Sacred Heart Township, MN — A coordinated search effort led to the safe recovery of a 70-year-old hunter and his dog after they were reported overdue on Monday, December 30th, according to the Renville County Sheriff’s Office.
At approximately 5:50 p.m., the Renville County Sheriff’s Office received a report that James Knutson had not returned home from pheasant hunting near Renville County Road 12 and 810th Avenue, roughly three miles southeast of Sacred Heart, MN. Friends and law enforcement quickly located Knutson’s vehicle near the Sacred Heart Waterfowl Protection Area, a 700-acre public hunting site.
Shortly after the search began, several gunshots were heard, believed to be Knutson signaling for help. Emergency personnel initiated a ground search by foot and ATV, ultimately making voice contact with him. Knutson and his dog were found unharmed at approximately 6:55 p.m.
The operation involved multiple agencies, including the Renville County Sheriff’s Office, Sacred Heart Fire Department, Sacred Heart First Responders, Renville Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, and Granite Falls Ambulance.
