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Missing Man, 82, Found Deep In Cottage Hill Woods
November 4, 2021
A missing 82-year old man was found deep in wooded area in Cottage Hill late Wednesday night, but the process to get him out of the woods took hours.
Alfred Joseph Blake was last seen leaving his home near the Scenic Hills Country Club, on Tuesday to go hunting on Wendy Drive off Parker Road in Cottage Hill.
Authorities searched for him Tuesday night and all day Wednesday. He was located deep in a wooded area about 11:45 p.m. Wednesday.
Emergency crews worked their way through a thick and swampy area, finally reaching Blake about 2:20 a.m. Thursday to get him out to a waiting ambulance.
For more photos from the search scene, click or tap here.
On Wednesday, his vehicle was found near the location where he was believed to be hunting. Authorities also located a bloody arrow, leading them to believe had had shot a deer and perhaps became lost while attempting to track the animal.
The massive search involved the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the ECSO SWAT team, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Escambia Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS, Escambia Search and Rescue, and other agencies. The Escambia Sheriff’s Office mobile command center was also on site.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Comments
24 Responses to “Missing Man, 82, Found Deep In Cottage Hill Woods”
Very thankful this gentleman was found alive. He is very lucky..
Praying that he will be back home with his family soon.
Thank you to everyone that searched for him.
God still works miracles…..
Thank you to everyone who helped in the search for this man…@Diane Banks. You made several good points in your post…as far as him out there at his age, I agree with @KP and a few others. As long as someone is capable of doing these things more power to him/her. I can understand his WANT TO as far as getting out there with nature. Apparently he can still draw that bow/load that crossbow and hit his intended target. Also, you have changed my way of looking at things as far as jumping on the vehicle and head to the woods. Being ive had “several” surgeries this last year I don’t have any business going alone…ive looked into these Life Alert doodads today as I’m a hardheaded 55 year old man that still thinks I know better. To this mans family, PTL PTL PTL he was found. We were all holding out that his years in the field would see him through those chilly nights while lost. I’m also proud by the way this community came together in prayer for one of their own..
Did they find his deer ?
I give praise to all Law Enforcement Officers in finding Mr. Blake… I have 82-year-old parents… I feel more at ease knowing, if something were to happen, there are 100’s of well-trained professionals in the area…
@diane banks … You are right to suggest a Medical GPS… There are so many GPS options out there. These could make finding someone or something much easier… I have a GPS card in my wallet and on my keys… When I leave the house, they go with me… I also have a few people that can access an app that can find me if need be…
If ya get one… Just make sure it is a “GPS Tracker”, not just Bluetooth…
I would also recommend, turn on the, “Find My Phone” feature on your smartphone and give the ability to a family member to access this via the Web… There is a feature on most Android phones, that can send out an Emergency Text, that can give the exact Longitude and Latitude of where you are… There is also an option to turn on a strobe light and give a loud siren sound… I have tried to convince my parents, that they need to keep their phones fully charged…This could be the difference between life and death…
Thank the good Lord and the efforts of the FWC, search and rescue and Escambia county sheriffs office along with the news media.I’m so glad you guys never gave up!
I have no relation to this man nor do I even know him but what I do know is how fast you can get turned around in the woods whether your 8 or 80! All the negative comments about “why would someone let him go alone” or “what was he even doing out there” are ridiculous… how about we all just Be thankful he was found and that the community made sure he came out of those woods. And as far as whether he should be able to hunt again… he’s an 80 year old man I’m sure he was more embarrassed that he needed help out of the woods and I’m sure he learned his lesson and next time will be a little more careful before chasing that blood trail .
Diane Banks posted: At 82 why would someone let him go hunting alone. LET HIM GO ALONE? Al has a mind of his own. He went because he wanted to go.
Heather posted: They said he didn’t live out here so whose property was he going hunting on ?who was he going to meet? It’s none of our business.
@ Debbie – great post!
Glad Al was found and is unharmed. It was a not-so-good feeling knowing that bad people live in this cruel world. May the Lord continue to watch everyone and place his guiding hands before us.
Thank you to all those involved in the search. It’s very exhausting and stressful.
“Why would someone let him go hunting alone?” Why not? I know many people in their 80’s who are considerably more self sufficient than the younger generation. I don’t see anywhere in any of the articles that he is incapable.
Detective Heather we’re wondering if you finished your investigation and could fill us all in on your findings.
Glad mr. Blake was found safe hope that bloody arrow is from a big one brother.
First of all “praise God” Uncle Al was found and second thank you Debbie for what you said. That was much nicer than what was coming from my keyboard.
Glad they found this Gentleman, at 82 as most Great Folks of this generation they are trying to hold on to their independence as long as they can. Should he have called someone to help him trail his deer, sure he should have but again he was determined to do it himself.
@ Heather
First and foremost thank God this man was found and is now safe ..
Now Heather are all your detective questions answered ? Do you really think all those professionals that were there yesterday that you saw didn’t know what they were doing? Why didn’t you just take your smart attitude right on up to them and tell them you had questions and you wanted answers ? How dare you jump on social media and start trying to make the land owner out to be someone their not . There are reasonable answers to all your questions but I won’t give you the satisfaction of hearing those.
If you are any kind of stand up human being you will just as fast jump back on social media and apologize . Oh also..just because ” Heather ” didn’t see lights last night they were there still looking and I want to say Thank You all for what you do.
Praise God he has been found!! Thank you to everyone involved in finding him!
This is my daughters great – grandpa , so glad he was found safe and sound !! Thank you lord !
PTL PTL PTL…@Heather, there’s hunting Club property back there as well. I know, from the McKenzie road side it’s mainly private. I have the same questions as you do. @Diane, “at 82 why would someone allow him to go alone”? I asked myself the same question but if he’s in good health and active then why not? I know many people at/near this age that lead very active lives…to everyone that worked on getting to him, MAY OUR GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU.
I’m just glad he was found and is safe.
Great news !!!!
Thanks to all those who assisted in the search and helped to get him out.
Thank you to all that helped search for Al, Thank you to the people who stoped to take a moment of silence to Pray for His safe return
Heather he doesn’t have to live on that road to be hunting it , I live in Cantonment and hunting in Kentucky so why does it matter who’s land he hunts on as long as he has permission which at 82 I highly doubt he’s just free lancing on someone’s property
So glad he was found alive!
They said he didn’t live out here so whose property was he going hunting on ?who was he going to meet? I was there this morning when search and rescue was there . if they found his vehicle there, who is it that he knows that lives down that dirt road. Because I am in right there and mostly all of that area is private property they question the owner of the land or try and track his phone? It was an unsettling feeling and tonight I don’t see any lights down there at all
At 82 why would someone let him go hunting alone. I pray he is found. This breaks my heart. There are medical gps that can be bought and wore in your pocket for people to be able to find you. please buy one for your elder parents.
Hoping he is found safe and sound.
Praying this man is found soon and is ok. I hope he is just lost in the swamp and has not fallen or injured himself. Praying for the search teams and his family also.
Use infrared to locate him. Praying for a safe return.
Prayers for this mans safety and well being. Also, the search members are in my prayers as well.