A hunter in Alaska was hospitalized after a brown bear attacked and mauled him, and he was accidentally shot while trying to fend off the animal, authorities reported on Monday.
The incident occurred on Saturday on the Kenai Peninsula, located southwest of Anchorage, according to Alaska State Troopers.
The hunter, a 32-year-old man, suffered severe injuries from both the bear attack and the gunshot wound to his leg. He and his hunting partner had opened fire in an attempt to drive off the bear, but it remains unclear who fired the shot that hit him, Troopers spokesperson Tim DeSpain explained in an email.

The bear was ultimately killed during the encounter.
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DeSpain noted that the mauling took place in a remote area off the Resurrection Pass trail. The exact circumstances leading up to the attack are not yet known. The injured hunter, whose identity has not been disclosed, was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Anchorage.
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