Hunters found safe after missing for days near Fort McPherson, N.W.T.

Johnny Kaye couldn't sleep through the night when his son didn't return home from a hunting trip near Fort McPherson, N.W.T., last Thursday.

"Just looking out the window, looking up toward the foothills, seeing if I could see their skidoo lights and [seeing] nothing," Kaye said.

Kaye's son, David, headed out Jan. 18, on one snowmobile toward a cabin in the Richardson Mountains area. He was with his friend Anthony Koe. 

On Thursday afternoon, they still had cell service and called home.

"[David] did remind me also to that if I was going to follow them, not to come that way," he said.

That's because it was "too rough going," said Kaye. 

Wind and snow had created hostile conditions. They were supposed to come home on Friday, but didn't show up and didn't make contact. 

"They had some problems with the skidoo, but they made it to the cabin," said Kaye, recounting what his son said.

"[The] next day when they got up it was blowing — really blowing. And they knew they couldn't come back over, so they had to wait it out."

While waiting for the two, Kaye said he ​"was just really confused."

"[I] didn't know what they were doing, or if they were OK, or broke down or still coming back," he said.

According to Kaye, the RCMP met him outside his house and took him down to the station to plan a search.

He said it was almost surprising how quickly people got involved. 

"It's a caring community ... It's really, really made us so thankful," Kaye said.

Hunters found 'in fine condition': RCMP

On Sunday, multiple search teams headed out in search of the hunters. 

A team located the overdue hunters just before lunch time that same day, about 50 kilometres west of Fort McPherson. 

They were in "fine condition," an N.W.T. RCMP spokesperson said in a statement.

The two men had had mechanical issues with the snowmobile, which prevented them from getting back home. 

Kaye said they were experienced, knew the land and what to do in a situation like that. His son learned a lot from his grandfather.

"It's a good eye opener that we need to teach young people about the land and the route to take and what to do."

However, Kaye said that despite their experience, it's hard to predict what might happen with equipment that could break along the way.

He said it's important people plan their trips so people know when to start looking. 

"At least then people will know, where you're going and when you're expected to be back." 

 RCMP say about 50 people attended the community meeting prior to the search and offered advice on likely places the missing hunters could be. 

"Through local knowledge and a group effort everyone returned home safe and sound," a RCMP spokesperson said.