Turkey Hunter Found Dead in Schuyler County

The Schuyler County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing turkey hunter on Tuesday afternoon around 3:00 pm. A 58 year old Hector man left his residence on State Route 227 near Reynoldsville around 5:00am and did not return. A family member returned home from work and found that the subject had not returned. Sheriff’s Deputies and New York State Forest Rangers responded to the scene and established a command post. Local volunteer firefighters from Burdett, Hector, Mecklenburg and Watkins Glen assisted in the search. A New York State Police helicopter was requested and responded to the area along with Troopers to assist in the search. Shortly before 5:00 pm the hunter’s body was located by one of the search teams in a wooded area between State Route 227 and State Route 79. Further investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and Schuyler County Coroner Dr. James Coleman revealed that the hunter died of natural causes.