12-year-old with gun saves father during hunting trip 'gone wrong'

A 43-year-old father almost lost his life during a Wisconsin hunting trip gone wrong. Thankfully, his 12-year-old son was there to save the day.

The two were hunting near Siren, Wisconsin when the son, Owen, spotted a bear from a tree stand. The young hunter fired a shot at the bear, hitting it but not killing it. The animal ran off.

After about 20 minutes, according to People , the pair climbed down from the stand to hunt for the wounded bear.

According to the People report on the situation, there wasn't a blood trail, which resulted in the two utilizing a neighbor's hunting dog to track down their target.

The dog found the bear, with the two hunters then spotting it about six feet away while moving through a thicket.

According to a Today report , that's when the bear charged. People notes that the father, Ryan, fired eight shots at the animal from a sidearm, but missed.

The 200-pound bear ultimately landed on top of Ryan, who found himself in a desperate fight for his life. He was being slashed and bitten by the animal, later expressing that he didn't think he would survive.

At that point, the son, Owen, fired a shot from his rifle at the bear that was mauling his father, killing the animal.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources later confirmed the story and noted that the hunt was legal.

It's clear that this scary situation could have resulted in two human deaths had the young hunter not been quick to react and accurate with his shot. It serves as a reminder for hunters to never underestimate the power and aggression of a wounded animal.

"I told my wife I was done bear hunting," said the father after the incident, according to the Today report .

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