SIREN, USA — A 12-year-old boy shot and killed a black bear as it mauled his father during a legal hunting trip in northern Wisconsin, wildlife officials said.
The incident occurred on September 6 in Burnett County, after Owen Beierman, 12, and his father, Ryan Beierman, 43, encountered the 200-pound bear near their family’s cabin while on a hunt.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Owen had initially injured the bear with a shot from his rifle, prompting the animal to flee into nearby forested terrain.
The father-son duo gave chase, but the bear suddenly charged at Mr Beierman from a distance of about six feet, knocking him to the ground.
Mr Beierman recounted that he attempted to fend off the bear with his pistol, firing eight shots but missing each time.
As the bear bit into his abdomen, arm, and leg, Mr Beierman resorted to hitting the bear with his pistol.
“I started pistol-whipping him and it felt like I was striking a brick wall,” he told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Pinned under the bear, Beierman said he could feel the impact of the bullet as his son fired the critical shot.
“I was flat on my back and could feel the bullet going through the bear,” he added.
The bear collapsed on top of him, fatally shot by Owen, who had aimed his rifle with precision.
“Owen was a hero,” Mr. Beierman told the newspaper. “He shot that bear and killed it on top of me.”
Mr Beierman was later treated for injuries, including puncture wounds to his arm and leg, as well as stitches to reattach a flap of skin to his cheek.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, bear attacks are extremely rare in the state.
Data shows nine recorded bear attacks in Wisconsin between 2013 and 2022.
While terrifying, the incident ended with a young hunter’s quick and decisive action.
The Beierman family has since returned to their home, but the memory of that harrowing day in the woods remains vivid.
