Family and friends of a track coach and avid outdoorsman have poured into Beaverhead County, hopeful that he will be returned home to Kalispell after he went missing over the weekend.

Robert Carter, 53, was expected to return Sunday from a bow hunting trip west of Wisdom. His wife hadn’t heard from Carter since Wednesday night via cellphone or Facebook, so she reported him missing to the Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday afternoon. Deputies received information that night that Carter had been hunting near Tie Creek, a few miles west of Big Hole Battlefield National Park.

On Sunday morning, Beaverhead County Search and Rescue launched a team to look for Carter. Air support came during the day from Butte Life Flight, and a night infrared search was done by Two Bear Helicopter from Kalispell and T.J. Reynolds of the Dillon Flying Service. Two Bear also did an evening search Monday night, but the helicopter returned to Kalispell Tuesday morning, according to Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry. Curry did not know if the helicopter would be launched again Tuesday night.

Beaverhead County officials were out of the office Tuesday afternoon looking for Carter and unavailable for comment.

Longtime family friend Lisa Dale said the last the family had heard, authorities were still searching a 40-square-mile area identified on Monday as a place to look for Carter, but that incident commanders had also located footprints believed to be Carter’s outside the search perimeter. Dale said another search was initiated in the area of the footprints. Tuesday’s search included three canine teams.

Dale said two of Carter’s children and friends from as far away as Washington and Canada have shown up to help with the search. Dale described Carter as a well-liked person who worked at Plum Creek Timber Co. and served as high jump coach for Whitefish High School.

“Rob has never met anyone who wasn’t his friend,” Dale said. “He is a genuine, good and true, solid person. He is an avid outdoorsman. He is very well-trained and very well-versed in what it takes to survive in the wilderness. He is extremely healthy and we are optimistic.”

 Dale said Carter’s family was appreciative of the overwhelming response to the incident.

Carter’s wife, Barbara Carter, said she was particularly appreciative of Plum Creek for letting Carter’s fellow employees take a leave of absence to search for their friend.

Carter is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and 185 pounds. His eyes are gray and he has gray-blond hair. He was last seen in bow-hunting camouflage.

Anyone with information about Carter’s whereabouts is asked to call the Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office at 406-683-3700.

Reporter Megan Strickland may be reached at 758-4459 or by email at mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.