Editing Cattle mutilation (section)

===1973 Kansas wave===
On June 10, 1973, [[Cloud County, Kansas|Cloud County]] sheriff Fred Modlin warned the public about a series of telephone calls from a caller identifying as a USDA official conducting a survey of herd population and locations. After the USDA denied such a survey, Modlin advised that the calls might be coming from rustlers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/44006899/|title=Jun 10, 1973, page 18 - The Salina Journal at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref> 

On June 14, a 700-pound heifer was found butchered on the Ray Vizner farm near Munden, Kansas.  Its right ear had reported been removed and right rear quarter butchered;  Republic County sheriff Bob Blecha argue the death was not the work of predators.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope/125945291/|title=Heifer Butchered Near Munden|work=The Belleville Telescope |date=June 14, 1973|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Two weeks later, on June 18, a second butchered cow was found on the Lowell Darcy farm, twenty miles away from the first butchered cow;  Like the first, its right ear was removed.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope/127120775/|title=Butcher Strikes County Cattle For Second Time|work=The Belleville Telescope |date=June 28, 1973|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Local press initially speculated about a 'Mad Dog' or 'phantom' Butcher.<ref name="auto2"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope/6155866/|title=Cattle Mutilations in Nebraska, S.D. As Puzzling As Those in Republic County|work=The Belleville Telescope |date=October 17, 1974|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>   On August 9, a third butchered cow was found, this one in South County.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope/129588174/|title=Crazed Butcher Slaughters Third Animal in Two Months|newspaper=The Belleville Telescope |date=August 9, 1973|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>  On August 30, a fourth butchered cow was reported, this one on the Larry LeBlanc farm south of St. Joseph in Cloud County; the right ear was again removed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope/130529258/|title='Mad Dog Butcher' carves 500-Pound Steer by St. Joe|newspaper=The Belleville Telescope |date=August 30, 1973|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-bend-tribune-golden-belt-nuggets/146404360/|title=Golden Belt Nuggets|newspaper=Great Bend Tribune |date=September 4, 1973|pages=2|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

On October 25, three cows in Harvey County were discovered with their sex organs removed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-eagle-slain-cattle-discovere/146452587/|title=Slain Cattle Discovered Near Newton|newspaper=The Wichita Eagle |date=October 26, 1973|pages=5|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> On November 15, press reported a slain cow on the Don Peter farm near Munden, the seventh animal death attributed to the "butcher".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope/134514564/|title=Mad Dog Butcher Carves Up Seventh Animal Near Munden|newspaper=The Belleville Telescope |date=November 15, 1973|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> The November 22 issue of the Belleville Telescope again referenced the "Mad Dog Cattle Butcher".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope-mad-dog-cattle/146453111/|title=Mad Dog Cattle Butcher|newspaper=The Belleville Telescope |date=November 22, 1973|pages=9|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
[[File:Cattle Mutilations by county in Kansas and Nebraska - December 13 1973.png|thumb|Cattle mutilations by county in Kansas and Nebraska, as of December 13, 1973<ref name="baffled"/>]]
On December 4, 1973,  law enforcement including Modlin reported a wave of cattle deaths in seven counties across Kansas and Nebraska.<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94287533/area-lawmen-will-discuss-cattle-deaths/|title = Area lawmen will discuss cattle deaths|newspaper = The Salina Journal|date = 4 December 1973|page = 9}}</ref> Sexual organs were reported having been removed.  An upcoming meeting on the mutilations was announced.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salina-journal-area-lawmen-will-disc/94287533/|title=Area lawmen will discuss cattle deaths|newspaper=The Salina Journal |date=December 4, 1973|pages=9|via=newspapers.com}}</ref> On December 6, a killing on the Lavern Hiner farm in Cloud County was reported to be the butcher's ninth.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope-butchering-cont/146454463/|title=Butchering Continues In Cloud County Near Glasco|newspaper=The Belleville Telescope |date=December 6, 1973|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>   By December 13, Kansas law enforcement reported having investigated total 40 mutilations, most occurring on land near US Highway 81.<ref name="baffled">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-telescope-law-baffled-by/146459657/|title=Law Baffled by Pasture Slaughters, Evidence and Motive are Lacking|newspaper=The Belleville Telescope |date=December 13, 1973|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-times-kansas-cattle-muti/121040580/ | title=Kansas Cattle Mutilations 1973 | newspaper=The Kansas City Times | date=22 December 1973 | page=1 }}</ref>   On December 20, State Senator [[Ross Doyen]] reported a cattle mutilation on his ranch.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-times-kansas-cattle-muti/121040580/|title=Kansas Cattle Mutilations 1973|newspaper=The Kansas City Times |date=December 22, 1973|pages=1|via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

On December 22, the Kansas Brand Commissioner's office determined that most of the deaths and removal of sex organs were the result of natural causes including predation, "[[shipping fever]]" and [[Blackleg (disease)|blackleg]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94287852/cattle-mutilations-discounted/|title = Cattle Mutilations Discounted|newspaper = The Parsons Sun|date = 22 December 1973|page = 4}}</ref>  Modlin and others vocally disagreed with these conclusion and denied that local ranchers would mutilate dead animals for insurance money, calling them "honest and respectable".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/44034157|title=Dec 21, 1973, page 1 - The Salina Journal at Newspapers.com|website=Newspapers.com}}</ref>