Hunter who was searching for wounded deer in Lewis County and became lost in darkness had flashlight that lost charge, cell phone that was nearly dead

MARTINSBURG- A lost hunter was found last week in Lewis County thanks to the efforts of emergency responders.

Sometime shortly after 8:30 p.m. on October 29, DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a lost hunter in the Lesser Wilderness State Forest, town of Martinsburg.

The 67-year-old claimed that they had become lost in the darkness while searching for a deer that had been shot.

According to the latest New York State DEC Forest Ranger Highlights, Ranger Maxwell was called in to assist members of the New York State Police and the Sherriff’s Office.

Using cell-phone coordinates, the search team successfully located the lost hunter about an hour later.

The hunter was in good condition, but their cell-phone was nearly dead and their flashlight had completely lost its charge.

As a reminder, hunters and hikers are always encouraged to bring along back-ups for light sources, including extra batteries.

This includes a spare compass, as smartphone devices tend to lose their charge quickly while in the wilderness.

NYS Forest Rangers image.