A man was attacked by a black bear near his Oregon property a day after shooting the animal, wildlife officials said.
The bear first appeared near the man’s home on May 23 in the Mount Emily Recreation Area in La Grande, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a news release.
It was harassing his chickens, so he shot it, wildlife officials said.
The next day he went to look for the animal and found it close to his property. He shot it again and was attacked at about 7:37 a.m., officials said.
The man was taken to a hospital with injuries on his arms and head. Officials said he will recover.
Wildlife officers then searched the area for the wounded bear. They found it at 10:44 a.m. near where the man was attacked, and they euthanized it, officials said.
Bear attacks are rare, but they can happen when a bear is wounded, if they are being fed or are surprised by people and their dogs, officials said.
Oregon has 25,000 to 30,000 black bears.
La Grande is in northeastern Oregon, about 260 miles east of Portland.
In most attacks, bears are trying to defend their food, cubs or space.
There are steps people can take to help prevent a bear encounter from becoming a bear attack.
Identify yourself: Talk calmly and slowly wave your arms. This can help the bear realize you’re a human and nonthreatening.
Stay calm: Bears usually don’t want to attack; they want to be left alone. Talk slowly and with a low voice to the bear.
Don’t scream: Screaming could trigger an attack.
Pick up small children: Don’t let kids run away from the bear. It could think they’re small prey.
Hike in groups:A group is noisier and smellier, the National Park Service said. Bears like to keep their distance from groups of people.
Make yourself look big: Move to higher ground and stand tall. Don’t make any sudden movements.
Don’t drop your bag: A bag on your back can keep a bear from accessing food, and it can provide protection.
Walk away slowly: Move sideways so you appear less threatening to the bear. This also lets you keep an eye out.
Again, don’t run: Bears will chase you, just like a dog would.
Don’t climb trees: Grizzlies and black bears can also climb.
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