My family lived up north every summer when I was a kid. My first job was washing dishes at the local restaurant at 15. The job was great, most especially because they'd make me a cheeseburger for lunch every day but I had to eat it in the diner area, not the main restaurant. I preferred that though because that's where the old timers would drink coffee and shoot the shit.

There was always a funny conversation going on with plenty of gossip and I would just keep quiet and listen in -- when they weren't teasing me for being a lowlander. More than once the conversations would be about wood devils, and so-and-so had seen one, or some area where someone wouldn't go because of them. This wasn't telling tales, these guys were 100% bought in. Not obsessive, but like they were just part of the landscape or another animal, but creepy and to be avoided.

I'm sure some old-school real northerners can give a better idea of the beliefs up there, but that's my take.

The Great Northern Woodbooger!

Sweet, when I get a car, I just wanna cruise out there and sit in the middle of the woods for a week to see anything. I just want to know.