Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Lost 87 yr old elk hunter near Delores Colo

Attn: Durango area Campfire forums members ! Does anyone know if the 87 yr old Oklahoma man was found ? He had been hunting near Delores and did not return off the mtn to meet his fellow hunters at pick-up time. Search and rescue had not found him after searching with rescue crew, bloodhounds and helicopters. He has been missing since Sat evening and the weather has turned colder. Anyone with news ? Thank you in advance. Google showed nothing positive for me. HH

Doesn't sound good. We lost an elderly hunter in Wyoming several years ago and no sign of him has ever been found, it was a heavily hunted area too.
At least perhaps he went out doing what he enjoys.
Prayers for his return to his family.

I live in Durango------No news on the missing hunter.

How many 87 year old people are in good enough physical condition to be safely hunting in rough terrain at altitude by themselves?

FYI-----It's Dolores. With an "O" -- I really like that town.

At 87, I’d consider myself fortunate to expire on an elk hunt.

Hope he’s not suffering.

Four days. Not good.



P

Thank you Colorado Bob... I thought I might have mis-spelled Dolores while I was lying in bed thinking of the older gentleman... praying he be found alive and safe.

Thank you all for your thoughts and input. Family claims the 87 yr old was sharp as a tack, a former principal.

For the familes sake... for closure... if the search & rescue is over, I hope they can recover their loved one. God Bless and comfort this family over the loss of a loved one. HH

Local newspaper still has him listed as missing. They said that they’re also using aerial searches. He set up camp about halfway between Dolores and Rico, to the east of 145. Some pretty rugged country in there.
John(dog)

I tell my wife often that I hope to go out of this life sitting on a mountain, sun on my face, rifle in my lap.

Hope they find the gentleman either way.

I as well and told her to just leave me there happy.

From what I remember camp was above 10k in that area and the ravines went down forever.

Told my wife the same thing a few weeks back when I was laying in the ICU, told her the animals have fed me all these years it was my turn to give back...

87 year old doing what he loved. I hope they find him alive and if he passed that they find his remains so his family can have closure.

Maybe he knew death was near and didn't want to be found...If that's the case more power to him...

John Dog: Thanks for the update on the missing 87 yr old, been too long for him now... not a promising end !

ndhunterman I also hope that when it it my time to go from this world ... I am hunting and happy in one of my happy places.

kroo88: I have seen google maps of that area you mention, I agree rugged country and deep creek ravines.

Oldelkhunter I also hope they find him hopefully uninjured, but if not... finding his body will give the family closure.

Thank you men for your concerned thoughts. I hope for a good ending to this search. HH

I’ve hunted all over that area from Stoner Mesa to the east. It’s some serious rough country.
Prayers sent for the fella and his family.

I had a buddy that was joking about death one day coyote hunting w me. He was leaving later that day to go pheasant hunting.

He pheasant hunted the next morning and when they went to town for lunch he had a heart attack and died in the booth at the restaraunt.

I have a sneaking suspicion he knew what was coming.

Still bugs me a little that I watched him miss a chip shot at the last coyote he ever shot at.

Hope they find the gentleman no matter what the case may be.

Not a bad place to leave this earth, if you're ready to go.

Hope they find him, one way or the other, for his sake and for the sake of his family.

I told my wife the same thing and she said, "hell, let's go now and I'll loan yoiu my rifle."

DIdn't quite know what to make of that.......