The Search for the Jersey Devil: Footprints by Chris Chaos

Trifid (split into 3 parts) or Drake's feet, 3 toes. A popular carving technique for the legs of tables or chairs. Back in 1941 a strange footprint was found in Batsto, New Jersey and many suspected that is was from the Jersey Devil. A cast was promptly made and then a wooden imprint was made of it. Currently this wooden imprint resides at Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge in Medford, New Jersey. Back in November of 2013 the Courier Post did a front page story with me concerning my Jersey Devil documentary they photographed me holding it in the photo shoot.

One thing that got me was that by popular accounts most witnesses stated that the Jersey Devil had cloven hooves..like a goat, or the Devil Himself. The wooden imprint is more that of a dragon, or some sort of 3 toed lizard. There are not all that many 3 toed animals that are that large: Capybara, rhinoceroses, crow, turkey and the Emu are a few. Many dinosaur era birds had 3 toes with a 4th toe backwards turned that assisted them with gripping tree branches.

Starting around 1948 there was a hoaxer running around the US (and world) leaving fake 3 toed impressions and he was dubbed “Old Three Toes”. He claimed that the prints were that of a large penguin and tormented Florida with these false prints. There were several pics available with this hoaxer wearing his self made boots that left the 3 toed impressions. They curiously resemble (although a bit larger) the ones supposedly left by the Jersey Devil in Batsto...for more information please check out the following link: 3 Toe Hoax

There are many explanations that could shed light on the origin of this wooden footprint cast: A real animal that was mentioned above, a hoax, an attempt for tourism and publicity...or the actual Jersey Devil. Be sure to let us know what you think.

To follow along with the progress of the film, go here: The Search for the Jersey Devil

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(Chris Chaos is a long time resident of South Jersey who once again resides in and writes from Gloucester City, New Jersey. He is a filmmaker, a business owner, writer, urban explorer and investigator of the odd and weird, a proud parent, happily taken and a connoisseur of hot wings. Chris can be reached at AxisVideo@aol.com)