Two hunters – one a 12-year-old boy – who were reported lost in northwest Colorado on Sunday night drove out of the backcountry on their own Monday. But not before Moffat County authorities had pulled out all the stops to find them.
Moffat County Sheriff Buddy Grinstead said Robert Gordon, 66, of Grand Junction and his foster son, Aaron, drove into Maybell about 9 a.m. Monday, halting a major search effort.
“It all worked out with a happy ending,” said Grinstead, who admitted to being disgruntled over an unnecessary search.
Grinstead said the 12-year-old had made a 911 call Sunday evening saying he didn’t know where he was and couldn’t find his hunting partner. The boy said his foster father had told him to stay in their van until he heard shots and then to climb a hill and meet him. The boy told a dispatcher that he climbed the hill but couldn’t find Gordon.
When the hunters drove out of the backcountry, authorities learned that the boy had found his stepfather a half-hour after the call, but they decided to spend the night at their van and drive out in the morning without dialing 911 again to call off any search.
Grinstead said the search cost about $2,000 and will be paid for from a state fund because Gordon had paid the 25-cent surcharge on his hunting license to cover search costs.
Gordon could not be reached. A family member said he is still hunting.
Staff writer Nancy Lofholm can be reached at 970-256-1957 or nlofholm@denverpost.com.
