Hunt on for grizzly bear that attacked man

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EDMONTON, Alberta, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- A Canadian man was recovering from serious injuries Wednesday as a specialized Alberta team hunted for the grizzly bear that attacked him in a forest.

The unidentified 48-year-old man was hunting alone Tuesday, several miles northwest of the tiny town of Swan Hills in central Alberta, when the bear attacked him from behind, the Edmonton Journal reported.

During the struggle, the man was able to grab his rifle and fire a shot, scaring the bear off, Cam Heke, spokesman for the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service said.

The injured hunter walked at least 2 miles before he could get a signal on his cellphone to call for help, the report said.

An all-terrain vehicle located him and drove him to a clearing where a STARS rescue helicopter was waiting.

A spokesman for the provincial Solicitor General and Public Safety department said a specialized "bear response team" was dispatched to the attack site to search for the grizzly. Team members were planning to interview the victim in his Grande Prairie hospital room, spokesman Dan LaVille said.

Bears and big cats that attack humans are usually killed if located.