Father and Son Stop Charging Brown Bear with Handgun in Slovakia

Summary

On February 15, 2026, a 57-year-old father and his son successfully used a handgun or handguns to stop a charging European brown bear in a mountain forest near Ružomberok, Slovakia. The father was initially bitten after firing shots, but the son ultimately killed the bear, which was a female with cubs. The incident highlights the use of handguns for self-defense in a country with restrictive firearm laws, where 2% of adults hold concealed carry permits.