SEARCH NOTES - October 26, 2009
With the crops coming out of the fields and the cooler temperatures, the scent conditions have improved significantly for the search dogs. Therefore, the search for Brandon’s remains will resume this weekend. Search teams will focus on the fields in our high-priority area that we have not been able to get into thus far. We are attempting to contact each affected landowner this week. We appreciate your cooperation with this difficult search. As always, we hope to successfully conclude it soon.
June 27-28 Search:
Thus far in the search, the teams have not been searching in cultivated fields for several reasons, princaipally because we wanted to avoid damaging crops and we felt there was a lower probability that Brandon was located in a field. However, while reviewing the results of the search developed so far, it was clear that there was little left to search in our high - priority area other than the fields. We could no longer ignore the fact that it is possible that Brandon's body was located in a field, especially if he wandered into a field that had already been planted.
The management team attempted to contact every landowner in the area in question to ask several pertinent questions and secure permission to search their fields.
We want to thank all the landowners who allowed us on their property. We understand your concerns.
We first searched along the permimeter, we did not search ay further. This was the case on the majority of search missions. We ended up detail-searching only a few corn fields. Again, multiple areas of interest but no remains were found.
Unfortunately, several factors were working against us at this time in the search. We were unable to contact a few landowners and were therefore unable to search a few high-priority areas. Both the dogs and human team members tire quickly in the summer heat, so we had to start our search efforts very early in the morning. The constant winds make it difficult to pinpoint the source of the scent. And finally, the vegetation has grown to a point where it is over the dogs' (and sometimes the handlers') heads and this makes the team considerably less effective.
For these reasons, we have decided to temporarily suspend the search. We will resume again after the crops are out of the fields and the scent conditions improve.
Thank you again for your help and patience during this very difficult search.
The management team attempted to contact every landowner in the area in question to ask several pertinent questions and secure permission to search their fields.
We want to thank all the landowners who allowed us on their property. We understand your concerns.
We first searched along the permimeter, we did not search ay further. This was the case on the majority of search missions. We ended up detail-searching only a few corn fields. Again, multiple areas of interest but no remains were found.
Unfortunately, several factors were working against us at this time in the search. We were unable to contact a few landowners and were therefore unable to search a few high-priority areas. Both the dogs and human team members tire quickly in the summer heat, so we had to start our search efforts very early in the morning. The constant winds make it difficult to pinpoint the source of the scent. And finally, the vegetation has grown to a point where it is over the dogs' (and sometimes the handlers') heads and this makes the team considerably less effective.
For these reasons, we have decided to temporarily suspend the search. We will resume again after the crops are out of the fields and the scent conditions improve.
Thank you again for your help and patience during this very difficult search.
June 13-14th Search Notes
Four HRD canine teams participated in this weekend's search efforts. We searched areas just northwest and west of Porter. Now that we believe we have finally narrowed the search area to under ten square miles, we are beginning to systematically detail -search these areas. Shelter-belts around farmsteads, creeks, ditches, and CRP land were all throroughly searched. We are now attempting to search areas in question throughly enough that we can eleminate them from further consideration. The canines again showed multiple areas of strong interest in the area.
It is clear that the constant strong winds in the region are blowing scent around and continuing to make it difficult to quickly narrow the search area. We will continue to systematically detail -search the area in question.
It is clear that the constant strong winds in the region are blowing scent around and continuing to make it difficult to quickly narrow the search area. We will continue to systematically detail -search the area in question.
June 6th Search:
We had a single HRD canine team come down on Saturday for a search. The team followed up on the previous weekend's results. While it rained throughout the day, the team had a productive search and came up with additional areas of interest. These results support the belief that we are in the right area.
Search Report for May 30th & 31st
We had another strong search effort this weekend. 7 HRD canines and 28 people were involved in the search. The search plan included three areas: 1) The region to the north and east of the Last Know Position (his car) (Region B). The area had received very little searching to date. While we don't have any clues leading to this area, we searched it at the request of the Yellow Medicine County Sheriff to exclude it from further consideration. 2) Several sections along the norther border of Lincoln County to follow up on clues established May 16 - 18. 3) A detailed search of the area around Mud Creek where the canines showed so much interest previously.
Our results: Approximately 11 square miles of Region B was searched. There were no areas of significant interest in the region. There were no areas of interest in Lincoln County. We were able to effectively rule out the possibility that Brandon is located in Mud Creek in the area of question north of Porter. However, we obtained multiple areas of strong interest to the west and south of Mud Creek.
The search conditions were good on Saturday. On Sunday, the strong south winds made interpreting the canines' results challenging. We believe we are narrowing down the search area.
A note from the Search Manager
In most searches, especially large ones such as this, searchers need to physically search private property. We couldn't complete the search without doing so, since most of the land in the region is private property. While we operate under the jurisdiction of the local Sheriff, we have no more right to trespass on private property than the average citizen. We depend on the goodwill of local landowners to do our job.
Most of the time, the Sheriff's Office assists us in notifying landowners and obtaining their permission prior to each search effort. However, that is not always possible to do ahead of time because search plans can change due to a number of variables such as resources available, weather conditions, and clueds developed. In these cases, the search teams are instructed to obtain permission just prior to their search mission. Sometimes this is difficult, because it is not always easy to find out who owns the land we want to search. But we try our best.
I want to reassure the landowners in Lincoln, Lyon and Yellow Medicine Counties that we have been and will continue to do our best to obtain permission prior to searching and to protect their property. We use experienced teams that have been trained to protect property. They know to leave gates as they are found, how to cross fence lines without damaging them, and to avoid walking in planted fields. (If they absolutely must cross a short section of field, they know not to step on the plants.) While the dogs are usually worked off leash, they are always under the control of the handler, especially around livestock. The teams are also reminded of these practices at each morning briefing.
We will continue these practices throughout the duration of the search. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at 612-708-2996 or your local Sheriff's Office.
Jeff Hasse
Search Manager
Most of the time, the Sheriff's Office assists us in notifying landowners and obtaining their permission prior to each search effort. However, that is not always possible to do ahead of time because search plans can change due to a number of variables such as resources available, weather conditions, and clueds developed. In these cases, the search teams are instructed to obtain permission just prior to their search mission. Sometimes this is difficult, because it is not always easy to find out who owns the land we want to search. But we try our best.
I want to reassure the landowners in Lincoln, Lyon and Yellow Medicine Counties that we have been and will continue to do our best to obtain permission prior to searching and to protect their property. We use experienced teams that have been trained to protect property. They know to leave gates as they are found, how to cross fence lines without damaging them, and to avoid walking in planted fields. (If they absolutely must cross a short section of field, they know not to step on the plants.) While the dogs are usually worked off leash, they are always under the control of the handler, especially around livestock. The teams are also reminded of these practices at each morning briefing.
We will continue these practices throughout the duration of the search. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact me at 612-708-2996 or your local Sheriff's Office.
Jeff Hasse
Search Manager
SCHWANS Truck Fundraiser
The Schwans Truck Sale Fundraiser is approaching this Saturday, May 30th.
Schwans' will have a truck in the Marshall MN Walmart parking lot and the Balaton MN Public School Parking lot from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All you do is stop by the truck and purchase items directly from the sales / driver. But, if you can't make it to the truck you can call Schwan's directly and purchase gift certificates to be used at a later date or even sent as a gift. To order a gift certificate call 1-888-413-0003 and select option 2 up to May 30th. Inform the Schwan's representative you would like to support the Brandon Swanson Fundraiser. Give them the Campaign ID of either 20863 or 20864. Gift Certificates are available in denominations of $5, $10 and $25. Girft Certificates will be mailed to the address of your choice with a message thanking you for supporting Brandon's search.
SEARCH NOTES - May 16 - 18
We had a strong showing of canine teams this weekend. 25 people and 8 HRD canines participated in the search efforts, including four canine teams from Florida. The teams covered parts of 31 square miles during the weekend, so a lot of area was excluded. The canines displayed some interest in areas west of Porter, which appeared to be scent borne in on the wind. The strongest area of interest was north of Porter, which appears to be water borne scent.
We were also able to establish a band of area around the area of previous canine clues where no
canine interest was present. The area of negative interest is an important development. Previously, every time we expanded the search, we came up with additional areas of interest. This made it difficult to determine the boundaries of scent (and consequently, the limits of our search area). We hope that this development will help us narrow our search efforts.
Search Reports:
April 25th Search:
A single canine team (four people) conducted several search missions on April 25th. The search plan was to cut for scent north and east of the previous areas of interest. The canine showed mild interest in a couple locations, but no remains were found. Rain prevented a search on April 26th.
April 4th Search:
18 searchers from six SAR organizations met on the weekend of April 4th for another search. Three HRD canines were involved in the search. The teams conducted searches in areas north of Porter. Multiple areas of canine interest were found in the area, principally along Mud Creek. Two ground teams visually searched along Mud Creek. No remains were found. The teams were forced to go home on Saturday evening due to the snowstorm that moved into the area Saturday evening.
A NOTE FROM THE SEARCH MANAGER:
When a search goes on as long as the search for Brandon has, many people experience considerable frustration that he hasn't been found yet. This is natural. We all want this search to be concluded. I believe that part of this frustration lies in how search efforts are often reported in the media. We often see or hear; "A search was conducted today by.... and nothing was found." This is an extremely misleading conclusion. Trained searchers think of our efforts differently.
The statistical boundary for this search gives us a search area of nearly 100 square miles. This is a lot of terrain to cover. There is a standard set of methods we use to establish a list of search priorities (which I explained in detail at the community meeting in March). Once established, we systematically search those areas. Each time we search with canines, we either come up with areas of canine interest or we do not. In fact, on this search, we have always had some results from the canines. These are important clues and they continually guide the next search efforts. And when a canine doesn't show any interest, this is also an important clue, because it helps establish where Brandon is not. In every search, we obtain important data. This understanding keeps us from becoming too frustrated. I hope it helps you too.
Jeff Hasse, Search Manager
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