Hunter survives terrifying bear attack on NC hill

A large bear attacked and wounded a North Carolina hunter who says he’s lucky to have survived the encounter.

Mike Wilson was hunting on a hill in Mitchell County, in the mountains of western North Carolina, when he came face-to-face with the 390-pound bear, WLOS-TV in Asheville reported Wednesday.

“The bear was coming up the hill, and I was coming down the hill,” Wilson told the station.

Wilson said he did what any hunter would do in that situation.

“Shoot it, of course. And I did," he said. "But trying to get another shell in my gun, it just overrun me and knocked me down the hill."

The bear also attacked three of Wilson’s hunting dogs, killing one.

WLOS reports the bear slashed Wilson in the face and neck with its paw. He said the animal came close to severing his jugular vein.

Doctors stopped the bleeding with 30 stitches.

The bear ran off after the attack and hid in a hole. Another hunter later shot and killed the bear, the station reported.