The story of a veteran and his handmade Jackalope-Healed the soul
He Saw Hell in Combat. Now He Builds Myths in His Garage.
Every Jackalope he makes is a silent act of salvation.
It’s 3:00 AM. While the rest of the neighborhood sleeps, the light in Old Mac’s garage flickers on.
The soft sound of sanding wood and the faint smell of adhesive drift through the cracks in the door. If you peek inside, you might be startled by the wall—dozens of creatures staring back at you. Rabbits with antlers. Fierce. Lifelike. As if ready to leap into the night.
The neighbors call him “the weird old man who makes monsters.”
But Mac knows the truth. He isn’t making monsters. He is making peace with his war.
From War Machine to a Broken Man
Mac used to be an Army sniper. Two tours. He doesn’t talk about the desert. He doesn't need to.
We know what happened when he came back. He couldn't stand grocery stores—too crowded, too much like a patrol. He flinched at fireworks. They sounded too much like mortars.
The VA diagnosed him with severe PTSD. The man who once protected his country became a refugee in his own home. Insomniac. Irritable. Afraid.
Pills made him numb. Therapy helped a little. But mostly, he felt like a broken clock—hands spinning wildly, never landing on the right time.
Then one day, he found the skeleton of a dead rabbit in an abandoned barn.
The Creator in the Garage
“I need to hold something real,” Mac says.
At first, he tried traditional taxidermy. But real animals reminded him of real bodies. Too much blood. Too much memory.
Then he found an old fairy tale. The Jackalope. A mythical creature—a rabbit with antlers. Extinct. Fantastical. Never real.
“If reality hurts me,” Mac decided, “then I will create something that never existed.”
And so he began.
This isn’t assembly line art. This is a ritual.
The Antlers: Shed naturally by Rocky Mountain elk. Mac sands them by hand. Rough grit, fine grit, polish. Until they feel like warm stones. “It’s like sanding down the sharp edges inside my head,” he says.
The Body: High-quality faux rabbit fur. Every stitch must be straight. No crooked lines. The focus required is so intense that it’s the only thing that silences the flashbacks.
The Eyes: German glass eyes. Mac adjusts the angle by the millimeter. “Look into its eyes,” he says. “There’s no fear there. Just curiosity. This rabbit isn't afraid of wolves. Because it’s different.”
It takes Mac 40 hours to make one Jackalope. And for those 40 hours, he is not a broken veteran. He is a god creating a legend.
Why Hang a “Fake” Rabbit on Your Wall?
People ask him: “What’s the point? It’s just decoration.”
No. When you hang a Jackalope on your wall, you are hanging a story of broken things becoming beautiful.
A rabbit is gentle. Antlers are aggressive. It shouldn't work. But it does.
Mac is gentle by nature, but spiky from trauma. That contradiction is exactly what makes this art so powerful.
For those going through a dark time: This Jackalope reminds you that your scars can become your crown.
For unique home decor: Tired of the emptiness of Nordic minimalism? Tired of monotonous printed materials? This rugged and mysterious creature is a declaration in itself. It says: I am not afraid to be different.
For the empathetic: You aren't just buying decor. You are buying the peace that Mac found at 3:00 AM, stitching fur, sanding antlers, one shaky breath at a time.
A Silent Rescue
Mac doesn't take as many sleeping pills anymore.
He has orders now. He wakes up, selects the antlers, and works. Each Jackalope he sells keeps the darkness away for another day.
On the back of every antler, Mac writes a small tactical number in permanent marker. It’s his old squad’s call sign. A hidden memorial to the friends he left behind.
“I used to take life,” Mac says, stroking a finished Jackalope. “Now I give life. Even if it’s a myth… if you believe in it, it will be brave for you.”
If you have ever felt anxious at 2:00 AM. If you have ever felt broken. If you are tired of cold, soulless, factory-made furniture, and you want something with warmth, breath, and a soul—
Take this Jackalope home.
It won't speak. But its antlers will remind you:
Even if life has hit you where it hurts… you can still hold your head high. And become a legend.
🛒 Own a Piece of the Legend
Each Jackalope is 100% handmade. 100% unique.
Due to Mac's PTSD (he cannot handle crowds or loud noises), he only produces 3 to 5 pieces per week.
Once they're gone, they're gone.
Click below to adopt your Jackalope.
Give this veteran a reason to turn on his garage light tonight.