Rescuers are forced to chop 400lb bear's HEAD off after its jaw locked around a New Mexico man's leg in horrific attack

  • WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT 
  • The bear charged 36-year-old Bridger Petrini last month in Raton, New Mexico
  • It knocked Petrini over a hill and mauled him as they tumbled down the slope
  • Petrini pulled out a pistol and shot the bear but its jaw was still clamped to his leg
  • Rescue crews couldn't free Petrini until after they sawed the bear's head off 

Rescuers had to saw off a bear's head after it latched onto a man's leg in a horrific attack.

Bridger Petrini was out walking his dogs in Raton, New Mexico, last month when he came face-to-face with a 400-lb bear.

The bear charged at Petrini, knocking him over the edge of the hill and sending both of them rolling down the slope as the animal mauled him. 

Petrini managed to pull out a pistol and shoot the bear dead, but its jaw remained clamped around the 36-year-old's leg until rescue crews sawed the head off so they could free him.

Rescue crews had to saw off the head of a 400-lb bear after it latched onto a man's leg during a horrific and unusual attack in New Mexico last month

Rescue crews had to saw off the head of a 400-lb bear after it latched onto a man's leg during a horrific and unusual attack in New Mexico last month

Bridger Petrini, a rancher and big-game hunter from Raton, described how the bear charged at him while he was out for a walk with his dogs a few weeks ago. The bear knocked Petrini, pictured, over a hill and mauled him as they tumbled down the slope before Petrini shot it

Bridger Petrini, a rancher and big-game hunter from Raton, described how the bear charged at him while he was out for a walk with his dogs a few weeks ago. The bear knocked Petrini, pictured, over a hill and mauled him as they tumbled down the slope before Petrini shot it

Petrini detailed the shocking experience this week, admitting that he has gotten 'way too close' to the 'overly aggressive' bear.  

'When he saw me, he pinned his ears down and immediately made a big charge at me,' the rancher and big-game hunter told local TV station KRQE.  

'Down the hill, we went again rolling and he had bit me a time or two but he was never able to get on my upper body, so my legs took most of it.' 

Petrini shot and killed the bear while he was being mauled, but that didn't manage to free him from the animal's clutches.  

'Somehow or another, he had bitten down on my calf muscle it had basically twisted it over his bottom jaw so he died with his teeth locked and so I wasn't able to get away from him,' he said.

After it died, the bear's jaw remained clamped around Petrini's right leg
Before they could release Petrini's leg from the massive bear's jaw, rescuers with the Raton Fire Department and the state department of Game and Fish had to saw off the animal's head

Before they could release Petrini's leg from the massive bear's jaw, rescuers with the Raton Fire Department and the state department of Game and Fish had to saw off the animal's head

Petrini is pictured shortly after emergency crews freed his leg from the bear's brutal bite

Petrini is pictured shortly after emergency crews freed his leg from the bear's brutal bite

The task of moving the massive bear proved to be quite a challenge for emergency responders from Raton Fire Department and the state department of Game and Fish. 

They were ultimately forced to saw off the bear's head, leaving it attached to Petrini's leg before they could maneuver it off of him.  

Petrini was transported to University of New Mexico Hospital, where he received more than 200 stitches. 

Resident physician at UNM Steve McLaughlin said the hospital treats bear attack injuries every so often, but that this this one was 'extremely unusual'.

'I've never seen this before,' he said. 

'Bears are huge so you can see all kinds of different injuries from bites to scratch marks from the claws to blunt force trauma.'  

Petrini was released after a week of recovery but has been left with extensive nerve and tissue damage in his right leg. 

TIPS FOR BEAR ENCOUNTERS

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish gives tips on its website for what one should do if they encouner a bear:

  • Stop, and back away slowly while facing the bear - do not run
  • Avoid direct eye contact, as the bear may consider that a threat 
  • Make yourself appear large by holding out your jacket
  • If you have small children, pick them up so they don’t run
  • Give the bear plenty of room to escape, so it doesn’t feel threatened or trapped 
  • If a black bear attacks you, fight back using anything at your disposal, such as rocks, sticks, binoculars or even your bare hands - aiming for the bear’s nose and eyes
  • If the bear hasn't seen you, stay calm and slowly move away, making noise so the bear knows you are there
  • Never get between a mother bear and her cub
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