The Lone Pine Demon

By Crusader1307

 The Legend of The "Lone Pine Demon" of The Lone Pine Mountains of Ojai, California share a common bond with the previously discussed (and more famous), Jersey Devil . The Mountain is avoided by local Native-Americans, not due to it being a Sacred Place , but one of Evil. Stories involved great swarms of Winged Demons , were not doubt known by Spanish Settlers to The Region as early as the 1790s. Still, it was considered superstition that is, until an incident in 1878. A group of Settlers were traveling to San Diego. They were accompanied by a Priest. Stopping for the night in the shadows of The Lone Pine, they made their evening fires. Sometime during the night, the good Father was awoke to screams and cries. Jumping from his Wagon, he stated he saw Winged Demons descending from the skies. Falling upon The Settlers, these Beasts tore and rent to pieces all 23 of them. The Father stayed that he hid among some rocks.

Somehow making his way to a nearby Mission some 100 miles away, he told his story. The remains were found and buried. The Priests description of these Demons was the real question. Years later, using modern technology to reconstruct what he saw (and what Native-Americans described as well), gives us the picture of not a Demon , but perhaps a long thought of extinct Species of none other than Velociraptor! Possibly a Micro Raptor , fossilized records show a smaller form of the fierce Predator. Starting to develop wing-like arms and feathers, these Prehistoric creatures ranged the Area around 30 Million years ago. They stood around 4 to 5-feet tall. Like a traditional Raptor, they hunted in Packs. Gifted with razor sharp claws and teeth, they were ideal hunters.

It us speculated that they had begun to evolve flight abilities prior to their supposed extinction. Which poses the question, suppose a group of Micro Raptors managed to NOT go extinct The Lone Pine Mountains have many caves and Grottoes to hide during the day and a good food source. Although the 1878 Incident was not repeated, continued reports of Cattle mutilations were known, well into the 20th Century. Conversely, the occasional Hunter, Hiker and Mountain Climbers are found mutilated no doubt from encountering a wayward Mountain Lion ..or maybe not!