A moose hunter in Alaska remarkably survived a brown bear ambush near Soldotna with minor injuries.
Gavin Haakenson and his companion Ethan Yeager were walking back to their truck following a moose hunt on Sept. 2 when the animal charged.
Recounting the sudden threat, Haakenson described hearing the predator rush toward him: “I heard a noise to my right and looked over and there was a brown bear charging at me at full speed.”
Reflecting on the terrifying proximity of the animal, he recalled how close the beast was upon sight: “It was super close, maybe 10 feet, when I saw it.”
Describing the terrifying auditory shock, he noted the creature’s aggressive noise: “It was growling extremely loud, a terrifying noise.”
Detailing the horrifying visual encounter, he remembered looking at the predator: “I saw its face.”
Emphasizing the ferocious appearance of the animal, he added: “Its teeth were out.”
Explaining how the impact sent him crashing down, he stated: “It hit me in the shoulder and knocked me down.”
Haakenson scrambled to reach his rifle, but he lost consciousness during the struggle.
Acknowledging his sudden memory loss, he remarked: “That’s when my blackout started.”
Expressing relief that he remained unconscious, he confessed: “I’m glad I blacked out and I don’t remember the bear being on top of me.”
Yeager quickly intervened by shouting and firing two gunshots, scaring away the beast.
Summarizing how rapidly the encounter unfolded, Haakenson noted: “The whole thing happened in 10 seconds.”
The hunter suffered a bruised shoulder, scratches, and a shredded coat, requiring no stitches but facing six weeks of physical therapy.
Federal wildlife officials searched the area but could not locate the bear.
Alaska is home to about 30,000 brown bears.