A Greene County man was found dead Wednesday of an apparently accidental shotgun wound while hunting on his property in Whiteley, investigators said.

Mark Petrun, 53, had gone hunting for squirrels in the early afternoon Wednesday in the woods on his property on Rocky Ridge Road.

When he didn't return to his house by that evening, his family began searching for him, Greene County Deputy Coroner Mary Lewis said.

He was found around 9 p.m. about an eighth of a mile into the woods at the bottom of a steep hill.

Ms. Lewis said it appears Mr. Petrun was about to take a seat on a log, heavily covered with wet leaves, when he lost his footing.

As he fell, the shotgun, with its safety turned off, discharged and the blast struck him in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:15 p.m., Ms. Lewis said.

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