80-year-old hunter tracking deer fires shots to tell wife he’s lost, Michigan cops say

An 80-year-old hunter had been missing for several hours when his wife heard him fire several shots, according to Michigan State Police. This signaled to her that he was lost.

State troopers were called to Lovells Township at about 6:40 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, according to a news release. The wife reported her husband was tracking a deer when he disappeared in the woods.

A police dog named Loki, along with the state police aviation unit, assisted in the search for the lost hunter.

Less than a mile north of the man’s home, Loki the K-9 and state troopers found “the very cold hunter” alongside the Au Sable River, authorities said.

The hunter said he wasn’t hurt, but he was “wet and cold” after falling into the river three separate times, according to the news release. He was in waders and wet clothes.

A responding trooper gave the man “the shirt off his back” — along with his gloves and coat — to help the hunter warm up, authorities said.

A fire and rescue unit helped bring the man to safety using a canoe, officials said. He was then taken to a hospital for treatment.

The hunter has been released “in good health,” according to the news release.

Lovells Township is in the northern part of Michigan’s lower peninsula.

This story was originally published November 17, 2022 at 1:18 PM with the headline "80-year-old hunter tracking deer fires shots to tell wife he’s lost, Michigan cops say."