A man was hacked to death by an unknown killer in a ‘vicious attack’ which took place as he slept in his tent in a remote campsite.

Dustin Mitchell Kjersem, 35, was discovered with chop wounds to his body and skull in the Montana wilderness near Big Sky on Saturday, police said.

One of his friends called 911 at 10.07am after finding the body about 2.5 miles up Moose Creek Road, believing it was a bear attack.

But a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks agent found no bear activity in the area, and Kjersem’s injuries led police to open a homicide investigation.

Dustin Mitchell Kjersem, 35, was discovered with chop wounds to his body and skull in the Montana wilderness near Big Sky on Saturday

A friend who found him got worried when he didn’t show up for a planned camping trip

‘This incident was a vicious attack, and detectives are working hard to develop and track down leads,’ Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said.

‘A suspect has not been arrested at this time.’

Springer said at a press conference on Wednesday that he didn’t know if the community was safe from whoever killed Kjersem.

‘We do know that someone was out there who killed someone in a very heinous way so if you’re out in the woods you need to be paying attention, you need to remain vigilant,’ he said.

Kjersem, who worked as a handyman, was last heard from on October 10 when he went to an area with little phone service.

Kjersem, who worked as a handyman, was last heard from on October 10 when he went to an area with little phone service

He was driving a black 2013 Ford F-150 with a black topper and a silver aluminum ladder rack. 

The friend who found him got worried when he didn’t show up for a planned camping trip, and had launched a search. 

‘We are going to need the public’s help on this one. It’s likely going to take someone who saw someone, heard something, or saw two individuals up at this campsite,’ Springer said.

Kjersem’s sister spoke at the press conference, appealing for information from locals and anyone who may have seen anything.

He was driving a black 2013 Ford F-150 with a black topper and a silver aluminum ladder rack

‘He was a loving, helpful and adorning father who in no way deserved this,’ she said.

‘I asked our community to please find out who did this. There is someone in our valley who is capable of truly heinous things.’