Where does the Hodag live?

The Hodag’s only known habitat is the forested area surrounding Rhinelander, the county seat of Oneida County in Wisconsin’s Northwoods. In the 1800s, Rhinelander was lumber country, and lumberjacks (as well as a particularly charismatic timber cruiser named Gene Shepard) provided some of the first accounts of the Hodag.

Today, the expansive forests around Rhinelander are popular with bikers and hikers, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers. Nearly a quarter of Oneida County is undeveloped land that’s open for public recreation, so visitors have lots of opportunities to see a Hodag in the wild.

Intrepid explorers can also find Hodags throughout Rhinelander with the help of this interactive map. Visitors can even take a Hodag-themed tour of Rhinelander.