Law enforcement and groups seeking to find missing persons say hunters can help their cause.
Missing Missouri, a non-profit organization that offers support for the loved ones of missing people, cited Missouri Highway Patrol statistics showing there are currently 614 adults and 374 children missing in Missouri.
“Hunters and all outdoors enthusiasts cover more ground than the families and authorities can do when searching. You are the eyes that help bring families the missing resolution. Keep up the great work by remaining vigilant, observant and responsibly reporting anything out of the ordinary,” Missouri Missing told the Waynesville Daily Guide.
“Over the course of my career, we have had several occasions where hunters have made reports of finding remains that were missing persons or victims of crime, that is not uncommon,” Jeff Billips, Georgia Department of Natural Resources game warden, told WRDW-TV.
A recent Google search showed hunters found two bodies in the woods in Pennsylvania, authorities in Maine asked hunters to be watchful for two people who disappeared more than a year ago, and an elk hunter in Oregon found three people (one died) who got lost in September.
(Photo source: US Department of Agriculture)