NORFOLK - An extensive, nearly six-hour search for a Milford man despondent over losing his job ended Sunday night when Norfolk police saw him leave the woods near the town's Pond Street Recreation Complex.

The 41-year-old man appeared to have superficial self-inflicted knife wounds on his arm and hand, Police Chief Charles Stone Jr. said Monday.

Police took the man into custody. Police and firefighters then took him to Milford-Whitinsville Regional Hospital for treatment and a psychological evaluation.

The search involved Milford and Norfolk police, a state police helicopter and a Franklin police tracking dog before Norfolk police Sgt. Paul Murphy spotted the man leaving the woods northwest of the recreation complex shortly after 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Relatives had reported him missing to Milford police about 3:45 p.m. They said he had left home around 11 a.m. "and that he had been despondent lately over personal matters, including the loss of his job," Norfolk police said in a news release.

Relatives reported receiving a text message from him "containing suicidal threats" at 12:49 p.m.

Shortly after 4 p.m., Norfolk police were told that a call on the man's cell phone was sent from a tower near Norfolk center.

About 90 minutes later, Murphy found the man's pickup truck parked at the recreation complex, with the phone, his keys and his wallet inside.

The area is "very large, heavily wooded and contains swampy areas as well as several ponds," police said. For that reason, police began a search and rescue - calling for the state police helicopter, and a police canine through the Metro-Lec regional response team.

Franklin Police Officer Michael Gilboy and his K-9 Ehrie started tracking toward heavy woods and a large swampy area northwest of the complex, police said.

Stone said that during a brief conversation with the man before he was taken to the hospital, "we got the impression that his kids had played soccer at that field."

However, "it was Sunday. Nothing was going on there," Stone said.