Incident Reported: Lost Hunter

Incident Number: 12c15961

Date / Time: 10-27-2012, @ 2150 Hrs

Location: Bear Lake

Contact person: Sgt. George Town Phone: 574-2535

Narrative:

The Yakima County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the subject’s wife stating that she got a text message from her husband (who was hunting alone) stating that he was in the “Bear Lake Area” but was lost. Search & Rescue was notified, and teams were deployed into the area.

By 0200 Hrs teams had picked up the subjects track in the snow. As they closed in on the subject he was able to fire off a couple warning shots to help the teams locate him.
At 0330 hrs teams had located the subject just off FS road# 238 south of the lake.

The subject had apparently fallen and had a knee injury, and was completely soaked. He was seriously Hypothermic, confused and laying in the snow, unable to move.
The ground teams were able to load him into a “stroke’s” and carry him out to the road. He was then transported to the waiting fire crews and ambulance at Hwy 12 at the Oak Creek feeding Station.

The subject (56 year old Yakima resident) was reunited with his family at memorial hospital, where he was reported to be doing “better”.
According to the Paramedics, the subject may not have survived the night, if not located as he was in “serious hypothermia.”

George Town
Sgt/ SAR coordinator