Missing Hunter Found After Four Days In Chippewa National Forest

A missing hunter has been located after being lost in the Chippewa National Forest for four days in rural Boy Lake Township, north of Remer, Minnesota.

The initial report came into the Cass County Sheriff’s Office on Sept. 25 at 2:15 p.m. Deputies responded to the scene and learned that an adult male was missing from his hunting camp and had not had contact with family members since Sept. 21.

According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, deputies searched the area and were unable to locate the individual.

On the morning of Sept. 26, in very wet conditions, search efforts continued. The male was located in an extremely difficult to access wet swampy area within the Chippewa National Forest. He was treated on scene and transported by Remer Ambulance to a Deer River Hospital for evaluation.

Temperatures during the four-day time period the individual was missing ranged from 82 degrees F with very high humidity to lows overnight of 37 degrees F.

With the upcoming fall hunting season, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and MN DNR reminds all area hunters of the following safety considerations:

• Get a detailed map of the area you are hunting, review it before you leave and carry it with you in the field.
• Carry a compass and know how to use it. Decide ahead of time the direction to head for if you get lost or disoriented.
• Weather can change quickly in Minnesota, so hunters should carry a simple survival kit and be prepared for an unexpected overnight stay in the field. The survival kit should contain a rope, knife, water, waterproof matches, an emergency shelter and first aid supplies.
• If you are on the water, make sure to wear a life vest.
• Know your hunting partners' physical and emotional limitations, as well as your own, and don’t push your partners or yourself beyond those limits.
• If hunting from an elevated stand use a Fall Restraint Device.
• Always let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return.