Missoula Hunters Missing Overnight in Nine Mile Area Found
Update from the Missoula County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page: "The 18 and 20-year-old hunters were found at approximately 1pm. They are in good health and were not in need of medical attention. The two said they became lost and decided to stop walking once it became dark. Needless to say, they were happy to see us after being lost for well over 24 hours."
Original story: Sheriff’s Deputies and Members of Missoula Search and Rescue were out near the Nine Mile/ Prairie area looking for hunters that were expected to return home on Sunday, October 29.
"So we had two hunters that were overdue, they were supposed to return yesterday (Sunday) at about 3:00 p.m," said Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Brenda Bassett. "Their family called law enforcement and at about 10:00 p.m. we had deputies out searching all night until search and rescue was called out this morning at about 6:00 a.m. We have about four deputies out searching on foot, but Two Bear Air is en route to help."
Officials are keeping the exact location of where the search is at under wraps for the moment to try to work with Two Bear Air’s search method.
"One thing we ask is that people don't really start coming out here, cause that can kind of confuse search efforts with infrared and the helicopters," Bassett said. "When you have helicopters flying over, looking for body heat and you have other people out there that aren't members of our own search crew it can really confuse efforts.
Bassett says the hunter’s vehicle was found at around 10:00 a.m. Monday morning, which helped narrow the search. The two missing hunters are from Missoula.