Pinelands Preservation will hold hunt for Jersey Devil
If you’ve seen the Jersey Devil, or your neighbor’s uncle’s boss has seen it, but told you about it in graphic detail, there’s a forum in which to share.
Kicking off its fall schedule, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance will hold its Jersey Devil Hunt Oct. 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. Autumn is a busy time for the alliance and arguably the most beautiful time to visit, according to membership manager Jane Wiltshire. October happens to be Pinelands month, the alliance is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and the Jersey Devil Hunts are part of that history, dating back many years.
The hunt starts with a gathering by a campfire where people tell stories about the pseudo-character. Naturalist and “folklore guy” Russell Juelg gets the ball rolling, and encourages others to jump in with their experiences. Marshmallows and hotdogs will be roasted, and music will be played prior to the search for the devil in the Pinelands, which will take visitors about two miles in.
“The Jersey Devil is probably the most famous character out of New Jersey folklore … certainly out of the Pine Barrens,” Wiltshire said. “A lot of people in New Jersey over the years claim to have sighted the Jersey Devil, or have relatives that have sighted the Jersey Devil.”
Wiltshire falls into the latter category.
“My brother-in-law had a cousin who swears he saw him in the ’60s,” Wiltshire said. “He swears that he was out in the woods, and he and his companion feel quite certain the creature they saw was the Jersey Devil. That’s like three times removed from a sighting,” she said jokingly.
According to her brother-in-law’s cousin, they were in the woods, heard something in the brush, and saw a winged creature move away very quickly. They tried to follow it, but lost track of it quickly.
“It was like nothing else they had ever seen,” she said. “It was bigger than a hawk, so they didn’t think it was a bird, but maybe like the size of a large dog — with wings.” There haven’t been any recent sightings, she said, though most of them happen in autumn — and the program hasn’t started yet.
Established to protect the Pinelands and its natural and cultural resources, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance is not a landholding organization, but an advocacy group. Wiltshire said the Pinelands are constantly in danger of being developed, and the alliance was formed after the establishment of the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan, which was the first regional plan to control development and help keep the Pinelands in its natural state.
The Pinelands is the largest area of wilderness left on the east coast between Maine and Florida, Wiltshire said, with the state holding the largest portion of open land, followed by the federal government.
The program is geared toward all ages, except for very small children. Wiltshire said children ages 7 and up would likely enjoy the program, though it’s a bit spooky. Cost is $15 per person, with discounts available to alliance members. The exact location of the hunt will be given upon registration. For more information, call 609-859-8860, ext. 12; or visit www.pinelandsalliance.org.
Kicking off its fall schedule, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance will hold its Jersey Devil Hunt Oct. 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. Autumn is a busy time for the alliance and arguably the most beautiful time to visit, according to membership manager Jane Wiltshire. October happens to be Pinelands month, the alliance is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and the Jersey Devil Hunts are part of that history, dating back many years.
The hunt starts with a gathering by a campfire where people tell stories about the pseudo-character. Naturalist and “folklore guy” Russell Juelg gets the ball rolling, and encourages others to jump in with their experiences. Marshmallows and hotdogs will be roasted, and music will be played prior to the search for the devil in the Pinelands, which will take visitors about two miles in.
“The Jersey Devil is probably the most famous character out of New Jersey folklore … certainly out of the Pine Barrens,” Wiltshire said. “A lot of people in New Jersey over the years claim to have sighted the Jersey Devil, or have relatives that have sighted the Jersey Devil.”
Wiltshire falls into the latter category.
“My brother-in-law had a cousin who swears he saw him in the ’60s,” Wiltshire said. “He swears that he was out in the woods, and he and his companion feel quite certain the creature they saw was the Jersey Devil. That’s like three times removed from a sighting,” she said jokingly.
According to her brother-in-law’s cousin, they were in the woods, heard something in the brush, and saw a winged creature move away very quickly. They tried to follow it, but lost track of it quickly.
“It was like nothing else they had ever seen,” she said. “It was bigger than a hawk, so they didn’t think it was a bird, but maybe like the size of a large dog — with wings.” There haven’t been any recent sightings, she said, though most of them happen in autumn — and the program hasn’t started yet.
Established to protect the Pinelands and its natural and cultural resources, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance is not a landholding organization, but an advocacy group. Wiltshire said the Pinelands are constantly in danger of being developed, and the alliance was formed after the establishment of the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan, which was the first regional plan to control development and help keep the Pinelands in its natural state.
The Pinelands is the largest area of wilderness left on the east coast between Maine and Florida, Wiltshire said, with the state holding the largest portion of open land, followed by the federal government.
The program is geared toward all ages, except for very small children. Wiltshire said children ages 7 and up would likely enjoy the program, though it’s a bit spooky. Cost is $15 per person, with discounts available to alliance members. The exact location of the hunt will be given upon registration. For more information, call 609-859-8860, ext. 12; or visit www.pinelandsalliance.org.
