A moose hunter in Alaska has recounted a harrowing experience where he was attacked by a brown bear while scouting for game. Gavin Haakenson was near Alaska’s Killey River on Sept. 2 when a brown bear charged him from approximately 10 feet away.
"I heard a noise to my right and looked over and there was a brown bear charging me at full speed," Haakenson told Outdoor Life. "It was super close, maybe 10 feet, when I saw it. It was growling extremely loud, a terrifying noise. I saw its face. Its teeth were out. It hit me in the shoulder and knocked me down."
Haakenson reported that his memory of the event then went blank. "Last thing I remember was trying to shoulder my rifle and the bear jumping at me," he said. "Then I don’t remember what happened. That’s when my black out started."
His friend, Ethan Yeager, fired his pistol at the bear as it attacked Haakenson. The bear eventually disengaged and ran off after Yeager continued to shoot. The entire incident reportedly lasted less than 10 seconds.
Despite the ferocity of the attack, Haakenson escaped serious injury, sustaining only a torn jacket and a bruised shoulder. His rifle also sustained damage. "Somehow, Haakenson escaped without broken bones or major wounds," the report stated.
Wildlife officers searched the area for the bear but were unable to locate it. Haakenson expressed a mix of relief and lingering anxiety over the attack, noting his gratitude for having blacked out during the most intense part of the encounter. "I get restless just thinking about it," Haakenson said. "I’m glad I blacked out and don’t remember the bear being on top of me. The thought of ‘what if’ is what keeps me up."
When asked about potentially returning to the area, Haakenson acknowledged the thought of confronting the bear again but also considered the concern it would cause his mother. "I’d like to go out and find this brown bear and shoot it, but how much do I want to make my mother worry?" he said. "And, how angry will this brown bear be when it sees me?"