The Clackamas County Sheriff鈥檚 Office continues the search for missing Hubbard hunter Devon Dobek, who disappeared Friday evening, Oct. 31.
More than 20 searchers he been in the field using ATVs, drones, and K-9s through Sunday, Nov. 2. Once weather conditions permitted, the Sheriff鈥檚 Office Aviation Unit launched its fixed-wing Cessna 182 aircraft to assist from the air.
Devon Dobek.
Additional resources being used included Clackamas County Sheriff鈥檚 Office Search and Rescue volunteers, Mountain We Search and Rescue, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, Hood River Crag Rats, Lake Oswego Police Department鈥檚 Drone Team and Portland Mountain Rescue.
Sunday鈥檚 search included the same resources, with the addition of Search and Rescue teams from the Washington, Multnomah and Marion County sheriff鈥檚 offices.
Monday鈥檚 efforts included approximately 50 searchers from across the region. In addition to the Clackamas County Sheriff鈥檚 Office Search and Rescue team, support came from Mountain We Emergency Communications, Portland Mountain Rescue, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, the 304th Rescue Squadron (PJs), Hood River Crag Rats, Marion County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, Multnomah County Sheriff鈥檚 Office, and the U.S. Forest Service.
Despite the return of rainy conditions, an Oregon Army National Guard helicopter was able to assist in the search, along with continued drone operations equipped with thermal imaging capabilities.
Search efforts are focused in steep and difficult terrain that was burned in the 2020 wildfires. The area is full of fallen trees, making nigation extremely challenging.
Sheriff鈥檚 Office detectives he been analyzing cell phone tower data to help guide search efforts, although no new data has been detected since October 30.
The beginning of the searchAt approximately 6:20 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, the Clackamas County Sheriff鈥檚 Office received a report of a missing hunter in the Mount Hood National Forest, about 20 miles southeast of Estacada.
The missing hunter, 51-year-old Devon Dobek of Hubbard, was due to return from his hunting trip late Friday night but had messaged a friend that he was returning early after getting a deer.
Deputies located Dobek鈥檚 truck near the Fish Creek Trailhead, off Southeast Highway 224 and 54 Road, but there was no sign of a deer or of Dobek, whom friends describe as an experienced hunter equipped with appropriate gear.
At approximately 10:30 p.m., Clackamas County Search and Rescue coordinators and volunteers began searching the area and continued through the night. Gunshots, presumed to be from the missing hunter, were heard at various times overnight, but searchers were unable to pinpoint the exact location.
Search and Rescue coordinators are attempting to locate Dobek using cellphone and GPS tracking, although signal coverage in the area is weak or nonexistent.