Hope starting to face in search for missing hunter

Search efforts will probably resume again about 8 a.m. Wednesday morning for a missing hunter, who is a diabetic last seen in the woods near Cumberland Falls State Park around noon Saturday.
Following three and a half days of combing the woods with search crews, tracking dogs, and helicopters using heat sensing cameras, rescue workers are still hopeful that they will find Norman Harp alive.
“It’s still search and rescue,” Whitley County Emergency Management Director Steve Schwartz said Tuesday afternoon
He said about 2 p.m. Tuesday that there had been no new developments in the search for Harp, 46, of Berea, and at press time Tuesday night Harp still hadn’t been located.
Schwartz said he planned to keep the effort a search and rescue operation until he found something that led him to believe otherwise, but he conceded Monday morning that the “clock is running down.”
Throughout the search, Harp’s family has stationed themselves near a temporary command post set up by rescue workers off Highway 90.
“I hope and pray that if anybody out there has any leads, please contact us. We are very concerned. I will be here until he is found,” said Dorethia Bowlin, one of Harp’s three sisters.
She said the family plans to continue to stay near the search operation until he is found.
“We’re dealing with the situation the best we know how right now,” Bowlin said. “I know there were a lot of hunters out here. Somebody out there, if they come across him, he needs medical attention as soon as they can get him help.

First reported missing
Harp, who is originally from the Corbin area, joined his friend, Michael Barton, for an annual hunting trip Saturday morning.
The two went into the woods Saturday about 6 a.m.
Barton hunted out of a tree stand, while Harp hunted on the ground using a muzzleloader to hunt for deer.
The two met up about noon to eat lunch together, and then separated again.
Harp was supposed to meet Barton back at the vehicle about 6 p.m., but when Barton emerged from the woods about 7 p.m., Harp was no where to be seen.
Schwartz said emergency crews were notified about 8:10 p.m. Saturday, and search efforts began about 8:50 p.m. with teams going into the woods along with search dogs.
“We did that all night. We don’t like to do that because it is dangerous with high walls, and cliffs, and what not, but we did because we wanted to get him due to his medical condition,” Schwartz said.
Over the next three days, about 20 searchers at a time have traveled through the woods located between Cumberland Falls and the boat ramp at the old Noe’s Dock looking for signs of Harp.

Signs found
Schwartz said crews did find wrappers from two Three Musketeers bars that Harp had apparently eaten while heading deeper into the woods. In addition, they also found signs that Harp had taken or at least tested his insulin.
Two to three search dog teams have also combed the woods each day, in addition to helicopters flying overhead looking for signs of Harp.
Some helicopters have been equipped with heat detection equipment hoping to find signs of Harp.
Search crews stayed in the woods continuously until about 10 p.m. Monday evening, and then resumed their efforts shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Schwartz said Tuesday afternoon that if Harp isn’t found, search efforts would probably conclude again about 10 p.m. Tuesday night, and resume the next morning.

Medical concerns
Schwartz speculated Harp may have become disoriented due to his diabetes, which had happened to him in the past, and that he may have wondered off in the wrong direction due to that.
Harp has several medical conditions related to his diabetes that concern emergency workers and his family.
He is hard of hearing and can only see out of one eye. In addition, he is missing toes on his foot and can’t walk very fast.
Bowlin said Harp is so hard of hearing that the only way he can really hear you is if he is looking at you.
Schwartz said Monday morning that he was concerned because Harp probably would have been out of food and insulin by then.
“I don’t think he has any more insulin and snacks. He left here with insulin and snacks, but I don’t know how much of each
Bowlin said that Harp took an insulin shot with him when he went into the woods Saturday.
She said his insulin had been changed recently, so family members aren’t sure how long Harp can last before going into a diabetic coma.
Bowlin said Harp had enjoyed hunting and fishing since he was a kid.
“Hunting and fishing that was his life,” she said estimating Harp has been coming down to Whitley County to hunt for about four to five years. “He’s a hunter. He knows the woods. He knows the layout.”
Bowlin said her brother always keeps a lighter with him, but that she can’t understand why he hasn’t started a fire to stay warm and signal rescuers.
Numerous agencies have assisted with the search efforts including: the Williamsburg-Whitley County Rescue Squad, Whitley County Emergency Management, Kentucky Emergency Management, Kentucky State Police, Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Forestry Service, McCreary County Search and Rescue, the Knox County SORT team, Oak Grove, Woodbine, and Bald Rock volunteer fire departments.