Human skull found near Bigfork

Sheriff's deputies are investigating a human skull found east of Bigfork on Sunday.

A skull found Sunday evening on Bear Creek Road east of Bigfork was human, according to Flathead County Sheriff's Det. Bruce Parish.

Parish said a couple of hunters found the skull near a sleeping bag and a wallet at an abandoned campsite.

"We were up there all day today," he said Monday.

The wallet contained identification of a 41-year-old Tennessee man. The wallet also contained $400 in cash and some jewelry.

The man was not among people reported missing to the FBI's National Crime Information Center

Parish said the sheriff's office is attempting to contact family or friends to identify the remains. He hopes to obtain dental records to make a positive identification.

"Nothing we found indicates the cause of death," Parish said, although it appears the death occurred within the last year.

He said the investigating team found some other bones at the camp. The remains were sent off to the state crime lab where DNA extraction may assist in identification.

"We unfortunately may never know how he died," Parish said.

Parish said nothing at the scene indicates the presence of more than one person.

According to Parish, hunters stumble on remains every few years. The most recent body, found in 2003, was never identified.