Reexamining HPJ’s coverage of cattle mutilations

It’s October, and there is not a spookier High Plains Journal article to revisit, than “Mysterious mutilations—Who or what is killing these cattle?” This cover story was written by HPJ Field Editor Lacey Vilhauer, and it was published on Oct. 31, 2022, in the Myths, Mysteries and Mystique Issue.

This haunting piece delved into cattle mutilations across the U.S. that have perplexed ranchers, veterinarians and investigators for over 50 years. Cattle producers have reported carcasses with select body parts expertly excised, corpses drained of blood and on occasion a necropsy will discover strange substances found within the animals.

The cause or culprit of these killings has been debated for decades, with everything from predators to aliens to satanic cults blamed for these cattle losses. Vilhauer dove deep into the mutilation topic and interviewed ranchers and other experts on these cases, leaving it up to the reader to make up their own mind.

For the most part, Halloween is costumes, scary movies and make-believe, but these cases are real and the details will give anyone goosebumps. To read the full article, visit www.hpj.com/2022/10/28/mysterious-mutilations-who-or-what-is-killing-these-cattle/.

Lacey Vilhauer can be reached at 620-227-1871 or [email protected].