Five Years Later, Duck Hunters still missing on Mississippi River

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — Five years after two Copiah County duck hunters disappeared on the Mississippi River south of Vicksburg, there are still no answers in the case of Zeb Hughes and Gunner Palmer.

Hughes, 21, and Palmer, 16, went missing in December 2020 after launching from the LeTourneau boat landing. Their truck and boat trailer were found at the landing, but the two never returned from a duck hunt scouting trip.

In the days and weeks following their disappearance, extensive searches were conducted by volunteers, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the Cajun Navy, and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Their family and volunteers set up camp at LeTourneau during the early days of the search.

Although some of the pair’s hunting equipment was located, and their boat was discovered near Middle Ground Island, the two were never found. Multiple agencies, family members, search-and-rescue teams, and community volunteers continued searching for weeks, combing the river and surrounding areas. Despite those efforts, no trace of the hunters has been found.

Hughes and Palmer have not been recovered, and the case remains open five years later.