Grizzly Bear Mauls Hunter Who Shot It

Grizzly Bear

A hunter who was mauled by a grizzly bear he had earlier shot had to wait overnight for medical help due to bad weather in Alaska.

The bear attacked John MatsonĀ on Monday more than 90 minutes after it had been wounded.

The Rhode Island hunter was slashed in the head and body and taken by helicopter to hospital on Tuesday, authorities said.

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Mr Matson was mauled after he and two other men pursued the wounded bear into brush, Alaska State Troopers told the Anchorage Daily News.

His injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

Mr Matson was with another hunter and an assistant guide near Beaver Mountain, about 50 miles west of McGrath, when they spotted the bear feeding on berries about a mile away and moved toward it.

The hunters waited about 90 minutes before following the bear into the thicket, where the bear attacked MrĀ Matson.

The assistant guide was about 30ft away and heard him scream and fire his gun. He and the other hunter fired shots to distract the bear and it ran off.

Mr Matson was bleeding profusely from head wounds, and the assistant guide wrapped clothes around the cuts.

The three hunters had to walk about a mile back to their camp, trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said.

Inclement weather kept a flight from reaching him on Monday.

The Alaska Rescue Coordination Center sent a helicopter to the camp on Tuesday.