Hunter Mauled In Viekoda Bay

Jay Barrett/KMXT

A 31-year-old deer hunter was rescued Tuesday afternoon after being mauled Sunday by a Kodiak brown bear and her two cubs. Matthew Sutton of Great Falls, Montana, and his partner were hunting in Viekoda Bay, about 25 miles west of Kodiak City when the attack happened.

Fish and Game wildlife biologist Larry Van Daele said Sutton was alone when he shot a deer and was dragging it back to his camp when the sow and cubs attacked him and took the deer. Sutton made it back to camp and his partner took him to a nearby public cabin at Rolling Point.

On Tuesday morning they were able to contact a passing Andrews Airways floatplane by VHF radio. The pilot relayed the information to the authorities and a helicopter from the Coast Guard Air Station responded and transported Sutton to Kodiak. He was brought to Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center for treatment. A wildlife trooper report says his injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.

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