Two young elk hunters, Andrew Porter, 25, from Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko, 25, from Salt Lake City, Utah, have been found dead after going missing during a hunting trip in southern Colorado.
Porter and Stasko were last in contact on September 11, 2025, when Porter sent a message to his fiancée using a satellite device (Garmin InReach) in the early afternoon.
When they failed to check in as planned, their families grew worried. Their vehicle was located at the Rio De Los Pinos trailhead, with camping gear and backpacks still inside.
The presence of wet clothes indicated they had encountered bad weather recently. During that time, severe storms, heavy fog, and lightning hit the area, making search efforts even more challenging.
A massive search operation was launched, involving over 50 teams, including both volunteer and professional ground crews, air support, drone teams, and search dogs.
On September 17 or 18 (depending on the source), Colorado Search & Rescue found their bodies about two miles from the Rio De Los Pinos trailhead. At the time of the discovery, the bodies had not been officially identified, but family members later confirmed that the hunters were indeed Porter and Stasko.
What We Still Don’t Know & Considerations As of the latest updates, authorities have not disclosed the cause of death. There’s speculation that the weather played a significant role in this tragic incident, given the worsening conditions.
Additionally, some of their hunting gear, including tools for processing game, was missing from their vehicle, suggesting they may have ventured back into the wilderness after stopping at the car.
