THERMOPOLIS — Hot Springs County Sheriff’s deputies will continue the search for a missing hunter today.

Thursday Hot Springs County Sheriff’s deputies and Search and Rescue members conducted an extensive ground and aerial search aided by the Wyoming Wing of the Civil Air Patrol in an attempt to locate Wayne Hockaday, 82, of Thermopolis, who had not returned from a deer hunt the previous evening.

Hockaday was said to be hunting on Bureau of Land Managment land near Black Mountain Road in North Eastern Hot Springs County. The search included the Black Mountain area as well as Sand Draw Road from Gebo to King Dome.

Hockaday has also been known to hunt in the Dubois area and at this time it is unknown where he may have actually gone to hunt. He also has a history of becoming disoriented in the dark and wandering from his intended course, it is possible that he left the area unintentionally, according to a press release from the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Office.

An attempt to locate request has been sent to law enforcement agencies statewide.

Hockaday is 5-9 and weighs 170 pounds; he has grey hair and blue eyes. He is believed to be wearing camouflage pants, a light-colored shirt, a brown and grey checkered jacket and a ball cap. He was driving a brown 1996 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup with a white cross bed tool box and black rain guards on the windows.

The truck has Wyoming license plates 15 county 201.

If anyone sees Hockaday we ask that they call the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Office at 307-864-2622.

For further information, contact the Thermopolis Hot Springs County Communications Center at 307-864-2622.