Several agencies joined in a search of part of Forbes State Park near Omega when a hiker reportedly heard a man screaming for help across the lake.
Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says the man was at the tent camping area and he believed the scream was coming across the lake to the east in a heavily wooded area used mostly for deer hunting.
Cripps said his fear was an archery deer hunter had run into trouble over the weekend.
The search began around 11:10 Monday morning and continued until 1:45 pm when it ended with no sign of anyone in the searched area. Cripps said there had also been no reports of anyone missing.
The sheriff reported the search would resume if there was a missing person or additional information became available.
The Kinmundy-Alma Fire Department began the search. The sheriff’s department later joined in and Cripps went up in a helicopter provided by Chad Eagan to search by air. The Illinois Department of Conservation also later joined the search effort.
