Alaska hunter mauled by brown bear, shot during attempt to stop attack

Alaska hunter mauled by brown bear, shot during attempt to stop attack

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Corie Bowditch from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks joins FOX Weather to talk about how bears work to obtain extra calories before their wintertime nap. 

Corie Bowditch from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks joins FOX Weather to talk about how bears work to obtain extra calories before their wintertime nap. 

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Alaska hunter suffered dual injuries both at the hand of an attacking brown bear, and by gunfire during attempts to help fend off the attack Saturday, wildlife officials said.

Two hunters were attacked on the Resurrection Pass Trail just south of Anchorage, at 3 p.m. local time, said Alaska Wildlife Troopers.

Troopers said one of the hunters, a 32-year-old man, was not only severely injured by the bear, but was also wounded by a gunshot during attempts to stop the bear from attacking. It’s unclear who among the two hunters fired the gunshot.

Brown bear in Alaska.

FILE: Brown bear in Alaska.

(Kevyn Jalone / NPS / FOX Weather)

After first aid was administered on site, the man was taken to a hospital in Anchorage, but his condition has not been released.

The second hunter was taken from the area by an Alaska Rescue Coordination Center rescue team. Troopers didn’t note if that hunter had been injured. 

The bear was killed during the attack.

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Brown bear in Alaska.

Brown bear in Alaska.

(R. Wood / NPS / FOX Weather)

‘Alaska is bear country’

An estimated 30,000 brown bears, including grizzly bears, live in Alaska, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

They said male brown bears during late summer and fall usually weigh between 500 and 900 lbs, with the largest weighing as much as 1,400 lbs.

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“Alaska is bear country,” the ADFG said. They provided the following guidelines for people who might encounter the animals in the wild:

  • Give bears space and never approach them. Be particularly cautious of female bears, as they may respond aggressively to protect her cubs.
  • Avoid surprising bears by letting bears know where you are and by avoiding thick brush where bears might hide.
  • If a bear approaches you while you are fishing, stop fishing. Also, never give a bear fish or it will return for more.

For more information on bear safety in Alaska, check out the ADFG page here.