Missing Tukwila Elk Hunter Found In Kittitas County

A 62-year-old elk hunter who has been missing since Monday was found on Wednesday.

Dwight Bates was found by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office in the Chinook Pass area. He was located uninjured and put in contact with his family.

Bates’ son, John Bates, said his father had been elk hunting in the Manastash area and was attempting to drive from the Barbara Springs area to Whistling Jacks Lodge on highway 410.

Bates was last heard from when he called his son at 11:30 a.m. and told him the road conditions were poor and he was going go back to Barbara Springs where he would take an alternate route. Missing Elk Hunter Dwight Bates Dwight Bates /2009/1202/21786235.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_37X90.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_75X180.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_56X135.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_133X320.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_25X60.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_62X150.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_19X45.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_100X240.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_50X120.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_125X300.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_12X30.jpg /2009/1202/21786235_150X360.jpg

He said he would call his son when he reached the lodge.

When Bates failed to call by noon on Tuesday, his son reported him to be overdue to the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies from Kittitas and Yakima counties searched the primary roads during the night without success. Kittitas County Search and Rescue was activated and started a full search at sunrise Wednesday.