UMATILLA INDIAN RESERVATION — The Umatilla County Search and Rescue team found a pair of stranded shed hunters early Monday, March 31, on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office in a press release reported its search and rescue unit on March 30 at about 6:15 p.m. responded to a call for help after a 54-year-old man reported his tracked all-terrain vehicle had sheared the lug studs and was immobile while shed hunting on Blue Kettle Ridge above the Little Johnson Creek, Kamela. The man’s 32-year-old nephew was accompanying him.

The sheriff’s office used the man’s cellphone signal to determine the man’s location was off U.S. Forest Service Road 2136.

Sheriff’s deputy Travis McMasters contacted the men by phone. They reported they had water, snacks, proper clothing and a fire going. They were able to send their coordinates according to their ONYX app, which was near the phone coordinates.

The stranded men are enrolled members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and they were on CTUIR lands. Umatilla Tribal Fire Department Chief James Hall also responded, bringing along his own tracked utility task vehicle.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Dwight Johnson sent a call out to search and rescue members. Ed Dolan, Chandler Siedler, Dave Rademacher and Daniel Gardner responded, along with UCSO reserve patrol deputy James Baker.

The search and rescue team and tribal fire department sent two tracked UTVs from Old Emigrant Spring Frontage Road and the Railroad Access Road in Kamela, according to the sheriff’s office. The units traversed approximately 16 miles in snow before finding the stranded men at about 12 a.m. March 31. Because they were well prepared for the conditions, they were unharmed and in good spirits. Search and rescue returned the men to their vehilce in Kamela at about 2:30 a.m.

For more information about the Umatilla County Search and Rescue, visit umasarfoundation.org.