Boy shoots injured black bear that mauled his father during a hunting trip

A 12-year-old boy may have saved his father's life when he fired a shot from a rifle, killing an injured black bear that was mauling him, the Associated Press reported.

Ryan Beierman, 43, was on his back fighting for his life, punching and kicking a 200-pound black bear when he saw a flash from the muzzle of his son Owen's hunting rifle, the report said. The shot killed the bear.

Owen had injured the bear earlier in the day, Sept. 6, after they spotted it from a tree stand near their hunting cabin in western Wisconsin, the report said. They then tracked the bear to a small clearing. It attacked them from about 6 feet away. The elder Beierman fired eight shots from a pistol; all missed.

Beierman estimates the attack lasted about 45 seconds. He suffered bites on his forehead, arm and leg and required 23 stitches to reattach a flap of skin to his cheek.