A hunting trip near a family cabin in western Wisconsin turned into a life-and-death struggle when a 200-pound black bear attacked Ryan Beierman, 43, pinning him to the ground and biting his face. His 12-year-old son, Owen Beierman, heroically saved his father by shooting the bear in a vital area, stopping the attack. report from NY Post.
Ryan described the harrowing encounter to The Minnesota Star Tribune, recalling how the bear ambushed them from under an oak tree. “He charged and knocked me down,” said Ryan, who sustained severe injuries, including a large facial gash and puncture wounds on his arms and legs. As Ryan fought for his life, Owen took action, firing a fatal shot from his rifle and ending the attack. “Owen was a hero. He shot that bear and killed it on top of me,” Ryan said.
Neighbors later helped the family, with one cleaning the bear and another driving Ryan and Owen to the hospital. Ryan received 23 stitches to reattach his cheek, along with treatment for numerous bear bite wounds. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources confirmed that the father-son hunt followed all legal protocols. told by NBC News.
Reflecting on the terrifying ordeal, Ryan expressed pride in his son’s bravery but admitted that the experience has left him reconsidering future bear hunts. “It was a wild ride. It was a hell of a night, to say the least,” he said.
