Hunter and his dog missing in Northern BC ----> UPDATE: Dog Proved Not to be Murphy!

[Butcherbill]

This thread probably stirs up a few memories for many of us. And I'm starting to wonder if grouse kill more people than wolves ...I learned my lesson about following grouse and getting turned around years ago ...I didn't take anything other than my shotgun and a few shells because I was only going for an hour and sticking to an area I was somewhat familiar with...famous last words. 4 hours later I made it back to camp a little rattled and a LOT wiser.

I think anyone that spends enough time out in n the bush will have a few stories about getting turned around, I was just telling g a coworker about one. I was in an area hunting late season a few years back and bumped a bedded down buck, we played cat and mouse for a good 30-45 min. He zig zagged all over the area doubling back trying to loose me before he headed up hill into the thickest bush, when I gave up trying to get within sight I started back towards the area I hiked in from I realized I was completely turned around. I had my gps running a track and easily got back in the right direction, was wild when I zoomed out and saw the track I had left. I was so focused on the buck I lost track of where I had started.

Handy tools to get you to and from places. I have one, but I don't put too much trust in electronics.

I normally would have to agree about electronics, after using my phone and a couple gps apps the last few years at work all year I’m fairly confident that they will work. Making sure batteries are charged, having an auxiliary battery pack in the winter and good topo maps is the important part. Getting yourself oriented before you leave the truck/staging area is a good idea as well. I rarely use my Garmin gps anymore, iPhone is better I’ve found.

I've used Sat Phones, unfortunately they are not all that reliable. Especially in an emergency.......

I-phone 16 and maybe others now have an app that one can text using satellite's, even when in a no service area......

The iPhone 14 has Sat messaging and emergency capability, pretty nice actually. I just tested it out last week while out hunting, someone here said the service is free for two years if you have just activated a new phone. I was about to buy a personal Zoleo but seeing as I just got a new phone I’ll hold off, work provides me with one but for personal stuff I’ll use my phone till the free period is up.

 

[canadian hunter312]

I was a dedicated waterfowler for years. I am WELL aware of what river ice flows, -20*C ambient air temp, and long swim distances will do to dogs.
I also ran bears and cats with hounds for years, growing up in a hound household.
I currently have a heeler that spent his life working livestock until he went blind, that was lost for weeks at -35*C. That dog would travel 30+ km a day based on visual reports, but he stayed close to where he was lost.
The amount of ground a dog can travel in the course of a week can’t surprise me.

A dog trying on its own to cross a fast moving river that is hundreds of meters wide WOULD surprise me. A malnourished dog SURVIVING that swim is even more unlikely. I’d have an easier time believing that a golden eagle picked him up and flew him across the river, and gently put him down on the edge of the river valley.

Theres tons of stories of dogs traveling farther and for longer durations in similar or worse conditions. You could spend some time on Google reading such stories rather than than trying to convince me of whatever. Actually some unbelievable stories out there that make this one look like a cake walk.


That’s why opinions are like buttholes I guess. They all stink, except your own

 

[wallz]

The iPhone 14 has Sat messaging and emergency capability, pretty nice actually. I just tested it out last week while out hunting, someone here said the service is free for two years if you have just activated a new phone. I was about to buy a personal Zoleo but seeing as I just got a new phone I’ll hold off, work provides me with one but for personal stuff I’ll use my phone till the free period is up.

I'm sure the iphone messaging works great in some areas, but when going north of PG I have found that there are multiple areas that did not have the satellite coverage, and will continue to carry my zoleo as the preferred device. Have the new iphone 15.

There are just too many areas the further north you go that don't have great coverage, where the zoleo I found only gave issues if you were in large mountain shadows, but they had to be steep and tall.

 

[Butcherbill]

I'm sure the iphone messaging works great in some areas, but when going north of PG I have found that there are multiple areas that did not have the satellite coverage, and will continue to carry my zoleo as the preferred device. Have the new iphone 15.

There are just too many areas the further north you go that don't have great coverage, where the zoleo I found only gave issues if you were in large mountain shadows, but they had to be steep and tall.

I’ve been pretty happy with how the Zoleo works to be honest, we have been using them on a few different work contracts. At some point I’ll be picking one up for myself, zero issues with them.

 

[45ACPKING]

I rarely use my Garmin gps anymore, iPhone is better I’ve found.

The iPhone 14 has Sat messaging and emergency capability, pretty nice actually. I just tested it out last week while out hunting, someone here said the service is free for two years if you have just activated a new phone. I was about to buy a personal Zoleo but seeing as I just got a new phone I’ll hold off, work provides me with one but for personal stuff I’ll use my phone till the free period is up.

good to know about the iphone 14..... I am in the market for a new phone so will put that one at the top of the list.

 

[45ACPKING]

Theres tons of stories of dogs traveling farther and for longer durations in similar or worse conditions. You could spend some time on Google reading such stories rather than than trying to convince me of whatever. Actually some unbelievable stories out there that make this one look like a cake walk.

How about the wolves that travel thousand miles or more from the mid USA to the rockies in mid/northern alberta and BC? Crazy how far some of the collared wolves have been documented travelling. I know there is a big difference in the wilderness capabilities of a wolf versus a domestic dog but still..... have 4 legs.... will travel.

Also on the subject of the dog crossing rivers...... there are these things call bridges..... LOL both vehicle and rail bridges across both the Pine and the Peace so it's entirely possible the dog used those to get where he did. So I'm also of the belief that rivers in the way might not be so insurmountable if the dog found a bridge or two.

Another friend of mine who follows missing people discussions had her own theory that maybe the guy was hit by a vehicle accidentally and the driver dumped him .... and then the dog , far from the truck. Ya never know....... Some people I know from kamloops figure that is what happened to that young guy that went missing from sunpeaks a few years back and there is still no trace of him.

 

[pete dobinson]

I'm confused, what's the dna testing for, the dog?

Hard to tell from the pics, but the first pics shows some pink in his nose, the second pic does not. Hmmm.

View attachment 861943

It would be impossible to tell the colouration of the dogs nose in these two pictures.

 

[45ACPKING]

has there been any updates on this missing guy? And is there any news about the dog that might be Murphy?

 

[ArmedGinger]

Published Thursday, December 5, 2024 1:09PM PST

RCMP have confirmed a search conducted by North Peace Search and Rescue (SAR) this week was in fact for James ‘Jim’ Barnes.

In a statement to CJDC-TV, North District Media Relations confirmed the SAR team searched an area where a dog, believed to be Murphy, was found. Murphy is the golden retriever who was with Barnes when he disappeared.

It was in an effort to ‘further the investigations’, however teams were unable to locate anything.

“They have since been stood down,” said Cpl. Madonna Saunderson, who adds the investigation remains active and is a priority for the Chetwynd Detachment.

On Tuesday, North Peace SAR released a photo on social media confirming they have been tasked with searching an "area of interest" near the Halfway River but did not confirm whether the search was for Barnes.

RCMP are also revealing new information on the identity of the injured dog found.

“The investigation into the positive identity of the dog continues, and at this time, we cannot with 100 percent certainty say that this is in fact Murphy,” said Cpl. Saunderson.

The dog was found approximately 120 kilometres from where Barne’s truck was found on Ground Birtch Road, just off 269 Road.

“While the family feels that it might be Murphy. the RCMP are looking into a DNA test to determine positively that it Murphy,” confirmed Cpl. Saunderson.

It will still be some time before the results determine the true identity of the dog. Earlier this week, social media posts by family alleged the dog was in fact Murphy after ‘consulting professionals.'

RCMP say more information may be released as it becomes available.

It has now been 11 weeks since Barnes was first reported missing.

 

[Licensed to kill]

My brother live not far from where Jim and Murphy whet missing and knows the area. He also knows the guys that found the abandoned truck and they say that there was a LOT of grizzly sign in the area where the truck was found. Unfortunately, it took authorities more than a day to respond to the report and it has snowed between the time the truck was found and reported and when the authorities showed up to start the search/investigation. It is my brothers, and that if the guys that found the truck that Jim (and likely Murphy) was attacked by a grizzly. BTW, apparently, Jim was NOT a hunter. He was out collecting something that grows on the sides of tree trunks or some such.

 

[Mik123]

My brother live not far from where Jim and Murphy whet missing and knows the area. He also knows the guys that found the abandoned truck and they say that there was a LOT of grizzly sign in the area where the truck was found. Unfortunately, it took authorities more than a day to respond to the report and it has snowed between the time the truck was found and reported and when the authorities showed up to start the search/investigation. It is my brothers, and that if the guys that found the truck that Jim (and likely Murphy) was attacked by a grizzly. BTW, apparently, Jim was NOT a hunter. He was out collecting something that grows on the sides of tree trunks or some such.

He might have been collecting chaga.

 

[Thunderhog]

My brother live not far from where Jim and Murphy whet missing and knows the area. He also knows the guys that found the abandoned truck and they say that there was a LOT of grizzly sign in the area where the truck was found. Unfortunately, it took authorities more than a day to respond to the report and it has snowed between the time the truck was found and reported and when the authorities showed up to start the search/investigation. It is my brothers, and that if the guys that found the truck that Jim (and likely Murphy) was attacked by a grizzly. BTW, apparently, Jim was NOT a hunter. He was out collecting something that grows on the sides of tree trunks or some such.

Shooting grouse actually constitutes hunting. So in BC, that makes him a hunter.

Are you sure your information is correct?

 

[DBeato]

No idea what difference a DNA on the dog will do. In the end the guy is missing.

 

[Licensed to kill]

Shooting grouse actually constitutes hunting. So in BC, that makes him a hunter.

Are you sure your information is correct?

Unless I misunderstood, the guys that found the truck which were friends of Jim said that he was not hunting. It’s an insignificant detail either way other than it explains the gun left in the truck. The main point was that there was a lot of grizzly sign in the immediate area but the authorities never saw it because it snowed between the time the truck was found and reported and the authorities showing up to start the investigation.

 

[Licensed to kill]

No idea what difference a DNA on the dog will do. In the end the guy is missing.

Because if it is proven to in fact be Murphy, the condition and location of the dog as/where found might give clues to what happened. If proven to not be Murphy, then no point in examining the dog for clues.

 

[DBeato]

Because if it is proven to in fact be Murphy, the condition and location of the dog as/where found might give clues to what happened. If proven to not be Murphy, then no point in examining the dog for clues.

how long will DNA take? In the meantime, go look where the dog was found.

 

[Licensed to kill]

how long will DNA take? In the meantime, go look where the dog was found.

How much time and money do you think should be invested “looking where the dog was found” if it is not the dog in question?

 

[Bustercluck]

Unless I misunderstood, the guys that found the truck which were friends of Jim said that he was not hunting. It’s an insignificant detail either way other than it explains the gun left in the truck. The main point was that there was a lot of grizzly sign in the immediate area but the authorities never saw it because it snowed between the time the truck was found and reported and the authorities showing up to start the investigation.

Just because there’s a grizzly in the area doesn’t mean he was eaten by a bear. There’s probably 10,000 more likely scenarios than that. With the way things are going these days he’s probably far more likely to be a victim of foul play than being eaten by an animal.

 

[Licensed to kill]

Just because there’s a grizzly in the area doesn’t mean he was eaten by a bear. There’s probably 10,000 more likely scenarios than that. With the way things are going these days he’s probably far more likely to be a victim of foul play than being eaten by an animal.

Really…..10,000 more likely scenarios???, name 10. How well do you know the area?,

 

[tactical lever]

How much time and money do you think should be invested “looking where the dog was found” if it is not the dog in question?

We pulling someone away from a really intense card game or something?

Waiting for DNA, is wasting time. The more time spent navel gazing, the less chance you have of giving the family closure and finding out what happened.

There's not a plethora of people losing a dog that fits the description and mannerisms in the area. Last I saw it's a few thousand to get a purebred Golden, to boot. If someone lost him, you can bet there'd be a ton of posts about it online.