(Submitted photo/Patuanak RCMP)

By paNOW Staff

Patuanak

Patuanak RCMP recall search and rescue of missing hunter

Jan 6, 2023 | 1:00 PM

RCMP detachments around the province have to be ready to respond to every kind of emergency, even some of its smaller detachments in northern, remote areas. The Patuanak RCMP detachment got a reminder of that earlier this winter.

On Nov. 14, 2022, at 9:30 p.m., the officers there were called upon for a search and rescue to find a 60-year-old man who went missing while hunting with a friend. The man was hunting in a remote spot, about 40 km south of Patuanak. Patuanak is a small hamlet in the northwest part of the province, 400 km north of North Battleford.

“[The missing man] wasn’t new to the bush, but anytime someone’s not heard from in the wilderness, it’s a big deal,” Cst. Kirk Ingham said in a statement. “Based on the community response, wanting to help, they knew this was a dire situation. If he wasn’t found that night, the situation would be different in the morning.”

“We didn’t really have too much to go off of. One guy who’d seen him that day, which was his hunting buddy there,” added Ingham. “He did have a few [pieces of] survival equipment with him. A little bit of equipment to make a fire, he had a machete. He only had one bottle of water and a thermos full of tea as far as liquids go, so we figured he was running low on that.”

The Patuanak RCMP received reinforcements from their neighbouring detachments in Beauval and Meadow Lake, as well as help from the province and the Canadian Rangers.

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There were many concerns responders had to deal with, how late in the day and dark it was, how dense the brush and deadfall in the area was, how unpredictable the terrain was under the snow, and that the area was known to have wolves lurking about.

“Northern Saskatchewan can be very treacherous, even for an experienced person,” Ingham said. “Being so far north, we get dark extremely quick. By the time we got the call, it was already completely dark. No ambient light coming in.”

“And if you fall through, you don’t know how deep it is,” added Ingham. “At the end of the day, in that temperature, what’s really going to scare you is going to be getting wet and having to try and keep yourself warm after being soaking wet.”

Thankfully, the hunter was found safe later that night. The search itself took nearly 30 minutes after responders made it to the remote location.

“You could tell he was soaking wet, was asking for water,” said Cst. Zach Mann. “We were able to follow our path back. There was a lot of deadfall. It’s easy to lose your trail if you’re not careful. I flipped on the sirens a few times to help with a sense of direction.”

The missing man was able to slowly walk out of the forest on his own with the two officers.

“There was concern for officer safety, sending our police officers into the bush,” shared Ingham. “It was a lot to coordinate and I was so happy other supports were on their way. (The missing man) seemed a little bit shaken up for sure, his pants were so soaking wet and frozen, they were stiff into peaks. And having my two (officers) come out of there, unscathed and not too cold and safe was another big thing for me, too.”

The missing man emerged from the trees and was given a warm ride back to the community by his family.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

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