Moose hunter flown off upper Chistochina River after medical emergency

A moose hunter who had a medical emergency deep in remote country along the upper Chistochina River was flown to safety by helicopter Monday and handed off to medics waiting at Gulkana Airport, Alaska State Troopers said.

Wildlife troopers responded with a medic from the University Fire Department in Fairbanks, aboard a Department of Public Safety helicopter. The upper Chistochina is a long way from any road — it begins at a glacier on the south side of the Alaska Range and doesn't reach the highway until near the village that shares its name.

Troopers did not release the hunter's name, age or condition.

The rescue is a reminder of advice the state gives hunters headed into the backcountry: one of the most important first-aid skills is simply knowing when an injury or illness is serious enough to end the hunt and get out.