A 66-year-old hunter who vanished in the rugged backcountry outside Elk City was found alive and well Saturday morning after firing three rifle shots that led rescuers straight to him. Craig Johnson had failed to meet up with his hunting partner as planned along an old skid road in the Radcliff Ridge Road area, triggering an overnight search involving multiple agencies.
According to lmtribune.com, Johnson was reported missing early Friday afternoon after becoming separated from his hunting partner. The two men had arranged to meet along the skid road, but Johnson never showed. Idaho County dispatch had received a third-party report about the missing hunter, and the sheriff's office said Idaho County personnel began coordinating search efforts soon after.
As detailed by Dailyfly, the sheriff's office said Johnson was wearing clothing not appropriate for the weather. His hunting partner was unsure whether he had necessary medication with him, and he was reportedly carrying only a fanny pack and a rifle — details that heightened the urgency of the overnight response.
Search Begins at Dawn Saturday
Search teams began combing the area at dawn Saturday.
Johnson was not dressed to spend the night outdoors, and his hunting partner wasn't sure whether he had his necessary medication, the Lewiston Tribune's report noted, underscoring why searchers pushed through the early hours rather than waiting for full daylight. A search party was also dispatched and began combing the area at dawn Saturday, according to the same account.
Gunshots Guide Rescuers to His Location
The break in the search came when deputies and assisting search and rescue personnel heard three separate single gunshots believed to have been fired by Johnson. Those gunshot sounds helped search teams determine his location, and crews converged on the spot soon after. Idaho County dispatch received confirmation that Johnson had been located at approximately 9:30 a.m., per Dailyfly's account of the sheriff's office information.
Search teams found Johnson alive and well, and he required no medical attention once rescuers reached him, the outlet reported. The outcome closed out a search that stretched from midday Friday into the following morning, relying on a mix of ground crews, dog teams, and eventually the sound of rifle fire cutting through the wilderness.
Sheriff's Office Thanks Search Teams
The Idaho County Sheriff's Office thanked Johnson's friends and family, along with sheriff's office personnel, for their roles in the response. The agency also extended thanks to the Idaho County Sheriff's Posse and its search dog teams, the GMRU, and the Idaho County Drone Team for their work locating Johnson in the Radcliff Ridge area.
