Hunting Grounds: Dogmen of the Lakes

by Aaron Deese, Heather Moser (editor), Jonathan Dodd (illustrator)

The Land Between the Lakes is the largest inland peninsula in the United States. Over 170,000 acres, 300 miles of shoreline and 100 miles of walking trails are contained within the confines of a narrow strip of land between two man-made lakes on the border of Tennessee and Kentucky. It is a wild, sprawling, beautiful place, and a popular destination for campers, tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. It is also a land where legends abound. It is where native peoples hunted, and from which later settlers were forcibly displaced. A land of strangeness and unexplainable phenomena, which run across the spectrums of cryptozoology, hauntings, UFOs and more. A place where monsters roam. This idyllic stretch of untamed wilderness may well harbor a thing our ancestors held as a factual creature, but which we now relegate to the stuff of fiction - The Werewolf, or as many now call it, Dogman. Sightings in the LBL have abounded for decades. From a notorious urban legend to modern day encounters, the Dogmen of The Lakes still lurk in the shadowed forests - at least, that is what many believe.

Here, we enter the Hunting Grounds!

231 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 23, 2024

Reviews

[Ursula Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overview of Dogman in the LBL

This is the second Dogman book by the author. This book covers the eerie Land Between the Lakes area. It is known for cryptids, paranormal phenomena and more, but mostly for aggressive Dogmen. Long time residents avoid certain areas and it is known for a terrible massacre. The author gives background on the cryptids, history, information for the area, various theories and more. A few encounters are mentioned, not enough for me. This is book is more of an overview of Dogmen and the unusual history of the area. It is a companion piece to an upcoming documentary, part of which was shot while the author was in the LBL. If you wish to know more, be sure to pick up Martin Grove's superb Beast Between the Rivers books. He is a retired lawman who relates the massacre and his own terrifying encounter.

[PJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really fun documentary. Hunting Grounds followed Aaron Deese, his team, and several other witnesses and experts through the evidence they uncovered concerning the Dogmen (werewolves) that inhabit the Land Between the Lakes area between Kentucky and Tennessee. The Land Between the Lakes seems to be a breeding ground for all manner of unexplained events. Bigfoot, Dogmen (werewolves), Kentucky Goblins, The 82 Massacre (unsubstantiated by officials), a ghostly truck driver, and a whole mess of other strange phenomena. This team presents many pieces of photographic evidence and first hand accounts along with second hand stories to substantiate the claim that the LBL is a hotbed for many different creatures. I am not sure that the contents of this documentary made me a full believer but, I will continue to read and learn and maybe one day see firsthand for myself. If nothing else, Hunting Grounds was a treasure trove of lore surrounding an area near where I live that goes back decades.

[Scott Dieterle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another well done book from the author. This is Aaron’s second book related to the Dogman phenomena. Just as the first this is well researched and provides an excellent background and look at the activity around the Land Between the Lakes (LBL). While there are still no definitive answers regarding these creatures, Aaron provides many angles to chew on.