LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. — A missing hunter, Charles McCoy, was found alive Wednesday in the rugged woods off Mudhole Road in Lancaster County after a three-day search.
A K9 team, featuring a 4-year-old German Shepherd named Jeffra, played a crucial role in locating him.
McCoy had gone hunting alone on Saturday and had not returned home.
The search effort, which began after McCoy had not returned, involved Lancaster County deputies and dozens of other emergency workers.
[ PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Missing hunter located, flown to medical facility ]
Officials described the challenging environment as being like “finding a needle in a haystack” due to the extremely rugged terrain.
The search utilized significant resources, including a helicopter from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and drones from multiple agencies, all deployed in the dense woods.
An official involved in the search described the environment as “awful,” noting the presence of many ridges, steep gullies, and thick vegetation that made traversing the area difficult.
Lindey Howell, Jeffra’s handler, and Jeff Fowler, Jeffra’s owner, joined the search efforts. Jeffra, a certified human remains detection dog, was deployed to assist the teams.
Fowler explained that detection dogs like Jeffra investigate anything that does not belong in their environment, such as a dead animal, another person, clothing, and a book bag.
After searching for miles on Wednesday, Jeffra located items belonging to McCoy. The team then allowed Jeffra to continue leading the way.
Fowler recounted how Jeffra led them up a steep incline where they ultimately found McCoy. Upon discovery, McCoy was conscious, alert, and able to communicate.
Fowler expressed immense relief at the outcome, stating that while it was not the expected result of a human remains detection dog, it was an outcome that “trumps everything” and there is “no better feeling than that in the world.”
McCoy is now recovering.