Michigan man mauled by grizzly bear with three cubs while hunting in Alaska

A Michigan man suffered serious injuries during a bear mauling in Alaska, but was able to stop the attack using bear spray on the animal, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

Nicholas Kuperus, 33, was able to contact Alaska State Troopers via a satellite communications device after the late Tuesday afternoon attack, the agency reported online.

The mauling, troopers reported, took place in a wooded area in Glennallen, about 180 miles northeast of Anchorage.

Just before 5:15 p.m., troopers said they received a report of a bear mauling north of Glennallen in the upper East Fork Indian River.

According to troopers, the attack took place after Kuperus and his hunting partners surprised a sow grizzly bear with three cubs.

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Kuperus suffered serious puncture wounds to his arms.

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Responding officers arrived at the scene in a medical helicopter, located a place to land on a nearby ridge top, and transported him to an ambulance in Glennallen where he was taken to a hospital.

No other injuries were reported by troopers.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.