The body of a Kalispell hunter was found Sunday afternoon in Beaverhead County, a week after he was first reported missing.

Rob Carter Jr., 53, was on a bowhunting trip near the Southwest Montana town of Wisdom. His body was found a mile from where he had parked his truck.

“He was found near a tree on the edge of a heavily timbered slope,” Beaverhead County Sheriff Franklin D. Kluesner II said. “That area had slash around it and he was found on the border, right where the terrain changed.”

A massive search effort from Carter’s friends, family and colleagues covered more than 80,000 acres in the search for the popular Whitefish High School track coach and Plum Creek employee.

Barbara Carter, Carter’s wife, posted a thank you on Facebook to the many people who helped the family and Beaverhead County Search and Rescue in their search.

“I wish that this had not come to my family. My heart aches for my children, Rob’s parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, for my brothers who loved him as their brother. But it has come, and I must deal. I’m overcome by the love, prayers and encouragement,” she wrote. “I will say it again, the only way is through. And my pain is precious, because it is birthed from great love. One day my pain will be my purpose. Tonight, I’m the little engine, whispering, ‘I think I can, I think I can...’ Tomorrow will have new joys and sorrows.”

Carter’s death is still under investigation by the coroner and state Medical Examiner’s Office, but his loss is already felt deeply throughout the Flathead Valley.

Derek Schulz, the head track coach at Whitefish High School, said the death of such a talented and well-loved coach was a loss not only to his fellow coaches but also the whole Whitefish track team.

“Rob started coaching 13 years ago, and for the first 10 it was all volunteer work,” he said. “He never missed a day of practice. He spent all this time with our kids, and built amazing relationships with them. He was a dedicated coach and a great mentor.”

The “fraternity” of pole vault coaches in Montana has sent Schulz a deluge of support for the well-respected Carter.

“We called Coach Carter McGyver,” he said. “He could just take care of everything. He was very handy. Everyone respected him. He leaves a huge void in our team.”

Whitefish High School Activities Director Aric Harris agreed.

“Rob was highly respected. He was highly admired by both the athletes and coaching staff. Teams from the conference and around the state respected him. He’ll be greatly missed.”

Carter last spoke to his wife Sept. 16 and was expected to return Sept. 20. His body was found not far from Big Hole Battlefield National Park.

Bruce Christiansen, a longtime hunting companion and coworker of Carter, said he typically would have been with Carter.

“Hunting was his number one passion. We hunted down in Big Hole for the last 13 or 14 years,” he said. “The only reason I didn’t go this year was because I had trouble keeping up with him. He was a very athletic guy. He was very outgoing” and and readily shared his fishing and hunting expertise with others.

Many of Carter’s friends noted he was a devout Christian and active in his church.

The Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office and Beaverhead Search and Rescue were assisted in the weeklong search by numerous agencies and volunteers, including Flathead County Sheriff and Search and Rescue, Ravalli County Sheriff and Search and Rescue, the Madison County Search and Rescue, Two Bear Air, Butte Lifeflight, search dog teams from Montana and Canada, private fixed-wing and helicopters, an aerial drone company from Montana, Plum Creek Lumber Co., the Beaverhead National Forest Wisdom Ranger District, Montana DNRC Dillon Office, hundreds of citizens from Western Montana and the friends and family of Carter.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.