A hunter has described the harrowing experience of being mauled by a brown bear in Alaska, detailing the sounds of his own bones breaking during the attack. Jadon Nicoara, 27, was hunting caribou with his cousin approximately 100 miles outside of Deadhorse when the incident occurred.
Nicoara recounted that four days into their hunt, he heard bushes rustling. He turned to see a bear charging directly at him from about 15 to 20 feet away. "It was growling, its mouth was open, and it was just running full speed," Nicoara told WBTV. The impact sent him backward, and as he rolled down a slope, the bear began to attack.
"I just felt it bite my arm, and it was very surreal because everything happens so fast," he said. The bear then ended up on top of him and bit his face repeatedly. "I could hear all the bones crunching in my nose. I saw stars, and I was like, 'OK, this is kind of where it ends.' I thought I was going to be dead."
The bear then attacked Nicoara's hands and foot. His cousin, Daniel, who is a doctor, drew his handgun and fired his entire magazine at the animal. The bear then turned its attention to Daniel, charging him. Daniel emptied his handgun as the bear continued its advance, eventually tackling him. He recalled lying face down with his hands over his neck, playing dead.
The bear eventually disengaged and ran off, leaving both men injured. Daniel provided initial medical assistance for Nicoara's bleeding before they moved to a location where a helicopter could reach them. They contacted rescuers but were informed that help would take approximately two hours.
"I was like, 'Oh my goodness, I don't know if I'm going to make it because I'm bleeding pretty good,'" Nicoara said. "We were praying, and I was thinking about my girls. I was like, 'I need to make it home.'"
Nicoara was airlifted to Harborview Hospital, where he is awaiting surgery for his injuries. Daniel was treated for minor injuries. A GoFundMe page established for Nicoara's medical expenses has raised nearly $40,000.
Neither cousin could confirm if the bear was injured. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game conducted an aerial search for the animal but did not locate it. Alaska accounts for approximately 29 percent of all fatal bear attacks in the United States.