The Beast of LBL

In Western Kentucky, there is a national recreation area situated between the Kentucky and Barkley Lakes known as "The Land between Lakes" or LBL for short. This piece of land consists of 300 miles of shoreline, 170,000 acres of forest and 200 miles of walking trails. In 1963, by order of President Kennedy, the federal government used eminent domain to buy and tear down homes and businesses forcing 700 families out of the area known as "Between the Rivers". Over 228 family cemeteries are located throughout the area, long forgotten. White settlers, war veterans, large number of infants, black slaves, Chinese immigrants, and Native Americans lay beneath layers of Earth.

There are various tales passed from one person to the next about this vast piece of land. Stories of Indian curses, hauntings, witches, and mysterious lights are told among those who once lived within the area. But there is one tale that has existed for over a hundred years. Witnesses have seen a wolf-like creature among the trees, attacking cattle and live stock during the day or night. It is described as a wolf that stands nearly seven feet tall with long thick hair covering its body. A foul stench emanates from its body. It leaves tracks similar to that of a human except instead of toes were paw prints. The head, large in size, contains wolf like features: a long snout, long sharp incisors and fire red eyes. The beast had long arms with abnormally huge hands and long spindly fingers with claws caked in dirt.

There are several legends attached to the Beast of LBL. One story begins with a Native American shaman with the ability to shape shift. This shaman was forced out of his tribe for allegedly using his powers for evil. One night, a group of warriors and settlers sought out the shaman and ultimately killed him while he was in wolf form. With is dying breath, he cursed them, vowing to return to haunt the forest and seek revenge on all who lived there especially the families of those who murdered him.

Another legend speaks of a man who left Europe in the 1800s to settle in "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 had the desire to socialize with others until one day when they went silent. Many believed the family had died off. An investigation in the early 1900s revealed their homestead vacant and abandoned.

The Beast of LBL is known to rip cows, pigs, and even a horse or two to shreds, but could it be capable of murdering a human being? Obviously, a wild animal with that much rage could be capable of anything. In the early 1980s, a married couple came upon a sight they would never forget. The gruesome scene contained what was left of a mother, father and a young boy. The three had been camping in one of the designated areas via their motor home. Sometime after their arrival, the small family was mangled. Visible on the bodies were claw and teeth marks from some unknown animal. After the authorities arrived and began investigating the scene, they soon discovered someone was missing from the picture, a little girl. Fifty yards away, a cop with drops of blood on his face, hat and shirt, found the unthinkable. What was left of a little girl was dangling from a high tree limb. Now apparently, these "murders" were never written about in newspapers or no record of it and is all the word of two cops who spilled their guts to a civilian who just happened to be there at the right time. Personally, unless some kind of evidence is presented to prove this really happened, I'm writing it off as nothing but a story (Guardian Tales) to scare people.

Is the Best of LBL also nothing but a story passed from family to family? Or is there a very REAL dangerous animal roaming the woods in the "The Land Between Lakes"?

Comments

julie said…
Extremely interesting. I haven't heard of this place before.
Seeker said…
We just got it up and running. We live in Spokane,Wa we will be visiting every haunted area we can and recording the results. Just for shit and giggles. Who knows maybe if enough people get into this. The truth will finally come out.
Anonymous said…
I live near LBL and used to hunt there often. One early morning after setting up for a day of duck hunting before the sun came up I heard what sounded like a strange moan or howl. There are many wild animals in this park since it it not inhabited but this didn't sound like anything I have ever heard. This was at Mammoth Bay on the Lake Barkley side of LBL.
HOD said…
I went to Murray State, in Murray , KY, which is close to LBL. For several years I hiked, camped, swam and visited the centers and even participated the Eagle-Watching Program. The place is a true treasure; a place for quiet solitude and reflection as it is family fun. I would not discourage anyone from going, on the contrary. That said, I had never heard of the LBL "beast" until a friend of mine and I had had a very strange experience one evening at Turkey Bay. After we returned, we heard the stories. I am here to say that I believe there is SOMETHING unknown out there in the Land Between the Lakes. Whether it is a wolf, or a werewolf, or a beast, or a Shaman, or WHATEVER, I believe there is something. I'm not afraid to walk at night in the woods (not around here, at least) but I wouldn't go through the thick of LBL at night without plenty of company. If you go, PLEASE clean up after yourself!!
Anonymous said…
Unknown....
These stories are so funny!!! I lived my life Between the Rivers, and what a bunch of "hogwash". There are no unreal "things" there, just some wild animals that are everywhere else in the state of Ky. Please do not assume these stories are true, I still camp there and never, I say never, anything unusual happens. Find something else to write about please.
Anonymous said…
ok 2 let everyone know there is still one man that lives in lbl that the government could not extract it is probably him making the ruccuss
Anonymous said…
I was stationed at Fort Campbell for 3 years and hunted quail and deer in LBL all the time. You had to buy a federal permit to do so, but it was worth it. I never saw anything unusual while in there and I covered miles a day quail hunting with my Chocolate Labrador Retriever Brittany. Brittany never once sensed anything out of the ordinary either; usually if she smelled a coyote, fox or bobcat she would growl and warn me. She never once did this while we hunted in LBL.
Anonymous said…
One of my all time favorite horror tales.

And, coupled with night time pix of a large wolf like critter walking on 2 legs in MI, it makes me believe that these wolf critters (not to be confused with Sasquatch) are real.
Anonymous said…
My late husband was stationed at Fort Campbell too, in 1969. He was a hunter, having been raised in the backwoods mountains of West Virginia. He & a few army buddies went hunting in LBL & had something unusual happen that freaked them out. These were Viet Nam vets who did not scare easily, all hunters raised in rural areas. They heard & saw something that made them promptly leave & never go back. They left their freshly killed game & took off. They would not say what it was just that it wasnt any known normal animal, was on 2 legs instead of 4, & was big enough that they felt their lives were in jeopardy. That is all my husband would say. I attributed their experience to PTSD. But now there are other stories coming out of that place. Who knows?
Anonymous said…
To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if it was mountain lions (cougars) that Hank Jr. let free in LBL. He's done it before with wolves, wild boar, black bear, etc.
cliff said…
I have been to L.B.L.appx. 25 times in about 7 years-always back country camped (was hunting),saw deer-coyotes-red wolves-turkey,but nothing to be afraid of-great horned do make some of the oddest sounds in the woods.
Tyler said…
I was once in lbl canoeing with my friend. we pulled into a small cove to take a break and were both dumbfounded by the amount of animals. There were pairs raccoons, owls, snakes, deer, squirrels, foxes. All in one spot no bigger than 100 sq feet. we looked at each other in awe wondering how and why they were all gathered at the shoreline. we were about to get out to look around because there was an old house foundation when we heard it. It was a loud roar/scream. I have been in lbl many many times and only live about 20 miles from it. I have never heard anything like this and never heard of anything that could make this sound. We both looked at eachother and i could see the fear in his eyes and the hair one the back of my neck stood up and we didnt have to say anything to eachother we both grabbed our paddles and got out. I am not the type to scare easily and that scared me. To this day very few people believe us.. Just forthe simple fact that they cannot accept the possibility of there being an unknown creature.
Anonymous said…
I am on this site because I have lived in the area my whole 36 years and camp out here constantly, no matter the season or weather. I keep seeing bouncing lights low to the ground and heard a strange roar. I can differentiate between the different animal sounds in this forest but this one has me freaked out. It is NOT normal!!!! And the lights bouncing ... Ghost lights maybe? I don't know but this is the first time I've been freaked out.
Unknown said…
My name is Vinny. All I can say is I live and breath in Florida. Born and raised here. The home of the Alligator. I have been in the everglades and have seen 1000 alligators in 1 day. No BS a 1000 in one day. And I have been out there same place and haven't seen any not one. I know that they are there, I just can't see them. So would that being said, just because your not seeing something does not mean it's not there, but maybe your just not seeing it. I am not saying there is a wolfman running around but, the people that said they have been out there tons of times and have seen nothing. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe next time they won't be so lucky.
Anonymous said…
In 2010, my girlfriend and I embarked on a camping trip to LBL. At 2AM in the middle of the night, we traversed almost the entire northern region of LBL, driving along numerous gravel roads in my new Hummer H3. The experience was thoroughly enjoyable and we didn't come across anything out of the ordinary. The following day, we ventured off one of the gravel roads and discovered a picturesque valley where we spent some time before departing. Though I felt a little uneasy, I didn't notice anything amiss. We even discussed returning to the spot for a romantic encounter. Little did I know of the beast of LBL at the time. Looking back, I'm relieved we never revisited that secluded valley! :)





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