Ivanovic

MENOMINEE COUNTY — The body of a hunter who went missing from the Cedar River North State Forest Campground in November has been located.

At approximately 3:45 p.m. (CST) on Saturday, deputies with the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a location one mile north of the campground for a report of what a caller believed to be a body floating in the Cedar River, according to a news release.

When deputies arrived on scene, they confirmed the body, which was stuck in a group of ice shoves in the river.

The body was retrieved from the river by ice and swift water rescue personnel with the Mellen and Cedarville Township Fire Departments.

Sheriff’s detectives identified the body as 58-year-old Vladimir Ivanovic, a Chicago-area hunter who was last seen at the campground on Nov. 13.

A previous Mining Journal article states that Ivanovic had been hunting in the area for over 14 years and always used the same camping spot. He was known as the “camp father” because of his relentless enforcement of safety precautions, making his disappearance unusual at the time.

Ivanovic was with his brother and another relative at the campground when he was reported missing.

After setting up camp, Ivanovic left his tent around 10 p.m. (CST) with relatives assuming he was making a quick trip to the camp cooler or truck. After 15 minutes and no return, search efforts commenced.

The sheriff’s office said there are no signs of foul play and the Assistant Medical Examiner has ruled the death a cold-water drowning.

Assisting the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office were the Cedar Township Fire Department, the Mellen Township Fire Department, the Menominee County Emergency Management Coordinator, the Delta County Sheriff’s Office, Mid County Rescue, the Menominee County Medical Examiner’s Office, Anderson-Diehm Funeral Home and Menominee County Central Dispatch.

Ryan Spitza can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. His email address is rspitza@miningjournal.net.