It was STARS air ambulance to the rescue when an elderly hunter went missing on the Sweetgrass First Nation west of North Battleford.

The family of the 89-year-old man called RCMP around 9 p.m. on Tuesday when he didn’t return after a day of hunting. He had last been seen leaving home around 10 a.m.

A search began that night, but recent rain and dense bush made some roads and trails impassable.

RCMP then called in STARS ambulance from Saskatoon. Within an hour the chopper arrived to help in the search efforts. The helicopter crew located the man just before 3 a.m. on Wednesday,   loaded him on to a stretcher, and flew him to North Battleford.

The elderly man was checked over at hospital and was released in good condition. Battlefords RCMP want to thank STARS ambulance for bringing a happy end to what could have been a tragic story.