A man survived a bear attack in his backyard after he managed to grab his gun when the animal knocked him to the ground.
It happened on Saturday night in the small town of New Castle, Colorado, when he went to investigate a noise.
He was able to protect his face while on the floor and reach for his weapon with his other hand.
The bear ran away when he fired three shots but it’s unclear if it was hit.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said heavy rain made it difficult to find a possible blood trail so a drone with an infrared camera took up the search.
The hunt carried on over the weekend but has so far been unsuccessful.
The man, who went to hospital with minor injuries, told authorities he’d seen the bear in his yard the previous two nights.
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It’s the second attack this year in New Castle, about 130 miles west of Denver.
A woman was charged by a bear in the first attack and the mother and cub had to be euthanised, The Denver Post reported.
“We continue to see a lot of bear activity during the overnight hours as bears prepare for hibernation,” said area wildlife manager Kirk Oldham.
“Easy access to food sources, such as trash and fruit from trees that have fallen to the ground, will attract bears.
“Simple steps like picking up fruit and removing any attractants around your home are important in preventing incidents like this.”
