An injured hunter was rescued Thursday by the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue.
On Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 8:30 p.m., the sheriff’s office dispatch center received a call regarding an injured hunter in the Mill Creek Watershed area near Milton-Freewater.
The injured man, Danny Rupp, 49, from Albany, was reported to have a severe ankle injury and was unable to walk. The caller stated they had the hunter’s location on GPS.
UCSO Search and Rescue (SAR) decided to begin the search in the morning due to darkness, the steep, rugged terrain as well as snow. Rupp was prepared to spend the night, was appropriately dressed, and had the ability to build a fire, according to UCSO.
On Thursday, Nov. 3 at 4 a.m., SAR volunteers were called to begin the search for Rupp. Mutual aid came from Union County, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council. A helicopter from the Oregon National Guard was also on standby.
A search and rescue team found Rupp around 10 a.m. and reported that he was partly ambulatory and that they would begin slowly walking down with him. Once they reached the bottom of the drainage area, around 6 p.m., a wheeled litter was used to transport Rupp back to a vehicle where they arrived around 8 p.m.
“This was a well-executed mission by all,” said Sgt. Dwight Johnson. “I am very proud of all those who participated. It is my honor to be associated with such a dedicated group of people.”
