(TheIndependentStar.com) – A great adventure almost ended up in a tragedy, as a 32-year-old hunter from Alaska is recovering from a gunshot wound after a brown bear attacked him.
Authorities said in a press release that the attack happened on the Resurrection Pass Trail in southern Alaska, where the bear mauled and seriously injured the man.
Moreover, ABC News reported that Alaska State Troopers are unsure whether the shot accidentally came from the hunter’s own gun or if someone else fired it.
According to Alaska Troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain, both hunters shot at the bear, and the injured hunter was hit in the leg.
The animal was killed during the incident, and the injured hunter received first aid before being airlifted to a nearby hospital.
Furthermore, DeSpain confirmed that as of this week, the bear’s remains have not been recovered due to its remote location and medical emergency.
The U.S. Forest Service stated the Resurrection Pass Trail is 39 miles long and ascends from 500 to 2,600 feet. It is in the Kenai Mountains, known as “bear country,” with brown and black bears.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, brown bears and grizzly bears are both common names for the same species, Ursus arctos, but the main difference is their geographic location.
Brown bears typically live along the southern coast of the state, while grizzlies can be found in the northern and interior parts.
The outlet noted that hikers often report seeing bears, but the trail does not have a reputation for unusual bear problems despite regular human traffic.
Additionally, the attack comes just days after a black bear mauled and injured a 3-year-old girl in a tent at a private campground in Montana just north of Yellowstone National Park.
The incident also marks at least the second time in less than two years that a hunter has been inadvertently shot during a bear attack. In October 2022, a hunter accidentally shot himself in the leg while trying to fight off a grizzly bear attack in Wyoming.
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