This website is an honest attempt to describe, identify, and possibly even to locate the legendary Ozark Howler. It goes by many other names, but most descriptions depict a large, unknown black panther-like creature. Some believe it to be a cryptic animal, or merely a panther. Some believe them to be ghosts or phantoms, demons or spirits. Others believe them to be merely stories, myths, or legend. But, in my experience, most people in the Ozarks regions (primarily Missouri and Arkansas, and some in the wilderness areas of northeast Texas), who know of the Ozark Howler, believe them to be real. Many do not know its name and most wonder what it is.

Confusion with Bigfoot/Sasquatch

Throughout the Ozarks region, the creature is quite possibly misidentified as a Bigfoot, or vice versa. There are some reports of Bigfoot seen with black panthers and Bigfoot is seen in the same areas as the Ozark Howler. It is believed by many that Bigfoot imitates the sounds of some animals, and the Howler is one of them. Bigfoot are known for their howls and their stalking behavior, combined with the sightings of them crawling low to the ground on all fours, is it possible that some see a Bigfoot and believe they are seeing a large, black panther, or vice versa?

There are endless stories of Bigfoot howling like a panther. There are many Bigfoot sightings where they originally believed it was a panther.

There is one report in the middle of Missouri where a woman sighted a large, black beast on all fours which she thought was a panther. Suddenly it stood up, walked bipedially to the fence and climbed over it.
A panther turns out to be a Bigfoot.
Sighting of a Bigfoot being mistaken for a black panther in Mississippi.
Bigfoot making panther sounds.
One of many Bigfoot reports where the witness feels compelled to mention black panther sightings.
Bigfoot screaming like a panther.
Apparently Bigfoot being called a panther for years.
Bigfoot or Panther?
Big Grey thing on all fours kills over 90 goats.

State of Denial

The state of Missouri currently denies the existence of black panthers in Missouri. But they also denied the existence of mountain lions, but secretly kept track of sightings. Many others in Missouri deny their existence. Yet sightings continue. If the Howler is a black mountain lion, or a type of panther, then surely it would survive in the areas where there are known mountain lions sightings. But is the Ozark Howler merely a black mountain lion?