A hunter found skeletal remains this week in the Oxford County town of Byron and Maine State Police say they could belong to a man who has been missing since December.

The remains were found Tuesday in a wooded area off the Weld Road in Byron. They were about a mile into the woods, according to state police. The hunter reported the discovery to the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.

A team including state police, Maine Warden Service and deputies from Oxford and Franklin counties recovered the remains Wednesday. They were taken to the Office of Medical Examiner, which will likely use the state police DNA lab to assist in the identification process, according to state police.

Multiple searches have been conducted in that area since last December for 46-year-old Derek Adams, who was reported missing on Dec. 29. He lived in the area and his family has been notified of the discovery, state police said.