Minnesota hunter battles bear with knife and wins, but at a price

A Minnesota hunter is recovering after a black bear attack in Pine County over the weekend.

Family members tell WDIO-TV hunter Brandon Johnson of North Branch has had surgery to repair two broken arms and a dislocated wrist. He also had bites and lacerations. Johnson tells authorities he was tracking the wounded bear early Saturday when it knocked him down and clawed and bit him.

Johnson was taken to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale

Johnson's friend and hunting partner Craig Lindstrom tells KSTP-TV another hunter had hit the 520-pound bear with an arrow. He says Johnson repeatedly stabbed the bear with a knife until it left him alone.

State Department of Natural Resources officials say there have been five bear attacks that caused injury in Minnesota since 1987.

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