Searchers from six counties look for missing mushroom hunter west of Klamath Falls; public’s help sought

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (KTVZ) – Dozens of searchers from six Oregon and Northern California counties searched an area west of Klamath Falls on Saturday for a missing mushroom hunter last seen heading into the woods alone Thursday afternoon.

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office was notified shortly before noon Friday that Gerald “Jerry” Duane Severson, a 56-year-old Applegate Valley resident, was missing in the area of Dead Indian Memorial Road and Keno Access Road, near Lake of the Woods.

Deputies said Severson went to the area with friends to hunt for mushrooms and he was last seen walking into the woods by himself late Thursday afternoon. Friends searched for him Thursday evening and Friday morning before contacting Klamath County 911.

Sheriff’s deputies and Search and Rescue personnel spent Friday afternoon until dark searching for Severson, without success.

The search resumed Saturday morning, with about 50 SAR personnel from Klamath, Jackson, Douglas, Lake, Siskiyou and Del Norte counties combing the area during intermittent rain and snow showers.

Severson was last seen wearing dark-colored Carhart pants and a dark hooded sweatshirt-jacket. He’s about 5-foot-4 and 140 pounds, with short brown hair.

Anyone with information about Severson’s whereabouts is asked to contact Klamath County emergency dispatchers or the sherif’s office at 541-883-5130.