Corie Bowditch of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks joins FOX Weather to talk about how bears get extra calories before hibernation.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A hunter in Alaska was doubly wounded Saturday by both the hand of an attacking brown bear and by gunfire while trying to fend off the attack, Department of Conservation officials said.
Two hunters were attacked at 3 p.m. local time on the Resurrection Pass Trail south of Anchorage, Alaska Wildlife Troopers said.
According to police, one of the hunters, a 32-year-old man, was not only seriously injured by the bear, but was also shot while trying to stop the bear from attacking. It is unclear which of the two hunters fired the shot.
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 there is no information yet about his condition.
The second hunter was rescued from the area by a rescue team from the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center. Police were unable to determine if the hunter was injured.
The bear was killed in the attack.
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Brown bear in Alaska.
(R. Wood / NPS / FOX Weather)
“Alaska is bear country”
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, there are an estimated 30,000 brown bears, including grizzly bears, living in Alaska.
They said male brown bears typically weigh between 500 and 900 pounds in late summer and fall, with the largest weighing up to 1,400 pounds.
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“Alaska is bear country,” the ADFG declared. It issued the following guidelines for people who might encounter the animals in the wild:
- Give bears space and never approach them. Be especially cautious around female bears, as they may react aggressively to protect their cubs.
- Don’t surprise bears by letting them know where you are and by avoiding dense brush where bears might hide.
- If a bear approaches you while fishing, stop fishing. Also, never give a bear fish or it will come back for more.
For more information about bear protection in Alaska, visit the ADFG page here.
