A man was bitten by an alligator while duck hunting in the Florida Everglades Friday, officials said.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue officials said the 50-year-old Coral Springs man was in Holey Land Wildlife Management Area in northwestern Broward County when he was bitten by the gator in his thigh.
Officials said the man, Krit Krutchaiyan, was walking through the swamp and bumped into the alligator, which became startled and bit him.
"We were gonna do an afternoon hunt, loaded kayaks, went into the water," friend Roberto Gautier said. "In the place we were at we have always seen them. They're there, we're getting into their habitat so we didn't expect, you don't go there expecting to get bitten but you know there's a possibility."
Gautier said there were two off-duty Hollywood firefighters in the area who heard his friend screaming for help. They ran to his aid and called 911.
Krutchaiyan was brought to mile marker 38 on U.S. 27 where he was met by fire rescue crews and airlifted to a local hospital.
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He suffered a non-life threatening injury, officials said.
"All things considered, while it was a flesh wound, the biggest concern probably is infection right now after the injury," Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles said.
