Volusia County deputies say they are have found a hunter who went missing in the woods near Edgewater.

  • Missing hunter found Saturday afternoon
  • 65-year-old man was visiting from Ohio
  • Man was hunting for hogs, got lost in thick brush

The search began Friday afternoon for a 65-year-old John Schilling who was visiting from Ohio.

The man left around 6:30 a.m. to hunt for hogs. He walked into the woods near a home in the 4000-block of Liza Clinton Road carrying a rifle.

Officials said the man’s cousin—also visiting from Ohio—received a call around 12:30 p.m. from the missing man saying he was in some thick brush and was lost.

The cousin drove to 35th Street and told the hunter to fire off some rounds into the air so he could try to find him.

The cousin said he heard gun shots coming from the south, but they appeared to be quite a distance away.

When the cousin couldn’t find the 65-year-old hunter, he flagged down an Edgewater animal control officer for help just before 2:30 p.m. Friday.

A massive woods search was conducted by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the Edgewater Police Department, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Deputies say Schilling was dehydrated when he was found, but in good condition.

He was taken to Florida Hospital New Smyrna to be evaluated.