Search ongoing for missing bow hunter near Royal City

Authorities are searching for a North Bend man who was reportedly hunting near Crab Creek west of Royal City but hasn’t been seen since early Friday morning and has failed to contact his family.

Searchers found the black Ford F-150 pickup truck belonging to Thomas Mark Stieg, 55, around 3 p.m. Saturday but did not find him, according to releases from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s deputies, Grant County Search and Rescue and representatives from other law enforcement agencies, fire departments, state agencies and civilians, as well as a search helicopter from Spokane have combed the bluffs near Crab Creek 2.5 miles south of Highway 26 since his family reported Stieg missing. He reportedly left his home at 3 a.m. Friday for a one-day bow hunting trip.

Stieg, a former U.S. Marine, is an experienced mountaineer and survivalist, his family has told officials but the recent frigid temperatures at night has pushed searchers to find him.

Anyone with any information about Stieg’s whereabouts should call 509-762-1160.

This story was originally published November 22, 2015 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Search ongoing for missing bow hunter near Royal City."