Man Was Tackled by a Bear. Seconds Later, He Was Shot

A hunter was attacked by a brown bear, then shot in the midst of the mauling, on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula on Saturday. The 32-year-old was airlifted to an Anchorage hospital and discharged later Saturday, reports KDLL. Authorities have not named the individual, but a former Soldotna resident now living in Austin, Texas, identified himself as the injured hunter in a Facebook post. Tyler Johnson said he was searching for black bears with his father, Chris Johnson, an Alaska Wildlife Trooper stationed in Soldotna, when they spooked the brown bear in thick brush. "The bear announced it was there. And it was about four seconds between that and impact with me," Johnson wrote, per KDLL.

He said the bear initially charged toward his father, then veered off and tackled him. He said he unholstered a pistol and fired a shot that entered his left quadriceps before firing seven more shots into the bear. Chris Johnson also fired shots at the bear, who ultimately died, "but not before inflicting serious injuries to Tyler's right leg, as well as scratches on his leg and shoulder," per KDLL. The hunters then called for help using a satellite phone. Johnson said it took an hour and a half for a helicopter to arrive to the remote location on the Resurrection Pass Trail near Cooper Landing.

In a statement, Alaska Wildlife Troopers said the "seriously injured" hunter was "transported to an Anchorage hospital in DPS HELO-3 for treatment of his injuries," while "the second male was transported by an Alaska Rescue Coordination Center rescue team." Johnson said he's expected to recover well. He's planning to return to Texas this week. The bear had not been recovered as of Monday "due to the medical emergency and remote location," troopers rep Tim DeSpain tells Anchorage Daily News. (More bear attack stories.)