What Happened? Body of Missing Hunter Found in Montana

UPDATE: The hunter has been identified as Joseph Raymond Balyeat, 65 years of age and a resident of Bozeman MT. The death has been determined to be of natural causes.

The body of a missing hunter was found by search and rescue crews near Bozeman.

According to a press release from Gallatin County Sheriff Search & Rescue, Gallatin County Dispatch received a call just before 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4 regarding a hunter that hadn't returned on time.

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The caller had driven to the Truman Gulch Trailhead in the Bridger Mountain Range and discovered the hunter's vehicle parked there. The missing hunter was reportedly several hours overdue and had a known medical history.

Volunteers from the Valley Section of Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue responded to the area to search for the missing hunter with assistance from the SAR Drone Team and the SAR Dog. LifeFlight Network also assisted by searching the area utilizing night vision.

Thanks to information provided by the reporting party and the hunter's family, Search and Rescue teams were able to locate the approximate area of where the individual was hunting and also located the hunter's tree stand.

In the early hours of Wednesday, October 5, a Gallatin County Sheriff's Search and Rescue dog team located the body of the missing hunter. The hunter has been identified as Joseph Raymond Balyeat, 65 years of age and a resident of Bozeman MT. The death has been determined to be of natural causes.

Montana's backcountry can be unforgiving, and it's important to make sure that you're prepared. Cell phone service is limited in many areas of the state. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the hunter.