Two men have been missing for a week now after embarking on an elk hunt in the Rio Grande National Forest of southern Colorado.
Andrew Porter and Ian Stasko left Sept. 8 for the Rio De Los Pinos Trailhead and were hunting southwest of Monte Vista in Game Management Unit 81 when they failed to check in with loved ones on a GPS radio.
The men were last heard from on Sept. 11. The Conejos County Sheriff’s Department found their car at the trailhead, with camping gear and backpacks, but there was no sign of the men.
Porter’s fiancée, Bridget Murphy says the men had been planning this trip for several months, excited to potentially catch a bull elk, and to spend time together. Murphy says they’re experienced outdoorsmen, so she wasn’t worried about their safety.
“They've been building shelters in the woods since they were 12, like they're those guys,” Murphy said.
She says the men probably left their gear and went out for a quick hunt, when they hit unexpected bad weather. Heavy rain and fog occurred the evening of Sept. 11, which raised concern among their families and local law enforcement.
Search and Rescue, as well as the Conejos County Sheriff’s Department are still looking for Porter and Stasko. They were supposed to be home Wednesday.
“We may not be legally married, but he is my husband. He is my partner. He is my other half, and I will not stop until I find him and Ian,” Murphy said.
Murphy asks that anyone with qualified hunting or hiking experience come to the Los Pinos Trailhead to help search on foot. She emphasizes that they want the search effort to remain safe, and helpers should check in with search and rescue or the sheriff’s department before heading out.
According to Murphy’s Facebook page Wednesday evening, Porter and Stasko were seen Friday Sept. 12 at the Spruce Hole Trailhead by other hunters, but have still not been found.
Murphy is posting updates on the men’s status to her Facebook and Instagram daily and their families are offering a $10,000 reward to those who find them.
