Jackalope Tattoo: Meaning

What is the meaning of the jackalope tattoo?

Introduction

Tattoos, despite now being considered particularly trendy and fashionable, are nothing new.

In fact, human beings have been tattooing themselves, in some form at least, for centuries upon centuries.

Some of the earliest evidence we have of humans tattooing themselves can be traced back to the ancient tombs of Japan from as far back as 5000 BCE, though many historians believe that tattoos are even older than that.

In fact, the oldest known human being to have ever had a tattoo can be traced back to the Bronze Age, around 3300 BCE, when tattoos were found preserved upon his skin, which was mummified.

Today, tattoos are, of course, very different, though if you know tattoos, you’ll know that there is a great deal of symbolism and meaning behind each one.

Rabbits, in particular, are popular, though recently, we’ve seen an increase in the amount of people adorning their bodies with Jackalope tattoos.

But what is a Jackalope, and what is the Jackalope tattoo meaning?

Keep reading to find out more.

What is a Jackalope?

We’ll look at the Jackalope tattoo meaning a little later on in this article, don’t worry.

Before we do that, however, we need to understand exactly what a Jackalope is.

Now, some of you reading this article will know what a Jackalope is, yet others will be scratching your heads and trying to figure out precisely what this unique creature really is.

If you’ve never seen a Jackalope in the wild, then don’t worry because we’re pretty confident that nobody else has either.

Are they rare?

Well, you could say that they’re rare, in the same way, that Unicorns are rare.

Another way of putting it would be to say that they don’t really exist.

Yes, Jackalopes, like Unicorns, are mythical creatures, and they make some pretty awesome-looking tattoos.

A Jackalope is an American mythical hybrid creature that is made up of a combination of a Jackrabbit and an Antelope, known scientifically as ‘Antilocapra.’

What do Jackalopes look like?

There is a pretty awesome Jackalope tattoo meaning for us to explain to anybody thinking of getting one of these mythical creatures tattooed upon themselves, but first, let’s learn more about what Jackalopes actually look like.

A Jackalope, as mentioned, is a mythical creature as part of American folklore.

The creature has appeared in numerous works of fiction, including Frank Buck’s 1932 ‘Wild Life Adventures.’

Buck, a wildlife collector who would hunt for animals to rescue them and bring them back to zoos and sanctuaries, allegedly saw a Jackalope in the wild.

It turns out, however, that the creatures do not really exist, outside of tall tales shared around a campfire after a few too many moonshines.

As far as what Jackalopes are said to look like however, they are described as primarily looking like a jackrabbit or hare, but featuring the horns of an adult antelope upon their head.

The creature is small in size, roughly the size of a small dog, and features a typical short fluffy bunny tail.

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Other mentions of Jackalopes

Despite many other cultures worldwide mentioning horned rabbits, these are not believed to be the Jackalopes we have come to know and love in America.

In Wyoming, in particular, Jackalopes and Jackalope tattoos were trendy due to the fact that there are so many breeds of jackrabbits and hares in the area.

The myth became so popular, in fact, that Wyoming taxidermists would often construct Jackalope wall mounts featuring the heads of jackrabbits complete with antlers.

There were even calls for Wyoming to adopt the Jackalope as the state’s official mythological animal.

The meaning of the Jackalope tattoo is shrouded in hope and positivity, yet the tall tales of these creatures mentioned how dangerous they are.

Despite their small size, Jackalopes were said to be fierce and would attack hunters on sight.

Hunters were said to wear armor on their legs to prevent them from being gored by the razor-sharp antlers of the creature.

Jackalopes, like the wild Haggis’ of Scotland, are said to be enticed by whisky/whiskey.

If you wish to catch one, lure it in with a wee dram of whiskey, as this is said to be its drink of choice.

It is also said that the Jackalope can mimic the voice of humans.

Stories go that cowboys sitting and singing around campfires at night would hear Jackalopes in the wild mimicking their voices and singing.

READ MORE: What is the meaning of a black swan tattoo?

Jackalope Tattoo – Meaning:

Okay, as you can see, Jackalopes are engrained into the culture of North America, and despite the mythical creatures primarily being the subject of tall tales told by cowboys around the flickering embers of a campfire at night, they’re still hugely popular to this day.

Many tattoo artists across the US and other parts of the globe are commissioned to create tattoos of Jackalopes.

But what is the Jackalope tattoo meaning?

Jackalope tattoos are said to bring good luck and good fortune to those who have them.

Most Jackalope tattoos feature the animal with its head up, facing the sky, and looking towards the sun, moon, or the heavens themselves.

Rabbit tattoos are said to bring good luck, so of course, the Jackalope tattoo meaning being associated with good fortune and good luck, makes sense.

Despite a Jackalope tattoo mainly being associated with good luck because the creature was associated with cowboys and whiskey, some people associate the tattoo with playfulness, drinking, and gambling.

Basically, they associate it with a behavior commonly seen in the Old West.

Men who are comfortable with their sexuality often have a Jackalope tattoo as the horns are said to symbolize masculine energy, whereas the fluffy bunny-like tail of the rabbit has feminine undertones.

It combines masculine and feminine energy at once.

In truth, the Jackalope tattoo meaning, like art, can be interpreted however you like, for whatever reason that you like.

It could even be that you just like the look of this mythical creature.

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