Idaho Bowhunter Discovers Remains of Another Bowhunter Missing More Than 50 Years

A man bowhunting for mountain goats in Idaho recently stumbled across the remains of another bowhunter who'd been missing for more than 50 years.

Raymond Jones, 39, was last seen on Sept. 7, 1968, near the east fork of Hayden Creek near the city of Salmon, about 160 miles northwest of Idaho Falls.

Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner told EastIdahoNews.com that although Jones was in camp with some other hunters, he was by himself when he disappeared.

Sheriff Bill Baker was called to the camp and an official search was launched Sept. 9, 1968. Aircraft were used, but the search was ultimately called off due to severe snowy weather.

At the time, the Idaho State Journal reported that the search was reopened briefly after footprints were discovered, but after no luck, the case was abandoned again.

A bowhunter found Jones' remains 53 years later on Sept. 17, 2021. The hunter contacted the Lemhi County Sheriff's Office that afternoon, but deputies were unable to recover the remains until the following morning.

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The hunter was seeking a shortcut from one hunting area to another when he found human remains and then contacted the sheriff's office, Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner told EastIdahoNews.com. Due to the lack of remaining daylight and ruggedness of the terrain, recovery efforts began on the morning of the 18.

Along with his remains, they also found Jones' ID still in his wallet.

Jones' wife and his family members have been contacted. Jones would have been 92 years old if he were still alive today.

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