Warden Service finds lost woman

WELLINGTON — Maine game wardens located a lost woman in the woods of Wellington early in the evening on May 13. Betsy Mace, 59 of Detroit, had gone to walk property lines with her brother Robert Morrison, 62, on a property for sale on the Zion Road. 

At 5:15 p.m. Piscataquis County dispatch received a 9-1-1 call in reference to a female being lost in the woods. The two separated and had planned to meet up later at the vehicle. When Morrison returned to the vehicle he discovered that his sister was not out of the woods. Four game wardens and a sheriff’s deputy responded to the scene.

Several nearby roads were searched by vehicle. Rain had started to fall and an aircraft was not able to respond. Game Warden Kris MacCabe and his K-9 Morgan responded and met with Morrison and walked to the location where he had last seen his sister. At 6:45 p.m. MacCabe and Morgan located Mace sitting in the woods. She was wet and cold, but in good health.

The Maine Warden Service advises recreators to follow several safety guidelines: Always tell a trusted person where you are going and when you will be back, including from where you will be parking or leaving. 

Stick to the original plan or tell someone when they change.

Have a safety pack with you to include fire starter material, space blanket, food, water, and signaling device such as a whistle and a flashlight. Start a campfire or small fire. 

Do not rely on cell phones to be a primary safety plan. Many rural areas have limited or no cell phone coverage. Also the battery could become very weak in limited cell coverage areas. 

If you do have cell phone, call 911. This can assist us in locating you if you are in a good coverage area.

Once you realize you are lost, stop, find an open area, build a shelter, start a fire, use your signaling device. This will assist game wardens and search volunteers greatly.