Every clue matters: What hunters find could bring someone home

November 07, 2025

As thousands head into Minnesota’s woods for the firearm deer season opener on Saturday, investigators are reminding hunters that they may help uncover new clues in missing persons cases.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Office has updated its list of open missing person cases and is asking hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts to stay alert and report anything unusual they might encounter in the woods.

For anything suspicious, mark it, leave it and report it. These small actions could help bring answers to families who are still waiting.

“Families across Minnesota are waiting for answers,” said Ana Negrete, MMIR community planner. “Even the smallest of clues can bring closure and healing to a family who has carried the pain of an empty seat at the dinner table for far too long.”

Hunters, mushroom foragers and backwoods hikers often venture into areas of Minnesota woodlands few others reach. These remote locations may hold clues to unsolved cases.

Law enforcement urges the public to call 911 if they encounter:

Clothing in an unexpected or remote area where it does not belong.

Bones or remains that do not appear to be from animals.

Members of the public who discover anything suspicious are encouraged to take the following steps:

Do not touch or disturb the scene. Take photographs if possible.

Mark the location. Save coordinates to a GPS device or drop a pin on a phone’s map application.

Report the finding to law enforcement and share the saved location information and a detailed physical description of any clothing and observations of the scene.

For more detailed information on open MMIR cases, visit the MMIR Office website.

Additional information on missing persons cases in Minnesota is available at the BCA Missing and Unidentified Persons Clearinghouse and the Minnesota Alerts: Missing and Endangered Facebook page.

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About the Minnesota Department of Public Safety

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s more than 2,400 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.

About the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Office

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Office, which is housed in the Office of Justice Programs, strives to reduce and end violence against all Indigenous people in Minnesota.