A man is expected to survive after an apparent accident at a shooting range west of Calgary.

EMS spokesman Stuart Brideaux says they received a call from a car driving towards Calgary from the west. The vehicle was carrying an adult male passenger who was was suffering from a wound in his neck. Cochrane RCMP says they were called to assist EMS around 3 p.m. MT.

RCMP says the male was wounded by his friend while they were at a shooting range on Hwy 68, south of Jumping Pound Creek.

One of the men had fired a high-powered rifle at a metal plate, which ricocheted and hit his friend in the neck.

EMS met up with the vehicle at Hwy 1 and Hwy 22X and continued transport of the victim to Foothills hospital in life-threatening condition.

After undergoing emergency surgery the man is expected to survive, RCMP say.

Police say the preliminary investigation indicated this was an accidental shooting, although the investigation is ongoing.