Arrow drawn in ground helps rescuers find missing hiker in New Mexico

RESERVE, N.M. (KVIA) -- On Monday, several New Mexico law enforcement agencies worked together to rescue a missing man, New Mexico State Police said. An arrow drawn in the dirt saved him.

Police said 74-year-old man reported himself as lost while hiking in Catron County, New Mexico. He texted his family he separated from his truck for 40 hours. He said he was near a campsite and a large ponderosa tree along the NM 28 highway.

Authorities launched a search and rescue (SAR) mission, which involved volunteers from Mesilla Valley and Doña Ana County SAR, police said. Authorities also used thermal drones and dogs to track the man's scent.

Volunteers later found an arrow drawn on the ground, which helped them find and rescue the man, police said.

Medical personnel evaluated the man, and he later reunited with his family, according to police.

NMSP said the mission should remind everyone that SAR volunteers are "unsung heroes."

"They receive no pay for their service, yet they routinely work long hours navigating difficult terrain, enduring challenging weather, and using specialized skills and equipment to save lives," NMSP said in a news release.

Catron County is about four and a half hours from Las Cruces by car. It includes part of the Gila National Forest.