Man attacked by shark was previously mauled by a bear and bitten by a rattlesnake

'I don't seem to have a lot of luck but it's kind of lucky in unlucky situations'

Dylan McWilliams shows where the shark attack happened off the coast of Hawaii (Instagram/Dylan McWilliams )

A man who has previously been attacked by a bear and a rattlesnake, has now been bitten by a shark

Dylan McWilliams was bodyboarding in Hawaii last week, when he felt something grab his leg.

After looking down and seeing a trail of blood, the 20-year-old told local media: "I didn't know if I lost half my leg or what."

Looking down, he added that he spotted a six to eight foot tiger shark.

After some frantic kicking, Mr McWilliams managed to escape the creature and swim back to shore.

Clear bite marks could be seen on the wound on his leg, which required seven stitches.

"It's kind of crazy," Mr McWilliams told the BBC. "I don't seem to have a lot of luck but it's kind of lucky in unlucky situations."

It is the third time that he has had a potentially deadly run in with an animal.

Last July, the Colorado native, found himself in the jaws of a bear, during a camping trip in his home state.

"This black bear grabbed me by the back of the head, and I was fighting back, poking it in the eye until it let me go," he said.

Mr McWilliams, who teaches survival skills he was shown by his grandfather as a child, managed to put them to good use and escape the 300 pound creature's clutches.

He has a series of scars and nine staples on the back of his head.

Mr McWilliams, who said he has always aspired to be like Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, was also bitten in the leg by a rattlesnake, three years ago while out hiking in Utah,.

He said he kicked something he thought was a cactus, when the venomous creature struck.

But he chose not to go to hospital as the injury as only a “dry bite”, although he said he did get sick for several days from the small amount of venom.

Admitting that his family worry about him, he said he was nonetheless supportive of their adventures, adding that the attacks would not put him off spending time in the great outdoors.

"I don't blame the shark, I don't blame the bear, and I don't blame the rattlesnake," he added.

He is now waiting for his leg wounds to heal so he can get back in the water.

With his lifestyle, he knows he can’t rule out another animal attack in the future, he said.