WORLAND (WNE) — A 63-year-old California man died in a hunting accident in Washakie County earlier this month. 

The Washakie County Sheriff’s Office, Ten Sleep Emergency Medical Services and Worland Emergency Medical Services responded to an area south of the top of Smilo/Sand Draw Road on Wednesday, Oct. 6. 

The initial report indicated a man had been accidentally shot with a hunting rifle, according to a release from Washakie County Sheriff Steve Rakness.

The victim was identified as Ron Blank of California, who had been hunting elk with his roughly 40-year-old son, Dan Blank, of Texas. The pair were traveling back to their pickup when they had to ascend a ridge. While handing their firearms up so he could climb a rock face, a rifle discharged and struck Ron Blank in the upper right chest. The son, Dan Blank, immediately rendered first aid and called Washakie County to request help. 

Private vehicles and a sheriff’s unit transported emergency personnel to the Cabin Spring area, where units proceeded to the scene on foot. 

Guardian Life Flight was launched and responded while EMS members on teh ground conducted triage and stabilized Ron Blank for transport. 

Blank was carried up to a landing zone where he was flown to Washakie Medical Center for further treatment. However, according to the release from the sheriff’s office, the man died in the operating room due to massive internal injuries and an extreme loss of blood.

In an obituary, Blank’s family members wrote that “he passed doing something he loved, hunting for elk in the beautiful state of Wyoming.”

It adds that Blank’s greatest accomplishment “was to raise and guide his children into adulthood, be present at each of their weddings, and be the best ‘Papa’ anyone has ever had.”