Mountain Lion attack leaves man dead
On 12-3-20 around 330pm, Hood County
Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the
15000 block of Howell Rd in Lipan ref. a
missing person call.
Deputies were told Christopher Allen
Whiteley (28 yoa) was missing and last seen
on 12-2-20 in the early morning hours.
Deputies checked a wooded area near by
and eventually found Whiteley, who was
found deceased.
Whiteley’s body was sent to the Tarrant
County Medical Examiner’s Office for an
autopsy.
The preliminary finds say he died from a
wild animal attack, possibly a mountain
lion.
The Hood County Sheriff’s Office has
contacted a Governmental Trapper with the
USDA, who specializes in tracking and
removing mountain lions.
The Hood County Sheriff’s Office, Texas
Game Wardens, and the Governmental
Trapper are working on locating the
mountain lion.
The public in the Lipan area are urged to be
mindful of their surroundings and keep
young children and animals inside at night.
Quote from Sheriff Roger Deeds:
“The safety of Hood County Citizens are my
priority one, but please don’t interfere with
the process of locating the animal and stay
clear of the area being actively worked by
officials”.
These creatures, mountain lion, cougars, panthers, by whatever name, depending on food availability, can easily have a roaming range of 75 to 150 mile diameter. Where their mates, etc may be is entirely different matter altogether. Still, the further the ranging the hungrier and more risk taking they can become. All the more reason to leave those long curly Q tails alone. Those that professionally track them for numbers sake, like the animals themselves, cross all state boundaries with full retained authority. A small housecat most generally always will rout a large dog so a 70 to 140+ lb cat, no doubt, gives some indication, particularly, if hungry, cornered or with young, what damage it can do.