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An Idaho bow hunter taking a shortcut in the mountains on Friday found the remains of another hunter - a man who had been missing for 53 years.

The missing hunter, identified as Raymond Jones, was 39 in September 7, 1968 when he disappeared. He had been looking for mountain goats in the east fork of Hayden Creek in Lemhi County.  

His body was found Friday afternoon by another hunter who called the Lemhi County Police. It was not clear how Jones had died but Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner said that the area where he disappeared was 'perilous' because of the rocky and rough terrain.

Jones' wife and the rest of his family were then contacted. 

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The body of missing Idaho bow hunter Raymond Jones was found by another hunter on Friday in Lemhi County mountains following a 53-year-disappearance

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A search party was started for Jones after he disappeared on September 7 1968 while he was looking for mountain goats 

'The hunter was seeking a shortcut from one hunting area to another when he found human remains and then contacted the sheriff’s office,' Penner told EastIdahoNews.com

'Due to the lack of remaining daylight and ruggedness of the terrain, recovery efforts began on the morning of the 18th.'

The police identified the body as Jones when they found his wallet with his identification at the scene. 

'It's pretty wild, ain't it?', Lemhi County Sheriff Steve Penner told EastIdahoNews.com. 'You have another bowhunter looking for a shortcut who stumbled upon a bowhunter from 53 years ago.' 

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The remain of Jones were found in the east fork of Hayden Creek in Lemhi County

Penner added that Jones was alone, but near hunters at the site when he disappeared.  

The hunt for Jones originally launched two days after his disappearance and a 70-person search party along with an aircraft were used. 

Efforts were briefly halted due to snow. An article from the Associated Press on September 15, 1968 said the search reopened after footprints were found near the area of Jones' disappearance.

The case, however, was abandoned again and no further reported search efforts were made. He was declared dead in 1970.

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A statement was released during the search for Jones's body by his family

'The family of Raymond J. Jones wish to take this means to try to express the deep appreciated to all you people for the many sacrifices afforded us during the search for Ray,' his family said in a statement in The Recorder-Herald in 1968. 

'We wish to thank those who so generously provided food for the hunters on the mountain and in the home, those who gave of their time and equipment, and to all who helped in any way.

'We wish to thank you for the moral support you gave us, both on the mountain and in Ray's and Donna's home. All we can say is 'Thank you, may God bless each and every one of you.

'We can never repay you for all you have done, but feel that you will receive your reward from a higher power; for Christ said in Matthew 25, verse 40, 'In as much as you have done it unto the last of these, my brethern, you have done it unto me.'  

The hunter who found the body has not been identified.