Gallatin County

Husband, wife reunited after getting separated while elk hunting in Gallatin County

Posted: Nov 26, 2012 11:09 AM

A husband and wife who became separated while hunting were reunited following a search in Gallatin County on Sunday.

At around 7:33 p.m. Sunday, Gallatin County Sheriff's Office and Search and Rescue responded to a report of a missing hunter in the Table Mountain area near Rocky Mountain Road and Blacktail Road.

A 71-year-old man phoned 911 and reported that he was hunting with his 62-year-old wife when they split up to track an elk and lost contact with each other. After following the elk tracks and getting further apart, the wife walked several miles back to the Morgan Ranch and sat and waited for her husband to return, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.

The husband returned to the truck and waited for his wife before calling to report she was missing. Search and Rescue found the wife at the ranch. The husband continued to look for his wife after reporting her missing, which prompted Search and Rescue to search for the husband. The husband was located and reunited with his wife.

The sheriff reminds the public to be prepared for emergencies by carrying two-way radios. The Fish and Game regulations allow for two-way radios to be used to locate lost parties and emergency situations and calling for help when an animal is down. Two-way electronic communication (radios, cell phones, text messages, etc.) may not be used to:

• hunt game animals or upland game birds, migratory birds or furbearers OR

• avoiding game checking stations.