By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 14:01 EST, 6 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:35 EST, 6 August 2013 . Two experienced outdoorsman have been declared dead after they disappeared during a week-long camping trip in the rural Canadian wilderness. Police have announced that 40-year-old Matt Zellen and his 71-year-old father Earl are now presumed dead as they have been missing for a week. Investigators seem convinced that they have died, even though there was no sign of foul play, the weather conditions were non-threatening around the time they disappeared, and their bodies have never been found. Missing: Earl Zellen, 71, was an avid outdoorsman and was on a week-long trip with his grown son . Close: Relatives say that Matt Zellen took the trip with his father because he felt it important to do so as long as he was physically able to travel and fish . Remote: The formal investigation into Matt and Earl Zellen's disappearance came when they did not show up in time for their scheduled flight back to Detroit on July 29 . According to The Detroit Free Press, the father-son duo had been camping in the Canadian forest last year, and Matt was joined by his two bothers to celebrate their father's 70th birthday. When Matt, who has twin 3-year-olds, and Earl returned to the Dubawnt Lake area of Nunavut on July 21 of this year, they decided that they did not need a guide, but that did not raise any flags as it was a standard move of many experienced adventurers. 'Pursuant to their request, the men were not accompanied by a guide or a third party at the time they went missing,' Curt Enns, the owner of the Tukto Lodge where the Zellens were staying, said in a statement. ‘As a result, there were no witnesses able to assist in search efforts that occurred over the course of the next three days.’ Family favorite: Matt and Earl were staying at the Tokto Lodge when they disappeared, and it was their second time visiting the area as they went last year with Earl's two other sons for his 70th birthday last year (pictured) The Royal Canadian Mounted Police only became concerned about the men when they did not show up for their flight back to Detroit on July 29. Mr Enns said that staff on the grounds last saw the pair earlier that same day when they were fishing close to the lodge. Staff at the Lodge, which is known for its trout fishing selection, would not respond to further questions from MailOnline. Investigators found the boat that the Zellens had been using washed onto shore eight miles down the river from where they had been staying. The men's life preservers were found inside the boat, which their family explained to The Detroit Free Press as being understandable since experienced fisherman use preservers as cushions while they are fishing for long periods of time. Congenial: Matt previously posted pictures of his father playing with his children and other relatives . Missed: Matt is the father of twin 3-year-olds Walker (left) and Addison (right) Adding to the mystery, the weather conditions did not prove any cause for concern for investigators and the Zellen family as Matt's brother and Earl's son Mike said that it was '72 degrees and sunny' when they went missing. The Mounties carried out a two day manhunt- in addition to the three-day search operated by the Lodge owners- that included ground and air searches, but have since called it off and left their case as an open missing persons file. 'The wilderness got them,' Paul Kotelewetz, the operator of the aviation company that the RCMP used to conduct the search. Relatives of the missing men tried to dispel any questions about the nature of their relationship, saying that they were very close and that Matt felt it important to continue their adventurous trips as long as his father was physically able to do so. ‘They had a wonderful relationship. Their lives were intertwined,' Mike Zellen told The Detroit Free Press. ‘For my dad, everything stemmed from a love of family. His greatest passion were his grandchilden and sons.’
Matt Zellen, 40, was traveling with his 71-year-old father Earl when they disappeared and were last seen on July 29 .
Police searched the remote area where they were last seen fishing for two days before saying that they are now presumed dead .
Their fishing boat was found 8 miles south of the lodge where they were staying, with both life preservers on board .
Lodge staff says that the men did not want a guide because they had previously visited the region a year before for Earl's birthday .
By . Meghan Keneally . PUBLISHED: . 14:01 EST, 6 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:35 EST, 6 August 2013 . Two experienced outdoorsman have been declared dead after they disappeared during a week-long camping trip in the rural Canadian wilderness. Police have announced that 40-year-old Matt Zellen and his 71-year-old father Earl are now presumed dead as they have been missing for a week. Investigators seem convinced that they have died, even though there was no sign of foul play, the weather conditions were non-threatening around the time they disappeared, and their bodies have never been found. Missing: Earl Zellen, 71, was an avid outdoorsman and was on a week-long trip with his grown son . Close: Relatives say that Matt Zellen took the trip with his father because he felt it important to do so as long as he was physically able to travel and fish . Remote: The formal investigation into Matt and Earl Zellen's disappearance came when they did not show up in time for their scheduled flight back to Detroit on July 29 . According to The Detroit Free Press, the father-son duo had been camping in the Canadian forest last year, and Matt was joined by his two bothers to celebrate their father's 70th birthday. When Matt, who has twin 3-year-olds, and Earl returned to the Dubawnt Lake area of Nunavut on July 21 of this year, they decided that they did not need a guide, but that did not raise any flags as it was a standard move of many experienced adventurers. 'Pursuant to their request, the men were not accompanied by a guide or a third party at the time they went missing,' Curt Enns, the owner of the Tukto Lodge where the Zellens were staying, said in a statement. ‘As a result, there were no witnesses able to assist in search efforts that occurred over the course of the next three days.’ Family favorite: Matt and Earl were staying at the Tokto Lodge when they disappeared, and it was their second time visiting the area as they went last year with Earl's two other sons for his 70th birthday last year (pictured) The Royal Canadian Mounted Police only became concerned about the men when they did not show up for their flight back to Detroit on July 29. Mr Enns said that staff on the grounds last saw the pair earlier that same day when they were fishing close to the lodge. Staff at the Lodge, which is known for its trout fishing selection, would not respond to further questions from MailOnline. Investigators found the boat that the Zellens had been using washed onto shore eight miles down the river from where they had been staying. The men's life preservers were found inside the boat, which their family explained to The Detroit Free Press as being understandable since experienced fisherman use preservers as cushions while they are fishing for long periods of time. Congenial: Matt previously posted pictures of his father playing with his children and other relatives . Missed: Matt is the father of twin 3-year-olds Walker (left) and Addison (right) Adding to the mystery, the weather conditions did not prove any cause for concern for investigators and the Zellen family as Matt's brother and Earl's son Mike said that it was '72 degrees and sunny' when they went missing. The Mounties carried out a two day manhunt- in addition to the three-day search operated by the Lodge owners- that included ground and air searches, but have since called it off and left their case as an open missing persons file. 'The wilderness got them,' Paul Kotelewetz, the operator of the aviation company that the RCMP used to conduct the search. Relatives of the missing men tried to dispel any questions about the nature of their relationship, saying that they were very close and that Matt felt it important to continue their adventurous trips as long as his father was physically able to do so. ‘They had a wonderful relationship. Their lives were intertwined,' Mike Zellen told The Detroit Free Press. ‘For my dad, everything stemmed from a love of family. His greatest passion were his grandchilden and sons.’
40-year-old Matt Zellen and his 71-year-old father Earl are now presumed dead as they have that they did not need a guide, but that did not Earl were staying at the Tokto Lodge when they disappeared, and it was their second time visiting the area as they went last year with Earl's two other sons for his 70th birthday last July 29. Mr Enns said that staff on the grounds from MailOnline. Investigators found the boat eight miles down the river from where they had preservers as cushions while they are fishing for saying that they were very close and that Matt