Lost Teen Hunter Spends Night In Woods

More than 300 people searched the Taliaferro County woods the night of December 27 in a search for a teenaged hunter who became lost in the woods after leaving his deer stand.

Ben Davis, 14, of Washington, son of Washington Police Chief Mike Davis, was lost in the woods near Raytown for approximately 16 hours in subfreezing temperatures.

“Ben got down from his stand and was following some deer sign when it got dark,” said Chief Davis. “He couldn’t find his reference points and went the wrong way.”

By midnight, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency team had set up a command post and was coordinating several search-and-rescue teams that responded from several counties. More than 300 people responded when the call for help went out. Many of the searchers also spent the night in the woods looking for the teen.

Meanwhile, Ben, realizing that he was lost, lay down beside a creek to rest. In the morning, he eventually located a logging road and was walking out at about 10:30 a.m. when he was found by other hunters.

Ben was taken to Wills Memorial Hospital. His body temperature had reportedly dropped to 93 degrees, but otherwise he was in good condition.

“For me and his mother, it is a night we donʼt want to go through again,” said Chief Davis.

Likewise, we expect, for Ben.