Tests To Determine If Bones Are Human

A man walking through the woods here Saturday found the bones of what appears to be a right hand.

Kootenai County sheriff’s investigators do not yet know whether the bones are from a human or an animal.

Peter Thomas, 31, of Athol, was walking through Farragut Park looking for antlers when he came upon the bones, according to a sheriff’s report.

Thomas told deputies he thought the bones looked more like animal remains at the time. But when he took them home, other relatives said it looked like a human hand, according to the report.

Thomas called deputies, who also could not determine what kind of bones they were.

“A bear skeleton and a human skeleton are very similar,” said Capt. Ben Wolfinger. “A bear paw could look like a human hand.”

The bones are being sent to the state forensic lab.