Tradition / Region: American Mythology
Alternative names: –
Category: Bear
The Myth
The Gumberoo is one of the legendary fearsome critters of American lumberjack folklore. It resembles an enormous, fat black bear but is completely hairless except for its thick eyebrows and the bristly hairs on its chin. Instead of fur, it possesses a smooth, coal-black hide as tough as leather.
The creature’s skin is said to be completely impervious to harm. Bullets, arrows, rocks, and other projectiles simply bounce harmlessly from its body, making the Gumberoo nearly impossible to kill by ordinary means.
Its only known weakness is fire. Although nothing can pierce its hide, flames ignite the creature instantly, causing it to burn with explosive force. According to lumberjack tales, the rarity of Gumberoos was often explained by the frequent forest fires that swept through the cedar forests, destroying the creatures in spectacular explosions.
One story tells of a man named S. W. Allen who supposedly managed to photograph a Gumberoo. However, the legend claims that even the photographic negative exploded, adding another impossible feat to the folklore surrounding the indestructible beast.
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Gumberoo. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumberoo