This was not a case of foul play or the inability to fend off an animal attack.

But there is likely little comfort in that for friends and family of a man who was probably doing something that he loved all his life. In what is being attributed to health issues, the Montana hunting community lost one of its own this week.

Though challenging, the Truman Gulch area is forgiving enough that lots of recreation lovers at various levels of ability take advantage of all it has to offer along the western side of the Bridger Range. But with plenty of damp and thick vegetation, that does not mean that a person could not wander off the main paths and go unnoticed. And its trailhead is where Gallatin County authorities began a search, leading to the worst news search and rescue personnel inevitably face sometimes as part of their job.

The online publication Explore Big Sky reports that on Tuesday, Gallatin County Dispatch received a call from concerned family members about an overdue hunter. The callers knew where the hunter's vehicle would be, near the Truman Gulch trailhead. And though the truck was there, there was no sign of the hunter. Since he was now several hours late and had a medical history, a drone team, dog team and helicopter were called in to take part in the search as nightfall descended.

And it was the Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue Dog Team that located the deceased hunter Wednesday morning. He has been identified as 65-year-old Joseph Raymond Balyeat of Bozeman. It was determined that he died of natural causes.

Mr. Balyeat was a former Montana State Legislator.

Montana's Top 10 Record-Setting Wild Weather Events

Montana is named Big Sky Country for several reasons, not only grandiose Sunsets but impressive weather events as well! Ask any Montana resident who has scoffed at the idea of tossing a blanket or snow shovel in the trunk of the car ” just in case”. Here is a list of Montana's Top 10 Record-Setting Wild Weather Events

RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

 

 

 

 

More From Alt 95.7