Oh man, I can definitely relate. Back when I was in high school, my elder sister was dawdling so I left for school without her. Well, she forgot to close the door of the house behind her. Needless to say, both our dogs were GONE. It was also the very start of deer hunting season. And one of the two, a tan lab mix, had a bright white end to her tail. Plus it snowed while we were at school, so any tracks that might've helped us were gone. I was terrified for our pups, I borrowed the neighbor's 4 wheeler and tore through every inch of woods and neighborhoods nearby. Thankfully, it was a happy ending. Emma, the tan lab, came back on her own that evening. Though she had a leg wound that, despite vet care, resulted in chronic pain and a limp. The other dog, a doofy black lab mix named Noah, was found a few neighborhoods over playing with someone's dogs, unharmed.
SO glad to hear he is back, omg!