Missing Gore man Brian Sheppard has been found overnight, safe and well in a woolshed/deer yard by members of the public.

The 74-year-old who suffers from dementia, went missing from his rest home at 5.30pm yesterday sparking an extensive search by professional teams and hundreds of members of the public within the Gore township.

Gore Police Sergeant Chris Dunbar said the man was found shortly after midnight by a father and daughter duo near Terry Road.

Police would like to thank everyone involved in this operation, Dunbar said.

“We were impressed with the cohesive nature of our teams and the public who worked together to help find him.”

Police are particularly grateful to the family, wider community, LandSAR members, the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Team (AREC), Gore and Invercargill Police as well as Police and SAR dog handlers who assisted, he said.

Dunbar said search teams and the community responded with urgency with the weather being forecasted to deteriorate.

Brian's son, Greg Sheppard estimated his father had wandered up to 4kms before being found.

"He was a bit covered in mud."

Greg said his father had also managed to lose his shoe, which had an Airtag tracking device in it.

"That's why we weren't getting updates on his location, because it was sitting in a paddock and no one with an iPhone was walking near it."

Greg said the family wanted to thank the search and rescue teams, the Police, the Gore community, the Southland App and everyone who shared and posted on social media.

"Thank you very much from the family, very appreciative," he said.

CLICK HERE to find out more via the website Safer Walking New Zealand should your loved ones go missing.