A 32-year-old man was critically injured in a grizzly bear attack over the weekend in a remote area of the Resurrection Pass Trail in southern Alaska, southwest of Anchorage. And not just from the attack, but also from an accidental gunshot wound sustained during the melee.
Accordingly CBS Newsboth the wounded man and his hunting companion fired at the animal, wounding the victim in the leg. However, it was unclear who fired the shots, said Alaska State Trooper spokesman Tim DeSpain. The bear was eventually killed, and the injured hunter received medical treatment at the scene before being airlifted by helicopter to a nearby Anchorage hospital.
“Alaska Wildlife Rangers received a report that a hunting party had been attacked by a bear on Resurrection Pass Road near Cooper Landing and needed assistance,” the Alaska Department of Public Safety said in a statement Monday. “The two adult male hunters were in the vicinity of Abernathy Cabin when they were attacked by a brown bear.”
The Resurrection Pass Trail is a 63-kilometer route that passes through the Kenai Mountains and climbs from 500 to 800 feet in elevation. Alaska.org Noting that the mountains are “prime grizzly bear habitat,” the expert advised visitors to take precautions such as storing food in bear lockers or portable crates, keeping the camp clean, carrying bear spray as a deterrent and making noise and being careful.
The trail apparently sees regular human traffic and is not known for “unusual bear problems,” although hikers have reported encounters with both grizzly and black bears in the area. It's unclear what provoked the bear in this incident.