CA CA - Eric Campbell, 47, from Eureka, camping Patrick Creek Area, reported missing 18 Sep 2024 *animals left at camp, hood up on truck*

[HoneyBunOne]

I don't understand why his name wasn't mentioned early on, but his picture was distributed. What's the thought process behind that?

 

[Boots38]

Maybe insignificant, but I grew up camping almost every weekend. We always brought our dogs and many people do. But I have never heard of someone bringing their cat before. Was that a normal thing for him? Do people bring their cats camping?

Yes people do take their cats camping with them. My source is knowing that all my family pets go camping except for the goldfish. Dogs cats turtles... at one point I had a goat and took her along on camping trips.

If he planned on staying awhile he probably felt that bringing his dog and cat was easier than leaving them home or hiring pet sitter. MOO

 

[Boots38]

Article also states that "He had brought his dogs and his cat and had camped there for a bit."
Was he living there instead of camping for a few days?

Considering the article states "He brought his dogs and cat and had camped there for a bit" it probably means he was in fact camping somewhere. I haven't read anywhere that says he was living in the woods.

 

[Protectwomenandgirls]

This is a well known free camping area, listed on Google Maps as "Shelly Creek Campground." There are many more campsites up the road. I've stayed there before, it's well off the beaten path. The legal stay limit is 14 days. Wonder how long he was there and if anyone else was camping in this area at the time?

 

[mlhenn]

Searchers Are Combing Patrick Creek Area For Missing Eureka Man

wildrivers.lostcoastoutpost.com

•set up camp about a mile up the road from U.S. 199 near where Patrick Creek meets Shelly Creek
•his family went to the area in search of him
•camp doesn’t look like it has been disturbed
•not clear if Campbell got a ride from someone and left the area, but it’s unlikely he would have left his animals behind

 

[PommyMommy]

SEP 24, 2O24

Search continues after missing Calif. man's pets found at campsite

The search for a California man who was last known to be at a Del Norte County campground is ongoing, after his two dogs and cat were found by his family.

www.sfgate.com

Eric Campbell, 47, was camping in the Patrick Creek area on the banks of the Middle Fork Smith River before he disappeared. His family reported him missing on Sept. 18, the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

 

[slowpoke]

Why was the hood of his truck up? Were the truck, pets, and camp at the same location?

Leaving the hood up usually means that the vehicle stopped working. My first thought was that he was driving with is pets, had vehicle trouble, opened the hood ... were the pets in the vehicle, or at the camp? If they were in the vehicle, then it sounds like he went somewhere on foot because he had vehicle trouble. If he was on the road, I'm guessing that he shouldn't have too much trouble with bears.

I haven't looked at maps, and I need to read more media releases.

Why was the hood up? What message is that when nothing else is disturbed?

I was googling around and saw that people leave their hoods up to discourage pack rats (wood rats) from getting in there to nest, and chewing wires. I always learn something new! Wouldn’t have thought that’d be the reason he did that, but, could be?

At this link, no new info, except for a photo of him that says is more recent. Nice photo. kymkemp.com

 

[pogswerecool]

slowpoke, that's a new one for me, too, good to know. I thought with his proximity to Shasta, maybe this could be related to the pot farms up there, intentional or accidental? I saw the car hood being left up as a possible "was in the middle of something when he was disrupted" kind of thing.