Missing hunter found safe

WASILLA -- A Palmer hunter missing since Saturday was found safe on Wednesday.

The man, 49-year-old Charles Hull, was located Wednesday afternoon by an Alaska State Troopers helicopter, which was able to guide ground searchers to his location. Hull, who lives in the Bodenburg Butte area, disappeared near Little Peters Mountain while on a moose hunt. He was left camp Saturday morning and was reported missing on Saturday evening after he failed to return.

Alaska State Troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said Hull was spotted by the department’s Helo 3 helicopter, which had just dropped off the ground searchers and was making passes over the area.

“The helo was able to direct ground searchers to the person’s location,” Peters said on Wednesday afternoon.

Hull was found near the confluence of the Kahiltna River and Hungryman Creek.

Peters said she didn’t yet have any specific information about Hull’s condition other than he’s safe and being brought out of the area by helicopter to be checked out by medical personnel.

“Which is, quite frankly, incredible,” she said.

The search efforts had been complicated by wet, rainy conditions in the area that persisted throughout the operation. Peters said she didn't immediately know how many searchers participated in the hunt for Hull.

News of Hull's safe discovery traveled fast among his friends back in Palmer. Brady Robinson, another Butte-area resident who said he's known Hull for about five years, said he was overcome with emotion when he heard from a friend near the search that Hull had been located.

"To be honest with you it's very emotional," Robinson said. "What are you gonna do? The first thing you do is pray to God and thank him."

Robinson said he's not surprised Hull was able to come out of the woods unscathed.

"Charlie's a tough dude," he said.

Although Robinson didn't yet know the specifics of Hull's ordeal, he said he "can't wait" to hear the details.

"He's gonna have a story to tell," he said.

And, Robinson added, Hull's friends will surely throw one heck of a welcome-home bash.

"Man, there's gonna be a party," he said.

Here's the troopers' complete dispatch about the rescue:

UPDATE: On 9/16/2015 at approximately 1330 hours, Helo-3 was in the air assisting in search efforts when an individual was spotted near Kahiltna River and Hungryman Creek. Ground search teams that had just been deployed into the field by Helo-3 were provided information to contact the individual on the ground. After ground searchers reached the man, he was identified as Charles Hull. Hull is being transported to be medically evaluated and treated as necessary. AST would like to thank the Alaska Incident Management Team, MATSAR, Alaska Mountain Rescue Group, Alaska Search and Rescue Dogs, Petersville SAR Group, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center and the Alaska National Guard for participating in the successful search efforts. All searchers are being pulled from the field.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.