Jon Ellison had been missing for 13 days before leaving the bush near Bethunes Gully and was spotted by a passer-by about 4.30pm.
His stepfather, Murray Cumming, said the news was met with Mr Ellison’s son jumping up and down in excitement.
"Thirteen days he was missing for — quite a saga he’s going to have to tell."
A member of the public spotted Mr Ellison as he crawled out of the bush. He went over to Mr Ellison, sat him down, gave him an apple and called the police.
Mr Cumming said Mr Ellison had fallen off the track while returning in the dark from the Mt Cargill-Bethunes Gully track.
Due to the fall and an injury, he was unable to climb back to the track so he worked his way down Lindsay Creek.
"He had several severe falls as he tried to follow it out."
Mr Cumming said the upper reaches of Lindsay Creek were very difficult country.
"When searching the creek area last Thursday, we would have finished his search downstream of Jon’s location.
"When police rang us, all they could say was ‘Got him. He has survived."
Mr Ellison was transported to Dunedin Hospital and was recuperating from injuries, malnutrition and hypothermia.
"His voice is gone and we think he might have fallen over five waterfalls or banks and gotten caught in the holes.
"Very hypothermic and very malnourished, but got himself out."
Mr Cumming said he was a hunter himself and often read these kind of bush-land survival stories but never expected one to hit so close to home.
"It’s just awesome, it’s in the realm of unbelievable results."
For the past two weeks, LandSAR, police, friends and family had been conducting a wide-scale search of North Dunedin, which included Mt Cargill, North East Valley, Waitati and Upper Junction areas of Dunedin.
He had last been seen in Dalmore on March 12 and his car had been discovered near Chingford Park on Monday last week.
A police spokesman said they "would like to thank everyone who provided information and offered their help throughout the search."
