Lost in the Wild: Desperate Search for Missing Hunter in New York Wilderness

This is why you should never hunt alone.

A few days before Thanksgiving New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers responded to a call for a lost hunter in Chenango County.

A hunter from Florida spent an afternoon in the woods. A friend dropped him off on Shingle Street in the town of German around 1 PM. Four hours later the hunter texted his friend to pick him up but he failed to arrive at the agreed-upon location.

The friend searched for the missing hunter for a few hours before calling in help.

Read More: Hunter Breaks Not 1, But 6 Laws Poaching a Deer in Upstate NY

Search Crews

Forest Rangers organized search crews made up of the Chenango County Sheriff's Department, Chenango County Search and Rescue Team, Genegantslet Fire Department, and Norwich Police.

The missing hunter was found just before midnight.

He got turned around in the dark and couldn't find his way out of the woods.

The lost hunter was treated for hypothermia and was taken to the hospital.

Read More: 2 Hunters Caught Hunting Illegally Thanks to a Photo

Hunt Safe, Hunt Smart

Hunting-relating shooting incidents are on the decline in New York, but even one incident is too many. Hunters can prevent injuries and fatalities by following the cardinal rules of hunting safety:

• Assume every gun is loaded.
• Point the muzzle in a safe direction.
• Keep your finger off the trigger until firing.
• Be sure of your target and beyond.
• Wear hunter orange.

If using a tree stand, hunters should use a full-body harness and stay connected from when leaving the ground until returning.