Overview

Date last seen: November 17, 2021
Location: Tomahawk, Lincoln County, Wisconsin
Age when missing: 61
NamUs: MP91951
Classification: Endangered Missing

Main circumstances: Strahota told friends he planned to go deer hunting “down south” for approximately one or two weeks. He did not provide a definite hunting location or clearly identify the person he was supposedly traveling with. Possible areas later mentioned publicly included Wisconsin’s Fox Valley, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Before leaving, Strahota asked a friend to care for his animals. His own vehicle remained at his residence, and he reportedly did not own a cellphone.

He never returned.

Detailed Case Breakdown

David Lee Strahota Missing From Tomahawk, Wisconsin Since 2021

David Lee Strahota was 61 years old when he disappeared from the Tomahawk area of Lincoln County, Wisconsin, on November 17, 2021. More than four years later, his whereabouts remain unknown, and his case continues to be listed as an active missing-person case.

Strahota was described at the time of his disappearance as a white man with brown hair and blue eyes, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds. He reportedly had health issues that caused additional concern among those who knew him.

Last Seen: November 17, 2021 — Tomahawk, Wisconsin

Date last seen: November 17, 2021
Location: Tomahawk, Lincoln County, Wisconsin
Age when missing: 61
NamUs: MP91951
Classification: Endangered Missing

Main circumstances: Strahota told friends he planned to go deer hunting “down south” for approximately one or two weeks. He did not provide a definite hunting location or clearly identify the person he was supposedly traveling with. Possible areas later mentioned publicly included Wisconsin’s Fox Valley, southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Before leaving, Strahota asked a friend to care for his animals. His own vehicle remained at his residence, and he reportedly did not own a cellphone.

He never returned.

A Hunting Trip With Few Details

One of the central mysteries in David Strahota’s disappearance is that no confirmed destination for his proposed hunting trip appears to have been established publicly.

Friends said Strahota told them he was going hunting somewhere “down south.” Authorities subsequently sought information that could determine whether he intended to travel to the Fox Valley, southern Wisconsin or northern Illinois.

He was reportedly vague about exactly where he planned to hunt and about who, if anyone, would accompany him. He expected to be gone only a week or two.

Strahota also left no known contact information for where he would be staying. His vehicle was still at his home, raising the question of how he intended to reach the hunting destination or whether someone else was expected to transport him.

Months Passed Before David Was Reported Missing

Although Strahota was last seen in November 2021, his disappearance was not formally reported until March 15, 2022.

Friends and family became increasingly concerned because they said it was unusual for him to remain away for such an extended period. His health issues added to those concerns.

Publicly available case information also indicates there was no withdrawal activity from his bank account after he disappeared and no known subsequent contact with friends or relatives.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office publicly appealed for information about Strahota in April 2022.

Search Near His Last Known Location

In June 2022, the investigation became more visible when the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office conducted an extensive search at a property west of Tomahawk associated with Strahota’s last known whereabouts.

Contemporaneous reporting identified the location as a property on State Highway 86. The search involved the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Merrill Police Department, Tomahawk Police Department, Tomahawk Fire Department and K9 teams from Canine Search Solutions.

Authorities did not publicly announce that the search had located Strahota or disclose evidence establishing what happened to him.

There is a discrepancy in later published descriptions of the precise highway. The Charley Project identifies the last-seen area as State Highway 87, while contemporary news coverage and Wisconsin Missing Persons reporting identify State Highway 86. Wisconsin’s current official missing-person listing describes the last known location more generally as Tomahawk, Wisconsin.

Questions That Remain Unanswered

Several important circumstances surrounding Strahota’s disappearance have never been publicly resolved.

It remains unclear exactly where he intended to hunt, who he planned to travel with, and how he intended to reach the destination when his own vehicle remained behind.

There has also been no publicly reported explanation for the lengthy period between his November 2021 disappearance and the missing-person report filed the following March.

Those circumstances do not establish that a crime occurred, and authorities have not publicly classified the case as a homicide. They remain significant unanswered questions in an unresolved missing-person investigation.

Latest Publicly Available Case Information

As of the latest publicly available information located for this article, David Strahota has not been publicly reported found.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults continues to list Strahota as missing from Tomahawk, Wisconsin. The state listing gives his current age as 65 and continues to direct anyone with information to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

The Charley Project added its case file and most recently updated it on May 28, 2025, describing the case as unsolved and classifying Strahota as endangered missing.

A November 2025 review of missing people in north-central Wisconsin also continued to list Strahota as missing since November 17, 2021 and identified the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department as the investigating agency.

No later public announcement located during research for this article reported an arrest, recovery of remains, confirmed sighting, identification of a suspect or resolution of the case.

David Strahota Remains Missing

David Lee Strahota disappeared after telling friends he planned to spend a week or two hunting somewhere south of Tomahawk. What appeared to be a temporary trip instead became a disappearance lasting years.

His vehicle remained behind. His destination was uncertain. The identity of the person he may have planned to hunt with was unclear. Searches were conducted, but no publicly announced discovery resolved the case.

Anyone who remembers seeing Strahota around November 17, 2021, knows where he intended to hunt, knows who may have provided him transportation, or has other information concerning his disappearance should contact the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.