Virginia man, 64, rescued after getting lost in woods looking for moose tracks

Game Warden Ryan Fitzpatrick and Aroostook County Sheriff Deputy Nate Chisom assisting Donald Cook out of the woods. (MDIFW photo)

NEW SWEDEN, Maine - A Game Warden K9 team located a missing 64-year-old man early Thursday after he became lost behind the vacation house he was renting while looking for moose tracks.

Game Warden K9 Gordon and Game Warden Preston Pomerleau got involved around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday night when the Maine Warden Service received a call that Donald Cook, 64 of Harrisburg, Va., was reported missing by his family. The family had returned home to their rental place at about 3:30 in the afternoon and Cook was missing. They searched for several hours but couldn't find him.

Several game wardens responded to the scene to search for Cook at around 11 p.m., including a warden K9. K9 Gordon and Pomerleau searched the area, and after nearly two hours of searching, K9 Gordon located Cook in the woods a little after 1 a.m. about one half mile from the rental home.

Cook was dehydrated and cold. Game Wardens gave Cook some water, and warm clothes, then assisted him out of the woods. Cook said he had gone out back to look for moose tracks, but got lost after he left the trail behind the house. Cook was examined by emergency medical personnel from Caribou Ambulance but did not need to be transported to the hospital and he was released.