A bear hunter on a guided hunting trip was mauled by a grizzly near Beaver Mountain in Interior Alaska on Monday night.

The hunter, identified as John Matson of Rhode Island had shot the bear shortly before the incident. After shooting the bear, Matson went in search of the animal in the high brush when he was attacked by his prey.

The bear was shot several times at that point, but ran off again.

Due to weather conditions at their location approximately 50 miles west of McGrath, troopers requested assistance from the Rescue Coordination Center on Tuesday at 1:35 pm.

Matson received injuries to his head and body according to the trooper dispatch, but the other hunters in the party were able to staunch the bleeding until the Rescue Coordination Center chopper could reach the scene.

RCC transported Matson to McGrath where he was transferred to a LifeMed flight and taken to an Anchorage hospital on Tuesday afternoon.