A 75-year-old hunter who disappeared on the first day of rifle season for deer hunting was found after an extensive search stuck in the mud near Sleeping Bear Dunes Up North.
A six-hour multi-agency hunt kicked off after friends and family of the North Carolina man noticed Sunday afternoon he hadn't been seen since he left the cabin to hunt that morning. Temperatures were hovering near 40 degrees with high winds.
First, his vehicle was found near the area where he was hunting, but he was nowhere near it.
After hour of fruitless searching, choppers were called in and searchers were ordered to evacuate to give the eyes in the sky a better chance of spotting man. Finally, they saw a light wavering in the woods just before 9 p.m.
He was found. He was also stuck in the mud and shining a flashlight toward the helicopter to get their attention.
"This search was successful due to the overwhelming number of conservation officers and other agencies who were willing to help," DNR Conservation Officer Amanda McCurdy said in a news release. "It was a team effort; everyone had an important role to play to ensure this hunter didn't spend a cold, wet and lonely night in the woods."
The search party also included conservation officers, two Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park Service rangers, Benzie County Office of Emergency Management, Frankfort Fire Department, Benzie County EMS and members of the Benzie County Sheriff's Office.
"First responders faced inclement weather conditions in already challenging terrain," said Chief Gary Hagler, of the DNR law enforcement division. "McCurdy's response, with the assistance of seven other conservation officers and assisting agencies, successfully resolved this search and rescue within six hours."
Yet unknown is how the man got stuck, though officials said he was treated on-site by local EMS and expected to make a full recovery.
