New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents in the Adirondacks. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from the Adirondack backcountry.

What follows is a report, prepared by DEC, of recent missions carried out by Forest Rangers in the Adirondacks.

Hamilton County

Town of Inlet
Pigeon Lake Wilderness
Lost hunter: On October 22 at 5:18 pm, DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Hamilton County 911 advising of a lost 57-year-old male from Liverpool. The hunter was last seen by his group around 2 pm. Two DEC Forest Rangers responded and hiked in through Bug Lake and two Forest Rangers went in from the east side of 8th Lake. The Rangers located the man’s footprints and followed them out to the Uncas Road. Forest Rangers discovered the man had come out of the woods in good health and found a ride back to his hotel. The incident concluded at 9 pm.

Herkimer County

Town of Ohio
Ferris Lake Wild Forest
Lost hunter: On October 23 at 1:03 pm, DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from the concerned wife of a 35-year-old male from New Port reporting that her husband had become lost while hunting in the Ferris Lake Wild Forest. DEC Forest Rangers, a DEC Environmental Conservation Officer and New York State Police responded and began searching the immediate area. Forest Rangers were notified at 3:08 pm that the man had made his way out of the woods in good health. The incident concluded at 4:07 pm.

Be Prepared: Properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hiking Safety webpage and Adirondack Trail Information webpage for more information about where you intend to travel. The Adirondack Almanack reports weekly Outdoor Conditions each Thursday afternoon.