An Alaska deer hunter has been found dead in an apparent brown bear mauling, officials say

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A 50-year-old hunter has been found dead in an apparent brown bear mauling on an island in southeastern Alaska, authorities said Thursday.

Tad Fujioka, of Sitka, was reported overdue Tuesday evening after not returning from a solo daylong hunting trip on heavily forested Baranof Island, Alaska State Troopers said.

State wildlife troopers, the U.S. Coast Guard and Sitka search and rescue teams found Fujioka’s body Wednesday. Bears had apparently mauled Fujioka and consumed a deer he had killed.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter located three brown bears in the area of the deer kill and alerted crews searching on the ground, troopers spokesperson Tim DeSpain said in an email to The Associated Press.

Troopers, along with personnel from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, searched for the bears until dark but did not find them, DeSpain said. Fujioka’s body was recovered and family notified.