CANYON CITY – A 78-year-old Lebanon man was located late Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 21, after being reported missing in the Vinegar Hill area of northeastern Grant County while hunting with relatives.

Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer reported James Brazel was riding in a vehicle with family members at about 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, when a herd of elk ran across the road in front of the vehicle.

Reportedly Brazel’s physical condition limits his hunting ability to where he stays on the roads, so he was left near the vehicle while the others in the hunting party pursued the elk.

Later, a family member returned to the vehicle and discovered Brazel was missing.

Members of his hunting party searched the area without locating him, and then contacted the Grant County Sheriff’s Department for assistance.

Brazel reportedly had no food, water or survival gear when he left the vehicle.

Grant County Deputy Richard Gray responded to the area, conducted interviews with members of the hunting party, and a search of the immediate area was conducted.

On Wednesday, members of the Grant County Sheriff’s Posse, Grant County Air Search, Officer Cody Weaver and K-9 Charlie of the John Day Police Department and members of the U.S. Forest Service began searching the area where Brazel was last seen.

Palmer said that because the area was in close proximity to Baker County, a call was made to Baker County Search and Rescue to help in the search.

At about 5:30 p.m., the Search and Rescue units were informed Brazel had walked out of the woods about four miles from the search area and had been located by other hunters in the California Gulch area in Baker County.

He was returned to his camp at the Deer Horn Campground along the Middle Fork of the John Day River where he was reunited with family members.