CANADA Canada - Ben Tyner, 32, cowboy, his horse returned w/o him, Merritt, British Columbia, 26 Jan 2019

[enelram]

That's what I was wondering about also, Baciagalupo. Thnx.
This article says searchers will work through weekend.
Volunteers to continue search for missing cowboy in B.C. over the weekend | The Star

 

[enelram]

Kim Robinson- tracker who claims to have found the horse-
Does look like he's a legitimate tracker and experienced hunter.
Kim fought the law, and won - Merritt Herald

 

[enelram]

Kim Robinson also tracked and captured a father who was suspected of
murdering his 3 children back in 2008.
Robinson claimed to know "every nook and cranny" of the
forested hills around Merritt including every cave- there are
several- and every cabin in the area.
Hunter nabs father wanted in Merritt slayings: RCMP | CBC News

 

[Hoosier952]

That's what I was wondering about also, Baciagalupo. Thnx.
This article says searchers will work through weekend.
Volunteers to continue search for missing cowboy in B.C. over the weekend | The Star

I'd think at this point, anyone who could help and look would be beneficial no matter what their intentions. I'm sure between SAR and the equipment and horses there would be no use in looking for tracks. I wonder how many of those nooks, crannies, caves, and cabins there are in the search area and if Ben would be aware of any?

 

[enelram]

I can understand how local LE may be a bit touchy about this
hunting guide/tracker given his past success in capturing and
holding a suspected murderer. Sometimes LE takes this
citizen locating someone they've been looking for for 10 days as
making LE look bad.
But at this point, the successful search and finding of Ben Tyner
is a matter of life and death and, IMO, I'd welcome whoever
might have advanced skills in the backwoods. Especially if I
were his family. apparently LE allowed Ben's brother to help
in the search and I doubt he's a successful tracker and I
haven't seen anything about him being familiar with the area.
Usually searchers are careful about 'allowing' novice searchers
to participate because they don't want any novices to get lost
and need to be rescued. MOO.

 

[watcher9]

Anyone with information or who may have seen a male riding in the Swakum ridge area on Saturday or Sunday is asked to contact the Merritt RCMP at 250-378-4262.

Missing cowboy leaves no trace - Merritt Herald

 

[enelram]

There's been numerous attacks on humans by grizzlies in
the area. That's one possible scenario as well as a hunter
mistaking him or his horse for an elk or moose.
Grizzly bear attacks 2 hunters south of Fort Nelson, B.C.

 

[enelram]

Here's the RCMP site which outlines their responsibilities on
a search and rescue endeavor.
Once called in, RCMP is the lead LE authority for the search.
As you can see, they only want trained search participants
helping out.
My local Search and Rescue group has numerous horse/riders
who train regularly with our Sheriff's Dept.
RCMP Search and Rescue - Royal Canadian Mounted Police

 

[enelram]

Lot of good info on the types of rescues Search and Rescue
groups do, as total unpaid volunteers.
Since BC backcountry is rugged terrain, they're trained for a
variety of problems including avalanche recovery.
They also stress the safety rules when going up into backcountry- notifying others of your plan and schedule and
carrying proper communication devices.

After reading 1600+ Search and Rescue incident summaries, these are my 10 observations on how to…

 

[enelram]

Search for Ben Tyner now has a FB page.
Relatives are stating the Consulate and FBI is involved and
searching his computer for help in finding him.
His cousin says they have now allowed Hunting Guide/Tracker
Kim Robinson to assist in the search.
They have started a pg. to collect money to pay the
searching expenses.
American Cowboy missing in Merritt,BC on facebook.

 

[enelram]

Some locals now questioning if his disappearance is suspicious.
Good video in article showing amt. of snow on ground and
some of rescue efforts.
Merritt search continues with some questioning if cowboy’s disappearance is suspicious

 

[Steelslady]

Some locals now questioning if his disappearance is suspicious.
Good video in article showing amt. of snow on ground and
some of rescue efforts.
Merritt search continues with some questioning if cowboy’s disappearance is suspicious

At this point, I don't think we can rule out foul play. While we all hope not and hope he is found safe and sound, there is a possibility someone did harm him. Perhaps the horse got spooked and broke the rein after something happened to Ben.

 

[enelram]

At this point, I don't think we can rule out foul play. While we all hope not and hope he is found safe and sound, there is a possibility someone did harm him. Perhaps the horse got spooked and broke the rein after something happened to Ben.

Yes, I agree. RCMP says absolutely "no trace" of him found thus far. Some of these Search and Rescue groups have excellent
records of finding lost and injured people in the backwoods.
I wonder what they're thinking happened. If true that the
FBI is involved checking his phone and computer, wonder if
there's any new clues.
Also I wonder if they've checked his saddle and tack for blood traces w/ luminol.

 

[LovesPeace2]

This is so weird there's alot of local talk and it's not good. There were a couple church burnt down a couple weeks ago one was supposedly on the ranch or right beside it.. UPDATED: Nicola Valley churches vandalized and burned - Merritt Herald

 

[enelram]

This is so weird there's alot of local talk and it's not good. There were a couple church burnt down a couple weeks ago one was supposedly on the ranch or right beside it.. UPDATED: Nicola Valley churches vandalized and burned - Merritt Herald

And there were some arrests Sunday night in town for some
guys in a motel pulling guns on others. That's why I mentioned
earlier- could it be one or group of local bad boys messing with
taking pot shots at a cowboy on horseback- you know, those
menacing games roughians sometimes play.

 

[Concernedmamaof3]

And there were some arrests Sunday night in town for some
guys in a motel pulling guns on others. That's why I mentioned
earlier- could it be one or group of local bad boys messing with
taking pot shots at a cowboy on horseback- you know, those
menacing games roughians sometimes play.

The possible drone also makes me wonder along these lines. Could he have accidentally recorded something nefarious with the drone?

 

[Portabella]

Okay, I am a horsie person (or was) and the fact they found a rein bothers me. When riding Western I would always have my reins tied in a knot (just a security measure). So either he did not knot his reins at the end or ????. Also, I had MY horse of many years (also a gentle Quarterhorse) break on me when out on the trail. If thrown my horse would stand looking down at me like oops. But one day my horse spooked badly, and the rein on one side of the bit broke and I went for the ride of my life right back to the barn, making many jumps as we went. If he lost control for one second and the horse reared and spun suddenly, even the BEST rider gets thrown. The one rein being found just bothers me for some reason. I really feel like he was thrown and hurt and the horse took off. I cannot understand why the horse did not make its way back to the ranch unless he was transported to the base of the mountain via trailer, hence making him(the horse) not know the way back. IMHO

 

[enelram]

A lot of Western riders don't knot the split reins, so if the rein(s)
were hanging down, horse could easily step on it and break
it, usually breaks near the bit but not always. I do wonder if the
second rein was hanging down when found.
I'm more inclined to think he was off the horse for whatever reason and horse took off. But who knows. He's had years and
years of riding experience and could probably second guess
what a horse would do but as I said before, there are pics on
his SM where he tied the horse to a trailer with one rein
draped around the strut. Working cowboys aren't always as careful
as pleasure riders who are taught the do's and don'ts of
horsemanship.

 

[Tbone144]

A lot of Western riders don't knot the split reins, so if the rein(s)
were hanging down, horse could easily step on it and break
it, usually breaks near the bit but not always. I do wonder if the
second rein was hanging down when found.
I'm more inclined to think he was off the horse for whatever reason and horse took off. But who knows. He's had years and
years of riding experience and could probably second guess
what a horse would do but as I said before, there are pics on
his SM where he tied the horse to a trailer with one rein
draped around the strut. Working cowboys aren't always as careful
as pleasure riders who are taught the do's and don'ts of
horsemanship.

I the few pictures I can see his hands and reins, he’s not a knot tier from what I can tell. I hope the horse stepped on it to break it. I was thinking about his horses tracks versus the other horses in the area. I read they were looking for the rein drag as the sign it’s his horse. Was wondering if his horse was shod and wouldn’t that leave a different print than an unshod Wild horse or would that only work on compacted snow? I’ve never paid attention. No shoes and it’s a problem. I keep checking for updates. I’m hoping his family finds him soon.

ETA: I read in one of the articles they think he was out looking for lost cattle. I would hope/think it was something discussed about the cattle being lost over at “x” location and him deciding to use a nice day off to go check it out as far as giving them a direction to look.

 

[watcher9]

Could he have stumbled upon a cattle rustling ring up there? Are there any cattle missing?