Let this be a lesson to all bears: don't mess with Carl Moore or his dog.

The 73-year-old California man risked his life by punching a bear in the face after it attacked his beloved Chihuahua named Lacey. He told KTLA 5 that he heard Lacey whimpering outside and that's when he saw the bear.

"I raised both hands in the air and I cussed at him. And he looked at me like 'go eff yourself'," said Moore.

Since the bear wasn't looking like it was going to back down, Moore did something crazy: he ran up to it and punched it right in its face!

"I hit him hard. Tyler said I damn-near corkscrewed his head."

Moore, a retired Marine, is known to be tough.  Tyler, a longtime friend, said Moore has been in "ballroom brawls and all kinds of stuff." 

Moore says he doesn't think the bear will return but if it does, he's ready for round two.

"This guy's a jerk but he ain't been back since he got smacked by Carl."

Local news stations flocked to interview Moore, and those videos are quickly going viral.

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