A naked man who claimed he was 'from a family of sasquatch' has been jailed for ten years after attacking an armed hunter in the woods.

Jeff McDonald had gone out hunting for deer near his home in Manning, Oregon, when he saw Linus Norgren wearing what appeared to be 'tan clothing'.

But when he got closer, Mr McDonald, who was carrying a high-powered rifle, realized that 22-year-old Norgren was in fact naked.

Jailed: Linus Norgren, 22, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for attacking a hunter while naked in woods in Manning, Oregon, in October 2013

Mentally disturbed: Linus Norgren (pictured) attacked Jeff McDonald in the woods near Manning, Oregon, claiming he was from a family of sasquatch

Attack: Norgren had punched McDonald in the head and face and tried to choke him with the victim's own shirt

He told Oregon Live how he asked him for his name and received a normal response before Norgren said that he was 'a sasquatch from a family of sasquatches'.

After offering to help take him home, Norgren struck Mr McDonald on the head with a rock, causing him to black out.

When he woke up, Oregon Live reports, Norgren was on top of him and squeezing his hands tightly around his neck while Mr McDonald had suffered two dislocated shoulders.

As the struggle unfolded he asked his attacker why he was trying to kill him to which Norgren replied: 'Sasquatch kills the hunter'.

Mr McDonald said he managed to bite one of Mr Norgren's knuckles before the attacker appeared to 'pass out' on top of him. After a further struggle he managed to free himself and reach his gun, according to reports.

Pointing his rifle at Norgren, he called 911.

According to KPTV, McDonald told authorities they needed to get there quick, 'because I only have one option here and you know what it is'.

Deputies eventually found them in thick forest after a 90 minute search.

McDonald had held Norgren at gunpoint the whole time.

Jeff McDonald had gone out hunting for deer near his home in Manning (pictured), Oregon, when he saw Linus Norgren wearing what appeared to be 'tan clothing'

In court this week, Norgren said he was suffering 'catastrophic mental disturbances' at the time.

Jurors were told that he had experiences symptoms of his 'untreated bipolar disorder', Oregon Live reports, while Norgren also told the court that he was acting in self-defense.

'I was injured already, I was naked and I was terrified,' Norgren said in court Tuesday, KPTV reported.

'Not to make excuses for myself, but Mr. McDonald's presence was absolutely terrifying.

'I truly believed I needed to defend myself to get out of that situation and go home.

'I didn't want to hurt him, I didn't want to hurt Mr. McDonald.

'I didn't want to kill him. I didn't want anything to happen to either of us.'

'I couldn't help it.'

Guilty: Norgren was found guilty of attempted murder and second-degree assault last week. On Tuesday, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison with credit for time already served

But the self defence argument was rejected by jurors and Norgren was convicted of attempted murder and three counts of second-degree assault.

He was cleared of further charges of first degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

Oregon Live reports that his defense lawyer said he was unable to use an 'insanity defense' without Norgren's consent but suggested the evidence of mental illness should be a 'mitigating factor'.