RCMP officers recount story of finding missing hunter in November

In November, RCMP officers managed to find and rescue a hunter after the man went missing on a cold night in northern Saskatchewan.

According to the RCMP, the Patuanak detachment got a call at around 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 reporting the hunter was missing. The 60-year-old hunter was with a friend in some very thick woods, police said, but while his friend was trying to guide him out of the bush, the hunter stopped responding and hadn’t been heard from in more than 30 minutes.

The response was led by Const. Kirk Ingham, who said any missing persons case becomes urgent when cold weather and harsh wilderness are involved.

The woods where a missing hunter was found consisted of very dense pine trees with a lot of deadfall, the RCMP said. (RCMP/Submitted)

“(He) wasn’t new to the bush, but anytime someone’s not heard from in the wilderness, it’s a big deal,” Ingham said in a statement.

“If he wasn’t found that night, the situation would be different in the morning.”

Ingham and other officers met up with the hunter’s partner and continued trying to contact the missing man. Ultimately, police said, two officers armed with flares and lights made their way into the woods.

“Northern Saskatchewan can be very treacherous, even for an experienced person,” Ingham said. “By the time we got the call, it was already completely dark.”

While bears were hibernating and not a concern for the officers, the RCMP noted that large wolves had been seen in the area.

After 10 minutes of walking through the dense pine trees, the officers used a flare to try to get the missing hunter’s attention. Eventually, Const. Zach Mann — who had been a police officer for less than three months — heard a faint response to his shouts.

After going another 500 yards into the woods, Mann and another officer finally found the missing hunter.

“You could tell he was soaking wet (and) was asking for water,” Mann said in a statement. “We were able to follow our path back.

“There was a lot of deadfall. It’s easy to lose your trail if you’re not careful. (Ingham) flipped on the sirens a few times to help with sense of direction.”

The missing hunter was able to walk, police said, and with help from the officers he was able to make his way out of the forest where he was given a warm ride back to the community by his family members.

“His pants were so soaking wet and frozen, they were stiff into peaks,” Ingham said.