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December 3, 2013
SEARCH SUSPENDED FOR QUEBEC MAN
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Maine Warden Service
--For Immediate Release--
DECEMBER 3, 2013: The search for Renald Poulin from Quebec will be suspended this afternoon. Today?s search effort included 26 game wardens including K9 team and dive team members as well as 15 MASAR search team volunteers and five Maine Forest Rangers. No clues were found that led investigators to Poulin at todays end. The primary search area has been contained within TWP T6 R13 WELS and included both the western and southwestern shores of Umbazooksus Lake, Umbazooksus Stream, and encompassed significant portions of the once-used tram railway system; believed to be Poulin?s destination. Poulin?s vehicle was located by game wardens on Saturday, November 30; however Poulin was never physically seen at this location.
With no clues indicating Poulin?s direction of travel and recent snows accumulating 3 to 4 inches, evidence detection has become nearly impossible. Due to weather conditions today, aircraft were not used. The Maine Warden Service Dive Team dove in several high probability water locations today with no signs of Poulin. At this time, the Warden Service will evaluate future search strategies of larger wooded areas likely to have been explored by Poulin in proximity to his recovered vehicle. Game wardens have been talking with tram enthusiasts to collect information regarding the area and tram system. Searches in areas most frequented by tram enthusiasts have turned up no clues. Warden Service aircraft will fly this week to search the area when weather permits.
It is possible that Poulin encountered a problem in the Umbazooksus Dam area beginning on his border crossing date of Tuesday, November 26th, although his vehicle was not observed until four days later on Saturday, November 30th by game wardens. Game wardens are asking those who may have seen Renald Poulin?s vehicle parked at the Umbazooksus Dam between the days of Tuesday, November 26th and Saturday, November 30th to please call the Public Safety Dispatch Center in Houlton at 1-800-924-2261.
SEARCH HISTORY: While searching for two Millinocket men in an unrelated search, game wardens located a vehicle owned by Renald Poulin from Saint C?me, Quebec for whom authorities from Canada had also been searching. Renald Poulin, age 67 from Quebec, crossed into the U.S. on Tuesday, November 26th and was to return November 27th. On Saturday, November 30th, game wardens located his green 2002 Kia Sedona parked near Umbazooksus Dam.
Poulin had interest in the tram rail systems located in the Umbazooksus Lake area used decades ago in the logging industry, and wardens believe he was exploring those areas when he went missing. Agencies assisting in this exhaustive search effort include the Maine Forest Service, U.S. Border Patrol, Unity College Search and Rescue Team (SAR), Baxter State Park Rangers, Mid-Maine SAR, Mount Desert Island SAR, Pinetree SAR, and the Maine Association of SAR Dogs (MESARD).