Missing elderly hunter found

An elderly hunter missing overnight in Northland has been found safe and well.

The 75-year-old was found shortly before 7am today. Police said he was unhurt and appeared to have got lost.

It was earlier feared the hunter may have had a heart attack or had an accident and broken a limb.

Search and rescue controller Sergeant Dean Duthie said the man bunked down in a grassy area when he could go no further.

When he was found by the police search party today he was in good spirits and asked why the search and rescue party had been called out, Mr Duthie said.

"He was hunting with a colleague and they separated for five minutes. He just got disorientated and ended up a very long way away."

He said in the dense pine forest the two men could not re-establish contact with each other.

The man fired two shots which were heard by his hunting companion who was experienced in search and rescue.

However, when the elderly hunter realised he was lost he bunked down for the night.

At 3am today the police party of 10 searchers were replaced by 10 civilian searchers.

Police returned to the area at first light and the police helicopter Eagle arrived about 10 minutes before the man was found.

A search and rescue dog had trouble tracking the man because of the number of wild deer and other animals in the area.

- NZPA