Correction, November 5, 2025 9:13 am: This story was updated at 9:13 a.m. Nov. 5 to delete an incorrect reference to a marriage.
Search-and-rescue teams returned to the rugged terrain of Mount Hood National Forest for a fifth consecutive day Tuesday seeking any sign of Devon Dobek, a 51-year-old Philomath High School graduate who vanished after reporting he had bagged a deer during a hunting trip.
Dobek, a member of Philomath High’s Class of 1993 and Hubbard resident, was last heard from on Oct. 31 when he messaged a friend that he was returning home early from his hunting trip. He never made it back.
Deputies discovered his truck near the Fish Creek Trailhead, off Southeast Highway 224 and 54 Road, approximately 20 miles southeast of Estacada. There was no deer and no sign of the experienced hunter, who friends say was well-equipped for the wilderness.
Joe Fulton, who was an assistant coach with the Philomath High School track and field and cross-country teams in the early 1990s, remembers Dobek fondly.
“He was a super sweet young man,” Fulton said. “He always had a smile on his face and was very supportive of his teammates.”
Dobek, the son of Walter and Rita Dobek, competed primarily in the 400-meter dash and javelin with the PHS track and field team. He ran cross-country as a junior and senior.
“He was on our team that took second at state in 1992,” Fulton said about Dobek’s contributions in cross-country. “He was our fourth man and a real dependable runner.”
Fulton added that Dobek’s positive attitude made him a team favorite.
“He was very popular with everybody on the team,” Fulton said.
His passion for running continued well beyond his school days. Dobek, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Oregon State University in 1999, competed in several long-distance races over the years, including the Boston Marathon.
The search effort has mobilized an impressive network of resources. On Tuesday, approximately 40 searchers from multiple agencies combed the area, including teams from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Wave Emergency Communications, Portland Mountain Rescue, Pacific Northwest Search and Rescue, and the 304th Rescue Squadron. Support also came from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office as well as the U.S. Forest Service.
The search has been complicated by the challenging landscape — steep terrain scarred by 2020 wildfires, littered with fallen trees that make navigation extremely difficult, law enforcement officials reported.
Drones equipped with thermal imaging capabilities have scanned from above, while an Oregon Army National Guard helicopter provided aerial support when weather permitted. The Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit launched its Cessna 182 aircraft, and K9 teams and ATVs have covered ground operations.
Officials said that in the early hours of the search, gunshots were heard at various times throughout the night — presumed to be from Dobek — but searchers were unable to pinpoint his exact location. Those gunshots have raised hopes that the hunter may still be alive and attempting to signal rescuers.
Sheriff’s Office detectives have been analyzing cellphone tower data to guide search efforts, but no new data has been detected since Oct. 30, adding urgency to the operation. Signal coverage in the remote area is weak or non-existent.
The search peaked on Sunday with more than 100 searchers on the ground, representing one of the largest coordinated efforts in recent memory. Sheriff’s Office teams from Columbia, Marion, Multnomah and Washington counties joined local crews, alongside specialized units including the Hood River Crag Rats and Lake Oswego Police Department’s Drone Team.
The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office reported that it has received numerous requests from community members wanting to join the search but is asking the public to refrain from independent search efforts. Officials say their highly trained and coordinated teams are best equipped to handle the dangerous terrain.