Deer hunter found living off squirrels after three weeks in California canyon

Gene Penaflore was found by hunters after getting lost in the Californian wilderness

A veteran hunter was lost in a Californian forest for almost three weeks after getting separated from a friend.

Gene Penaflore, 72, was discovered by hunters on Saturday and is now recovering in hospital after getting lost in Mendocino National Forest on 24 September.

Wandering the wilderness for 19 days after going missing in north western California, the hunter, with 30 years experience of hunting in the wilderness, survived by eating lizards and squirrels and wrapping leaves around his body to keep warm.

The Mendocino National Forest is run by the US Forrest Service and has been closed because of the federal government's partial shutdown.