KEY POINTS:
Searchers looking for a hunter in rugged bush behind Thames have found fresh signs he is still alive but disoriented.
Nigel Cross, 39, went hunting on Thursday with two pig dogs, a backpack and enough supplies to last about two days.
He was reported missing on Thursday night when he failed to return home.
Ground teams and helicopters searched the area near the summit of SH25, Kopu-Hikuai Rd, where his vehicle was found.
A further nine ground parties were out at first light today and Sergeant Jim Corbett from the Thames police said they had found some sign.
"They may hopefully give a positive result but you don't know where that sign leads to," he said.
He said Mr Cross was reasonably experienced.
"The longer he is out there the greater the concern," Mr Corbett said.
Waikato police search and rescue coordinator, Sergeant Phil Bell, said search teams found an overnight bivvie and signs of a fire yesterday.
"They then came across a trail of torn bits of plastic which we believe Mr Cross is dropping to help us find him, the plastic bits are from an apron which is the same type he uses in his job."
Overnight a helicopter equipped with thermal imagery and night vision equipment was aloft trying to locate the missing man as searchers believe he was carrying a torch they hoped night vision equipment would detect.
"That didn't happen and the warm weather is negating the use of thermal imagery this morning so it's back to putting teams in on the ground and putting the good old mark one eyeball to good use," said Mr Bell.
"We're confident that with the good conditions and the large number of search volunteers that we'll be able to reach a successful conclusion to the search," he said.
- NZPA
