Boy Saves Father by Shooting Attacking Bear

A 12-year-old boy shot and killed a black bear as it attacked his father during a western Wisconsin hunting trip.

According to USA Today, Ryan Beierman, 43, and his son, Owen, were enjoying a bear hunt on September 6 when the attack occurred.

While hunting from a treestand over a bait station, Owen shot the bear. It fled the area, and about 20 minutes later, they started to track it down using their neighbor's chocolate Labrador. During their search into the night, the dog located the bear and retreated.

"I reached for my sidearm initially hoping to scare the bear away with a warning shot," Ryan told the Tribune. "He was only 5 to 6 feet away, point blank. As he charged, I shot to kill. I shot eight times but missed. I had no time, and I never got the gun high enough to use the sights."

The bear attacked Ryan, who started hitting it with his pistol. At that point, the bear then bit his arm and forehead. Ryan said he wasn’t sure how long he wrestled the 200-pound animal.

Owen managed to grab his rifle and fatally shoot the bear.

Ryan said had it not been for his young son, who shot and killed the bear with his rifle, he likely would not have survived.

“I was flat on my back and could feel the bullet going through the bear,’’ Ryan said. “Owen was a hero. He shot that bear and killed it on top of me.’’

According to the Star Tribune, Ryan was left with a big gash on his face and cuts and puncture wounds to his forehead, right arm and leg.

Ryan was taken to the hospital where he received a number of stitches to his cheek and right arm.