Hunter missing for days in forest’s ‘most remote wilderness,’ Oregon officials say

A hunter was found in a national forest after he went missing for days, Oregon officials said.

Tyler Saxon, a 30-year-old from Creswell, was dropped off at the Rock Creek Wilderness area within Siuslaw National Forest on Tuesday, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said.

He was supposed to meet someone to go hunting, but he never showed up. His family then reported him missing, officials said.

“Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue deployed a rescue team to the area and searched all night Tuesday, all day Wednesday and into Thursday,” the sheriff’s office said.

After days of searching, volunteers found Saxon Thursday in woods near where he was dropped off.

“He was found with non-life-threatening injuries and is currently with searchers as they work on a rescue plan to get him out safely,” the sheriff’s office said.

Rock Creek Wilderness is the national forest’s “most remote wilderness” and it has no trails or trailheads, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

“You’ll need to travel cross country using a map and compass — a real wilderness experience,” the Forest Service said.

This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Hunter missing for days in forest’s ‘most remote wilderness,’ Oregon officials say."