A hunter was severely mauled by a black bear Friday after he shot the bear with an arrow near the San Bernardino Mountains in Riverside County, California, according to ABC 7.
The hunter who was injured was one of a group of three who were legally hunting bear with archery that day, according to the Yucaipa/Calimesa News Mirror. The incident happened near Oak Glen, in the Banning Canyon area, according to the News Mirror.
“They caught a bear and waited a certain amount of time and ultimately recovered it,” California Department of Fish and Wildlife Capt. Patrick Foy told the News Mirror.
A friend of the hunter’s, who was not identified, told ABC 7 that the hunter thought he’d killed the bear and went to get a closer look.
“When he ran up to the bear, the bear attacked him and it mauled him severely,” Foy told ABC 7. “Approaching an animal that’s injured can be dangerous or can at least put that animal in a position where it’s going to forcibly defend itself thinking it’s under threat.”
The man survived the attack and is recovering at a hospital, according to the News Mirror. The bear died.
The San Bernardino National Forest, which is close to where the attack happened, “is home to a large black bear population,” according to the U. S. Forest Service.
According to the Forest Service, “black bears rarely attack and generally avoid people,” but “are powerful animals and are capable of injuring or killing people.”
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