Gallatin County

Hunters rescued after vehicle gets stuck on Forest Service roads

Posted: Nov 13, 2012 3:20 PM

Two hunters were rescued last week after their vehicle became stuck near Little Bear Trail in Gallatin County.

At around 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, the Gallatin County Sheriff's deputies with Search and Rescue responded to two hunters whose vehicle slid off the road while driving on US Forest Service roads. When the hunters were unable to recover their vehicle they used a cell phone to call 911. The hunters had a good description of their location and dispatchers were able to confirm the location through GPS coordinates supplied by the cell phone.

Deputies and search and rescue personnel started working immediately to reach the hunters because of a winter weather system in the area in conjunction with approaching darkness. Deputies arrived in the area and found the hunters on the road near their vehicle. It took deputies about two hours driving on muddy and snowy roads to reach the hunters location. The hunter's vehicle had to be left a t the scene to be recovered later.

The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office reminds backcountry users to bring clothing and emergency supplies appropriate for changing weather conditions. The sheriff's office also notes in a press release that the hunters were found quickly because they knew their location and were able to relay that information to dispatchers because they had their cell phones with them.