HOONAH, Alaska — Quick action by an 11-year-old boy saved a fishing party from a charging brown bear, state troopers said.

Elliot Clark was walking through the woods near Game Creek last week with three family members and three dogs when the bear came out and charged them, The Juneau Empire reported.

The bear ran through two of the men, pushing them to the side of the trail, leaving Elliot and his cousin in its path, said Elliot’s father, Lucas.

“There was four of them in a line. My son was third,” his father said. “The bear came down the trail at them, fella in the front, who was his uncle, the bear was on him so quickly that he didn’t have time to take his rifle off his shoulder.”

The boy then raised his pump action shotgun and shot the bear with birdshot.

His father said the first shot did nothing, but two more downed the bear and finishing shots by the boy and his uncle killed it.

Elliot’s father said not getting around to putting a sling on his son’s gun might have saved their lives, as he was able to quickly ready himself.