Photos: Chisago County Sheriff Office
Published: November 14th, 2026.
CHISAGO COUNTY, MN — The Chisago County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's assistance in locating a 56-year-old North Branch man who failed to return home from a deer hunting trip in northern Chisago County.
Harlan Altepeter, 56, of North Branch, was reported overdue after he did not return home from hunting in the northern Harris area.
According to the sheriff's office, Altepeter's truck was located in the parking lot of the Wild Rose Wildlife Management Area. Authorities believe the vehicle may have been parked there for several days.
Investigators have attempted to use cell phone tracking to determine Altepeter's whereabouts, but those efforts have been inconclusive.
Public safety agencies are conducting a search in the area on Saturday, November 14. Authorities believe Altepeter may have been hunting in a specific section of the wildlife management area identified in maps released by the sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office is asking individuals in the northern Harris area to remain alert for anything that could assist in locating Altepeter.
Anyone who notices anything suspicious or potentially related to the search is asked to call 911 and provide GPS coordinates if possible.
The search remains ongoing, and no additional information regarding Altepeter's whereabouts has been released.