PARK COUNTY, Colo. -- A hunter knocked to the ground by a bear in Park County managed to escape with scrapes on his hands, legs and abdomen.
The hunter told paramedics he was walking next a stream when he encountered the bear last Friday near Fairplay.
The man sustained minor injuries and was treated by paramedics at the scene. Officials with the South Park Ambulance District posted a picture of the man's injuries on Facebook.
“Thankfully, the injuries were not severe,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife Northeast Regional Manager Mark Leslie. “This looks like a chance encounter where the bear was likely startled.”
CPW officers have set traps and have asked for assistance from the USDA Wildlife Services to track the bear. Once captured, the bear will be euthanized and a necropsy will be performed to determine if the aggressive bear has rabies or other abnormalities, according to Jerry Neal, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
"This was the first such incident involving a bear that we have ever responded to," the South Park Ambulance District said on Facebook.