Duck hunter missing for months found dead in river by fisherman, Colorado sheriff says

A fisherman discovered the body of a duck hunter missing since December in the Gunnison River, Colorado sheriff’s officials reported.

Wayne Phillips was reported overdue from a hunting trip by his family on Dec. 21, the Delta County Sheriff’s Department said in a Feb. 27 news release.

He was last seen in the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, according to the release.

Volunteers searched for Phillips by air, ground and in the water in what the sheriff’s office called “one of the most lengthy, complex searches” in the agency’s history.

Search efforts were called off on Dec. 30 because of bad weather and river ice, the release said.

On Feb. 25, a fisherman called 911 to report finding a body in the Gunnison River. An autopsy and investigation identified Phillips as the deceased.

Sheriff’s officials said they are “thankful we were able to help bring closure to the family following this tragic accident.”

The Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area is about 260 miles southwest of Denver.

This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 12:52 PM with the headline "Duck hunter missing for months found dead in river by fisherman, Colorado sheriff says."