Survivor of weekend brown bear attack shares harrowing tale with Alaska’s News Source

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Three days removed from a near-fatal brown bear attack on the Kenai Peninsula, a seasoned Alaskan hunter sat down with Alaska’s News Source to describe the wildlife encounter in detail.

The survivor of the mauling, 32-year-old Tyler Johnson, recounted the incident in a 30-minute sit-down interview.

“It was like getting hit by a train and my feet went over my head,” Johnson said on Monday. “It put its teeth into my calf as I was falling backwards. I mean, he hit me at the same time I got my gun out and when I was falling backwards, I believe that’s when I shot myself in the leg.”

The full interview can also be found on In Depth Alaska featured on the Alaska’s News Source YouTube page.

Original story

A brown bear was shot and killed by hunters after it came after the pair on Saturday afternoon along a popular trail on the Kenai Peninsula, according to the Department of Public Safety.

According to troopers, the attack took place on Resurrection Pass Trail near Cooper Landing and set in motion an emergency response.

A 32-year-old who was “seriously injured” by the bear was taken via DPS helicopter straight to an Anchorage hospital. Troopers said the man was also being treated for an accidental wounding by gunshot.

Troopers told Alaska’s News Source on Monday that the man is now in stable condition.

The attack happened near Abernathy Cabin, troopers said.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Games advises the public to report non-emergency wildlife matters to a form on its website.