Missing elk hunter found in Custer County

A missing elk hunter from Caldwell was found in the Custer County backcountry late Thursday morning. The Custer County Sheriff’s Office says a call came into their office Late Wednesday evening from the Diamond-D Ranch in Loon Creek. The caller informed the dispatcher that 55-year-old Robert Powers from Caldwell was missing from his hunting party and was presumed that he was in trouble. The area temperature had dropped to 21 degrees Fahrenheit and 3 inches of snow lay on the ground. Custer County Sheriff Stuart Lumpkin activated the Custer County Search & Rescue, Challis Unit. Unit Commander Micah Cox organized a team to drive into the Diamond-D Ranch and gather information as to the location of Powers. Late Thursday morning, Powers was located at the mouth of Rat Creek at the upper Loon Creek airstrip three miles north of the Diamond-D ranch, by search and rescue volunteers Dustin Webster and Jim Pierson. Powers was working his way toward the airstrip on his own when he saw the search and rescue looking for him. He started calling out to them for help. They heard the calls for help and began zeroing in on his location. Powers was not injured, just cold, hungry and very tired. The search and rescue team transported him to the Diamond-D ranch. In coordination with the search team, Custer County had a 3 person volunteer search team headed toward the Loon Creek area, as well as a contracted helicopter from Reeder Flying Services out of Twin Falls, Idaho.