(NEXSTAR) — The remains of a hunter who was last seen in 1968 have been discovered more than five decades after he first went missing.
The remains of the missing man were found Friday, in Idaho’s Lemhi County, by another hunter who was seeking a shortcut between hunting areas, according to incident report filed by Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner.
The deceased hunter, identified as 39-year-old Raymond James, was said to be bow-hunting for mountain goat when he was last seen on Sept. 7, 1968. The Lehmi County Sheriff’s Office was notified of Jones’ disappearance the following day and a search was initiated on Sept. 9, according to current Sheriff Steve Penner.
Penner said the search lasted for several days but was ultimately “hampered by foul weather and Jones was never located.”
Just over 53 years later, officials at the sheriff’s office received a call from a bow hunter who found Jones’ remains on Friday at approximately 4 p.m. On Saturday morning, deputies recovered the remains and found Jones’ identification in a wallet.
“It’s pretty wild, ain’t it?” Penner said in a statement to East Idaho News. “You have another bow hunter looking for a shortcut who stumbled upon a bow hunter from 53 years ago.”
The sheriff’s office says they have notified Jones’ next of kin.
