Not-deer

The not-deer is a legendary creature or cryptid reportedly inhabiting Appalachia, particularly Western North Carolina. These entities superficially resemble white-tailed deer, but upon closer examination display disturbing features including unnatural proportions, strange eyes, and disjointed limbs. They're also characterized by bizarre behaviors such as unnatural movement patterns, blank staring, and an unusual lack of fear toward humans. The stories likely originated from encounters with deer suffering from neurological conditions like chronic wasting disease or epizootic hemorrhagic disease. This folklore apparently began as an obscure local tale in Boone, North Carolina, before experiencing a surge in popularity during the 2020s through online platforms including 4chan, Tumblr, Reddit, and TikTok.