Project Stigma represents an on-going
probe into the relentless wave of animal
mutilations and mutilation-deaths, and is an
attempt to coordinate and assist in informa¬
tion-gathering activities on the part of the
pertinent and responsible investigative
agencies and individuals .
NUMBER THREE MAY 1973
THE PROJECT STIGMA REPORT ON THE CONTINUING
INVESTIGATION INTO THE OCCURRENCE OF ANIMAL MUTILATIONS
One Issue - One Dollar
It is with sincere regret - and an ever-
shrinking pocketbook - that we announce
a subscription price for STIGMATA.
Until further notice, STIGMATA will con¬
tinue to appear one-edition-at-a-time and
the cost for each issue will be $1.00 (cash
preferred - a receipt will be issued)*
This should help to alleviate our expenses -
but it will also allow us to improve and en¬
large upon future issues of STIGMATA - with
the use of photos or drawings and length!er,
more in-depth articles.
To receive the next (July) issue of STIGMATA,
send $1.00 to;
Project Stigma
(or STIGMATA)
P.0, Box 1094
Paris, Texas 75460
Mutilation reporting forms are still avail¬
able upon request and without charge from
Project Stigma.
MUTE INQUIRIES
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM READERS AND
INTERESTED PARTIES ‘
QUESTION; Are mutilations confined to the
United States* or have they been reported in
other countries, as well?
ANSWER: By far, the greatest percentage of
mutilations of which we are aware have occur¬
red In the continental United States, but ac¬
counts have emanated from other countries.
Frequently, insufficient information is avail¬
able on these cases to allow us to determine
if they are much the same as what we have come
to call "classi* mutilations 11 , the neat, al¬
most shrewdly-immaculste and sometimes blood¬
less acts committed in the U.S.
STIGMATA
INQUIRIES
Earlier in this century, the redoubtable Charles
Fort reported that livestock mutilations of a
mysterious nature occurred in Kenya (Africa) as
well as in England. More recently, reports have
reached us from Puerto Rico, Canada, Brazil,
Bolivia, Sweden, Australia and Scotland, Most
of these accounts are unfortunately noted for
their lack of detail. If readers know of others,
we shall be happy to pass them along.
We are especially intrigued by reports from
neighboring Canada, In 1975 there were rumors
from Ontario and in 1976 from Quebec. A series
of livestock slashings and mutilations in the
Mount Forest area of Ontario In mid and late
1976 has apparently been attributed to aberrant
human individuals. Blame has similarly been
placed in other areas, as well, sometimes with¬
out firm foundation. In Ontario, a suspect was
apparently apprehended. Attempts to gain details
regarding Eastern Canadian mutes have been less
than fruitful.
It is said that an interesting incident occurred
in Spring 1976 on a farm near Wildwood, Alberta.
The owner of two healthy horses found both of
the carcasses In a snowbank one morning, each
minus their uterus and left eye ("surgical"re¬
moval) . The only tracks or marks nearby resem¬
bled lf duck prints 11 , but they were three times
the size of normal duck tracks. The Royal Can¬
adian Mounted Police investigated and it is al¬
leged that as many as two dozen RCMP constables
were present to cordon off the area and examine
the site. The carcasses were reportedly flown
to Winnipeg for analysis. We would wish for the
opportunity to learn more about this incident
and to examine the photographs which surely were
taken at thesite.
QUESTION: Have any of your research teams been
successfully . dispatched to the site of a fresh
mutilation through your u Hot Line 1 ' number?
If a rancher requests an investigation of a
possible mute on his property , is there a charge
to him for this service?
(continued on next page)
9
MUTE INQUIRIES, continued
ANSWER: Since the Initial publication of
STIGMATA, these have been among the more fre¬
quently-asked questions.
The '“research teams" do not exist as a formal
investigative unit- Project Stigma represents
an Informal network of researchers and inves¬
tigators - both "civilian" and “'official" in¬
dividuals and groups. The majority of these
investigators are available to probe mute
incidents which occur in their immediate
areas, and some have consented to travel to
out-of-state sites if feasible. The Inves¬
tigators are well-informed and are aware of
what to look for when examining a possible
mute site.
For this operation to "work", it Is Impera¬
tive - although often difficult - to learn
of fresh mutilations as soon as possible after
discovery. We would prefer to place an in¬
vestigator on a site within 24 hours of the
mutilation itself, and certainly within 48
hours. If we learn of an older incident, we
will still Inform the nearest Investigator
so that they can pursue the matter at their
convenience.
And - no, there is no charge to ranchers and
animal owners if an investigation should be
requested and conducted on their property -
except in the case of fees that may be charg¬
ed by veterinarians, licensed private Inves¬
tigators or other professionals who charge
fees for their services.
Since STIGMATA # 1 appeared, few mutes have
been reported, and none have been reported
soon enough to justify an on-site investiga¬
tion, The names of animal owners reporting
mutilations will remain In confidence, but
we would anticipate passing along the results
of Investigations to STIGMATA readers.
If you discover or learn of a fresh mutila¬
tion In your area, please call:
(214) 784-5922
If you have knowledge of older incidents,
please contact us by mall at:
P,0. Box 1094
Paris, Texas 75460
A Rancher’s Report
In an upcoming issue, we will untertake a
chronological review of the mutilations which
have been reported during the first half of
1978, Accounts thus far seem sparse, but we
are convinced that many more mutilations actually
occur than are reported to the media, law en¬
forcement or Project Stigma, However, mutes
occurred in at least five states in the first
quarter of 1978: Wyoming, Arkansas, Texas,
Alabama and Nebraska.
We ate grateful to the Western Nebraska rancher
who sent us the following account;
"In early January (1978) we had what you refer
to as a classic mutilation. We found a 1700-Ib,
bull mutilated in our cornfield. One ear was
cut off, his tongue was cut out and a big patch
of hide was cut neatly off of one side. There
were marks on his chest, like that of a needle,
and there was little blood left In the carcass.
"I checked the cattle at least once a day in
the field and I might have missed this bull one
day but It is doubtful. The cattle were all In
a good healthy condition so we think the bull
was also killed by the mutilators although we're
not sure just how.
"I called the county sheriff and a veterinarian
and they talked about coyotes or other predators.
The ground and cornstalks were all packed down
from 3 to 6 feet around the bull, but there
wasn't a track of any kind. How dumb can some
people be; coyotes couldn't possibly chew up a
critter the way this bull was cut up and I've
never seen one that didn't leave a track,,.I
can't figure out why some people don't want to
face up to reality. What are they afraid of?
"We couldn't see any signs of where a helicop¬
ter landed and took off but we're sure that
they operate from some kind of a helicopter.
My wife saw two helicopters fly over Chat area
the day before I found the dead bull. Our neigh¬
bors also saw them. In all the checking I've
done I could find nothing to indicate anyone
needing to be In the area with helicopters."
To Decompose or not to Decompose
Classic mutilations - though they may be readily
identifiable as such - are not without divergent
features, even opposing characteristics among
the Individual events themselves. The acts may
be bloody or bloodless. There may be tracks,
bum marks. Indentations or other strange ground
markings - or no ground traces at all. Viscera
may be turned to "mush" or some organs may be
hard as stone. Numerous unmarked helicopters
may haunt some mutilation-infested areas, while
no choppers will be reported from other equally-
plagued regions*
(continued on next page)
■m
lO
TO DECOMPOSE, continued
Another curious element is the varying rate
of decomposition of mutilated carcasses. Some
decay slowly, others rapidly* We offer the
following examples:
1975: Upon discovery, no signs of rigor mor¬
tis were noted in a mutilated cow. Although
the sheriff's men "immediately 11 took the
carcass to the state diagnostic lab in Cen-
tralia, 100+ miles away. At the lab, a Dr.
Hill found the carcass "badly decomposed 11
when he examined it. There were, in fact,
other "interesting aspects" about the case
which Dr, Hill refused to discuss.
Logan County, Colorado - December 1976; A cow
was found mutilated in a pasture in which an¬
other mute would be discovered a few days
later. Investigators from the sheriff's office
found the animal "badly decomposed", despite
freezing nights.
Cassia County, Idaho - October 1975: Meat on
the carcass of a mutilated cow appeared fresh
more than a week after death, although it had
lain in the "hot daytime sun".
Fumas County, Nebraska - October 1975: Des¬
pite unseasonably warm weather, a~ mutilated
cow failed to decompose normally. The odor of
the animal was slightly noticeable, hut was
never strong or unbearable. Despite the pre¬
sence of a feedlot only a few yards west of
the site, no flies had appeared on the carcass
within ten days of discovery. The carcass had
not bloated during this period.
NE Colorado - late 1977; A rancher showed an
investigator the carcass of a bull that had
been mutilated in a remot* area in mid or late
1976. The investigator was 'amazed at the lack
of decay and at the presence of fleshy, moist
tissue on the carcass. The rancher, no strang¬
er to mutilations, said he noted an almost
immediate and rapid deterioration to a certain
degree in mute carcasses in his area. At that
point, the decay would slow markedly, almost
stopping.
Project Stigma asks animal owners and investi¬
gators to observe the rate of decomposition
in mutilated carcasses of which they are
aware,
In spite of our statement above - that "classic"
mutilations may be readily identifiable as such -
it is possible to encounter difficulties in def¬
ining the problem with which we are dealing.
Most observers are of the opinion that the "ani¬
mal mutilations" are frequently bloodless attacks,
but with typically "neat" surgical incisions.
But the following example is not unique; it may
or may not be related to the "other" mutes, but
such events cannot be Ignored. We quote In part
from a letter received by Dr. Richmond Barbour
and reprinted in his "You And Your Froblems"
column in the San Diego (CA) EVENING TRIBUNE of
1/7/78 (our thanks to Jerome Clark for sending
it along):
"...Only something with satanic power could have
done what I saw. I visited my uncle. In New
Mexico. He manages a cattle ranch. One night
something unbelievable happened. A tremendously
strong force of some sort pulled the head clear
off a young steer. One of the hind legs was
pulled out, too. The Innards were scattered
around."
"The scariest part of what I saw was the absence
of blood. The body and the ground near It should
have been drenched. But there was no blood any¬
where. There were no tracks on the ground, and
no tooth or claw marks,,."
The original letter was apparently lost among
Dr. Barbour's voluminous mail, so the name of
the writer and the location of the incident have
been lost. If any readers can supply us with
further data on this or similar incidents, we
shall be grateful.
Witnesses
It is said that at least four witnesses have
encountered mutilations-ln-progress, One rancher's
wife was harrassed; one woman burned by a beam
from a helicopter; a photo was reportedly taken
of a mutilator. In another event, a helicopter
with Oriental occupants is encountered in a
Western state. The validity and substance of
these incidents will be explored In a future
issue of STIGMATA,
In STIGMATA #2 we reported our Interest In any
mutilated carcasses which undergo a color change.
Tills is at least similar to molybdenum poisoning,
though there may be no connection. If molybdenum
has contaminated a pasture, the underbelly will
be affected first. More about this next issue.
