'Beloved' Man Airlifted to the Hospital After Being Mauled by a Grizzly Bear While Hunting By Kimberlee Speakman 25

A man is recovering in the hospital after being mauled by a grizzly bear during a hunt.

The incident happened on Thursday, Oct. 30, in an area south of Cochrane in Alberta, Canada, according to CBC, CTV News and The Winniepeg Sun, which cited Alberta Fish and Wildlife.

“The bear involved in the attack was shot by the survivor’s hunting partner and is believed to be deceased,” Alberta provincial spokesperson Sheena Campbell said in a statement to CBC. “A second bear, age unknown, fled the scene after the encounter.”

The man — identified in a GoFundMe as Jesse Sayer — was airlifted to the hospital by emergency services. EMS told CTV News that the man had been in serious condition when he arrived at the hospital.

While at the hospital, Sayer improved and was in non-life-threatening condition as of Oct. 31, the outlet said.

An EMS spokesperson told The Winniepeg Sun that the man had several injuries throughout his body, though they did not say what the injuries were.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife told the outlets that they planned to collect DNA samples from the man to confirm whether the bear that was shot in the incident was the one that attacked. They also planned to conduct an assessment of the area to determine what led to the encounter.

The Carstairs Minor Hockey Association (CMHA) said on Facebook that Sayer was “a beloved coach, volunteer, and Vice President of Carstairs Minor Hockey.”

“We are incredibly thankful that Jesse survived and remains in good spirits as he begins a long road to recovery,” the CMHA added.

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PEOPLE has reached out to the Alberta Fish and Wildlife for comment on the incident.

Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen told CTV News that the attack was “a pretty serious incident.”

He added: “Our hearts go out to the person that was injured in this incident, and we hope he’ll make a full recovery.”

Loewen also told the outlet that authorities have been starting to see a pattern of grizzly bears being spotted in areas they haven’t seen in for centuries.

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“We’ve got to make sure people know they can encounter grizzly bears virtually anywhere in the province now,” he said.

The Alberta Fish and Wildlife issued a warning about bear safety on Facebook on Oct. 29, stating that bear sightings usually rise in “fall and early winter” as they “enter a period of intense feeding to prepare for hibernation.”

They said during this time, bears will frequent “campsites, garbage dumps, ranches, farms, and residential areas for easily accessible meals.”

The organization urged people to “keep food and garbage in airtight containers” and “take garbage bins out in the morning, rather than at night.”