Kansas man stumbles on human skeleton while searching for deer antlers

A man was searching for shed deer antlers in a rural part of southeast Kansas over the weekend when he discovered human skeletal remains, according to officials. 

State and local authorities responded to the scene around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday near Humboldt, a small town about 110 miles south of Kansas City. 

Officials were able to confirm that the remains belonged to a human, but they were so decomposed that the age and gender were not immediately apparent. An autopsy is scheduled to positively identify the remains and notify next-of-kin. 

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Allen County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case but don’t believe there is a threat to the public. 

“In these types of cases investigators typically first consider individuals who have been reported missing in the area,” a Kansas Bureau of Investigation spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

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Bucks shed their antlers annually between late winter and spring once mating season is over. February is the best time for people to search the Kansas countryside for antlers, according to the state Department of Wildlife and Parks. 

Hunters and hikers have accidentally helped solve missing person cases in the past while searching for antlers. 

In December 2021, a man scavenging the woods of southern Missouri for deer antlers found human remains that belonged to a mixed martial arts fighter who had gone missing nearly two years earlier.