A Haines man coming back from a moose hunting trip was mauled by a brown bear Thursday before his father spooked it with a gunshot, Alaska State Troopers say.
Casey Bradford, 21, and his father were headed for their boat on the Chilkat River when the bear emerged from the brush, troopers said Friday morning. The bear attacked the younger man from behind.
Scott Bradford, 55, fired a shot from his rifle over the bear on his son’s back, troopers said. The bear let go and ran into the brush as Scott Bradford tried to shoot it.
The father and son boated back to their vehicle and drove to a medical facility. Casey Bradford was flown to a Juneau hospital and is expected to recover.
A family member in a social media post said Bradford was bitten on his right arm and leg.
Troopers said they don’t know if the bear was shot or what motivated the attack. The bear hadn’t been found.