An Oregon man suffered severe injuries from a bear attack after shooting the feral animal for harassing the man’s chicken, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Craig Lankford stated that he shot the black bear for the first time Tuesday evening in La Grande because the animal harassed his birds, according to the ODFW. On Wednesday morning, the man encountered the bear once more and fired a second shot. Unfortunately, the animal retaliated and attacked him. (RELATED: Bear Attacks Man And 9-Year-Old Boy, Sending Them To Hospital)
Union County deputies arrived at Owsley Canyon Road, where they found the wounded bear following the descriptions of Lankford and immediately closed nearby roads to contain the wounded animal, according to the ODFW.
The medics reported that Lankford would have a quick recovery after suffering severe injuries in the head and left arm, according to the ODFW. “We are grateful Mr. Lankford survived this encounter and wish him a smooth and speedy recovery,” said ODFW Watershed Manager Jeff Yanke.
The ODFW provided reassurance that while injured bears can pose a threat, there are no instances reported in which they have killed hunters.