The Truth Behind The World's Scariest Rabbit

Most people agree that jackalopes are silly. In Wyoming, though, the jackalope is quite serious business, as these furry creatures are a definitive symbol of the equality state, as well as a great marketing tool. Despite their popularity, the Casper Star Tribune reports that the Wyoming state legislature has spent over a decade trying to ratify the jackalope as the state's "official mythical critter," with little success.

You'd think that giving the jackalope such a tag would be easy, but c'mon, this is politics. So, instead, it's been a long, bizarre battle, with the initiative frequently moving forward, getting killed, and then being revived. The original advocate for jackalope recognition was Rep. Dave Edwards, who sponsored the jackalope bill in 2005 and even went so far as to bring ten mounted jackalopes with him to the House floor. Of course, the bill failed and he was crushed. In 2013, after Edwards died of Alzheimer's complications, his former colleagues — Rep. Dan Zwonitzer in particular — put forth a new bill on the subject, called the David Richard Edwards Memorial Act. That bill passed the Wyoming House, but died in the state's senate.

Two years later, Zwonitzer reintroduced the bill, and vowed to the press that he'd never let it go, telling everyone that he would "keep bringing it back until it passes." So far, it seems that he's had no luck. That said, a jackalope named YoLo did become the mascot for the Wyoming Lottery (WyoLotto), so that might be one small step toward acceptance.