-year old girl claimed to have hit something on Bray Road in 1999. She got out and saw a large wolf-like creature, who chased her back to her car before she sped off.

2. The Werewolf of Defiance (Defiance, Ohio)

You may know Defiance, Ohio as the rigged election plot point of Shonda Rhimes’ hit show Scandal. Well, it’s also got claims to a werewolf dubbed “The Werewolf of Defiance,” which even started a police investigation. The story starts in the early 1970’s when two railway workers reported separate occasions of a sighting (with one claiming to be attacked). A grocer also reported seeing the beast driving home one night. While police never found an answer during their investigation, the legend of Definance’s hairy creature remains to this day.

3. The Minnesota Dog-Man (Minnesota)

The legend of the Minnesota Dog-Man resides largely in the northern part of the state. The seven to nine-foot tall creature is said to have thick fur, glowing eyes, and surprising strength and speed. While there’s no single origin story for this beast, some legends connect it to Ojibwe folklore (the Ojibwe are part of the larger Anishinaabe-speaking group of Indigenous peoples who historically lived around the Great Lakes region).

Sightings have included: a security guard in 1999 who claimed to have seen a wolf-like creature with large, glowing eyes at an Air Force base; a hunter who claimed to have shot at a human-like dog; and a driver who spotted the beast with a protruding muzzle, broad shoulders, and opposable thumbs. According to the driver, the creature was watching a deer. There doesn’t seem to be much verifiable proof, but clearly enough people have seen the thing to warrant the legend to live on.

4. The Michigan Dogman (Michigan)

Michigan has a storied history of werewolf sightings dating as far back as 1794, when a French fur trader claimed to have spotted the creature and wrote about it in his journal. Since then, whatever beast supposedly stalks Michigan has appeared more than once. 

Two lumberjacks claimed to have seen what they described as something with the head of a man and a dog in 1887. Other sightings were claimed by people including a man fishing in a local river in 1938, a night watchman who apparently snapped some grainy photos in 1961, and a man who saw the dogman not only once in 1988, but then again 20 years later in 2008 when the beast appeared on his roof.

But the more hilarious part of the Michigan Dogman’s story is that of an April Fool’s joke started by a local DJ. Steve Cook wrote and aired a song titled “The Legend,” a song that described a creature lurking in the woods. The song took off. Not only did people start calling in with their own sightings, but local newspapers joined in, reporting on people’s experiences with the supposed dogman. The lines between reality and legend became so blurred that who actually knows if this beast truly stalks the state.

5. The Roanoke Werewolf (Roanoke Island, North Carolina)

In 1587, a group of English colonists vanished from Roanoke Island in North Carolina. It wasn’t discovered they were missing until three years after some of the settlers returned from England. The only thing left behind was the word “Croatoan” carved into a post. This group of lost souls became known as the Lost Colony.

Some possible theories of their disappearance include starvation or disease, an enemy attack, or they moved to another colony. But others feel this was the work of something scary and sinister, like a werewolf that stalks the island. While there is no proof of a werewolf, recent sightings—like one in 2007—further fuel speculation. The remote wilderness and unsolved mystery of these explorers is just another level of legend to contend with.