Missing CO Hunters

[DFS]

Very sad, I think it resonates with all of us because we have all been in hairy situations while hunting. You just never know when when your last hunt could be. Was hoping it would have turned out a different way.

 

[Caseknife]

I was in ESAR in Central Washington from 12-18 years of age. Went on many searches and a few of them resulted in deceased subjects. I found one of them, an older hunter that looked like he was just sitting on a hillside under a tree in the sagebrush. Believe he had a heart attack, had been dead at least a day. Kind of tough situation for a 16-17 year old kid who also was raised to be a hunter.

 

[jtm307]

Regardless of what they determine the cause of death to be, I think we all owe it to ourselves and loved ones to make every effort to come home.

Pack the rain gear, tops & bottoms. Throw a light weight tarp and emergency blanket in your pack. Buy a damn inreach or zoleo if you don't have one, and turn on the breadcrumb trail. It might not have changed the outcome in this specific case, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

They did all that. The lesson is NEVER leave your gear behind to chase a nearby bugle or to follow a scurrying grouse. I’ve left gear behind before because I didn’t think I’d be going more than 50 yards. I regret it every time.

 

[COrookie]

I was discussing with my friends OnyX should make a feature for searchers that you can “log in“ to the search effort and then your and everyone else’s track in that xx mile radius in the search effort show up so you can make a grid and see where people searched and grid it out .

This can be done with ATAK for android and ITAK for iphones. There is also WinTAK for windows. We use a more secure, state funded version of it at work, but the 3 I mentioned are available for civilian use. There is a high likelihood that S&R and County LE uses the state version but communicating with other teams can be difficult if they are on a different server.

 

[hank4elk]

Lightning strike is what news is saying this morning. Sad.

I have slept in the truck cab when I awoke in my tent on the ridge edge in 4 inches of water. Lightning striking all around. Watched a tree vanish at day light. Tent had been hit by ground lightning and zipper and a fiberglass wand melted in metal socket. Next to where my head had been.

 

[RealMuddyboots]

Storms in high country are extraordinary and can be extremely dangerous.

Prayers and condolences to families.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I think I read somewhere there was a possible rockslide? That could explain how both were affected at the same time with no time to react. I will try to find it and provide more info.

 

[cohunter14]

Lightning strike is what news is saying this morning. Sad.

I have slept in the truck cab when I awoke in my tent on the ridge edge in 4 inches of water. Lightning striking all around. Watched a tree vanish at day light. Tent had been hit by ground lightning and zipper and a fiberglass wand melted in metal socket. Next to where my head had been.

Where did you see this? I can’t seem to find anything.

 

[hank4elk]

Conejo county sheriffs office reported found @ 11 AM yesterday. 2 miles from trailhead.
Autopsy showed lightning cause of deaths.

 

[schmalts]

Conejo county sheriffs office reported found @ 11 AM yesterday. 2 miles from trailhead.
Autopsy showed lightning cause of deaths.

Where did you get that information?

 

[TOGIE]

bodies found 11 am yesterday, 2 miles from the trailhead - recovery takes a bit of time. i'm doubting autopsies have been completed and for sure no autopsy reports have been completed, let alone released to media/public.

i see no stated information on cause of death when i look around.

really really sad deal.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

Pretty sure this video is complete AI baloney. I can find nothing on this story except numerous copies of this video under different accounts on YouTube.

T

I was in ESAR in Central Washington from 12-18 years of age. Went on many searches and a few of them resulted in deceased subjects. I found one of them, an older hunter that looked like he was just sitting on a hillside under a tree in the sagebrush. Believe he had a heart attack, had been dead at least a day. Kind of tough situation for a 16-17 year old kid who also was raised to be a hunter.

That is traumatic to find a body in the woods as a teenager. I was there myself at 17. Yet the knowledge of mortality that becomes ever present the older I get makes it a good story of that hunter. When I go if it’s an acute MI when I’m hunting then that’s alright with me.

 

[hank4elk]

Reported 1st thing this morning on NM 13, Fox news. Heard necropsy was done in field and heard word autopsy. Not full report.

 

[elkduds]

Regardless of what they determine the cause of death to be, I think we all owe it to ourselves and loved ones to make every effort to come home.

Pack the rain gear, tops & bottoms. Throw a light weight tarp and emergency blanket in your pack. Buy a damn inreach or zoleo if you don't have one, and turn on the breadcrumb trail. It might not have changed the outcome in this specific case, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Using available tech makes so much sense for survival, contact w loved ones, aiding SAR.

 

[bmontang]

Reported 1st thing this morning on NM 13, Fox news. Heard necropsy was done in field and heard word autopsy. Not full report.

The Colorado Sun website says “no obvious injuries on their bodies or initial signs of foul play” it would seem a lightening strike would leave some obvious signs, no?

 

[Chama Grande]

No obvious injuries, foul play in deaths of elk hunters in southern Colorado, authorities say

Autopsies are set for Monday for two elk hunters found dead a week after they went missing in the Rio Grande National Forest.

coloradosun.com

Autopsies to be done Monday.

 

[jrabq]

The Colorado Sun website says “no obvious injuries on their bodies or initial signs of foul play” it would seem a lightening strike would leave some obvious signs, no?

I think it varies a lot, sometimes just looks like an electrocution, other time severe burns and even broken bones.

 

[schmalts]

I think it varies a lot, sometimes just looks like an electrocution, other time severe burns and even broken bones.

Definitely it varies. It's amazing that it can kill not by burning or direct impact but can be as little as just enough voltage to cause paralysis that causes breathing to stop. That's why it can kill an entire heard of elk with one strike. Not too long ago a rancher was killed by lightning and it also killed a bunch of his cows he was feeding!

 

[BuzzH]

I think it varies a lot, sometimes just looks like an electrocution, other time severe burns and even broken bones.

No personal experience, but from my WFR courses even splash can stop your heart and breathing. One of the few times that CPR can work.

They recommend being quite aways apart in lightning because if you're both struck, nobody to rescue you. We practice that in the field when we get stuck out in lightning storms.

I also really watch the weather and try to get out early, do my work, and GTFO before the afternoon storms.

Feel bad for these guys and their families.

 

[SaskHunter]

Glad the families will be able to get closure.

Also, I can't imagine going through this with a loved one and reading strangers online comment on how foul play might have been at cause when these complete strangers have zero clue what happened nor did they know either of the victims... Speculating on an online forum serves absolutely zero purpose.