Reuben Matthew Buck, a 20-year-old Indigenous man from Moose Lake, was last seen on June 2, 1978. He and another man left that morning in a racing canoe to dig for Seneca root. High winds made conditions on the water dangerous, yet witnesses saw the pair set out that day.

Later the same day the canoe was found empty and adrift, and The Pas RCMP opened an investigation. Extensive searches failed to locate Reuben. He is described as 5 feet 7 inches, about 150 pounds, with long black hair and brown eyes. He had amputations of the middle finger, index finger, and thumb on his right hand.

The official account links his disappearance to the canoe trip in dangerous weather, but Reuben’s fate remains unresolved and the case file remains open. Does anyone who knew Reuben or who was in the area that day have information that could help clarify what happened?