Slovakian Man uses Axe to Protect against Attacking Brown Bear (Video)

 

Link to video on X.

On March 21, in the Malá Fatra mountains near Bratislava, Slovakia, a European brown bear attacked a man who was hiking with his dog. The bear was reported to have had cubs with her.  Mr. Piotr was carrying a mid-sized axe, used to clear brush and trim limbs.

To this correspondent, the axe appears similar to what we would have called a "cruiser" axe in my youth, about a 3/4 sized axe with a single bit head.  Mr. Piotr casually swings the axe as he walks along. It is something this correspondent often did while walking through the forest over 50 years ago. An axe is a very useful tool for clearing trails. This axe is much bigger and more capable than a typical hatchet.

The dog is fair sized, and fast, but does not seem interested in closing with the bear. Mr. Piotr uses a medium sized tree as cover while swinging the axe one handed. It appears Mr. Piotr hit the bear with the axe, twice. The first time the bear retreated perhaps 20 yards, then came back, fast. Mr. Piotr seems to be fumbling to get at bear spray on his hip, but quickly makes ready with the axe as the bear charges. The second time Mr. Piotr appears to have landed a solid blow on the bear's head. The bear runs off, with the dog in pursuit. Mr. Piotr belatedly sprays bear spray in the direction of the fleeing bear and dog.

The video is said to have been captured by a trail camera.

From the mirror.co.uk:

 He claims to have whistled to alert the bears of his presence so they wouldn't be surprised, but the mother attacked him anyway. Footage showed the brave hiker, named Mr Piotr, taking cover behind a forked tree as the bear charged at him. He whacked it with his small axe, used to cut down overgrown branches during his ramble. The bear circled around and attacked again, but the man was ready with his chopper, similar in shape to a shepherd's axe.

Mr. Piotr was not injured by the bear. He handled himself quite well. It is not easy to land effective blows with such a long axe, with one hand. To use two hands, he would have had to expose himself more from behind the tree.

The video shows how rapidly bears can charge and close the distance. It shows the defender, Mr. Piotr, had plenty of time to draw and use a handgun if he had one available in a proper holster.  A handgun is easier to use with one hand than a 3/4 axe.

European brown bears are a genetically slight variation of the brown bears in Alaska, grizzly bears in the lower 40 states, or brown bears in Russia or Japan.  The population of brown bears in Slovakia and in the wild areas of Eastern Europe is increasing. We can expect more human-bear conflicts in Slovakia in the future.

Analysis: Bears are not good neighbors. Brown bears are the most aggressive of the bears found in North America. When bears are not hunted, they lose respect for people and are more likely to attack people.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

 

 

 

 

TX: Houston Teen Robbery Suspect Wounds Victim, is Shot, Killed

Police found a teenager who had been shot at least once. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

"A few minutes later, officers were also dispatched to a local hospital for a victim with gunshot wounds," HPD Lt. JP Horelica said. "Officers learned that the two incidents were related and that it all occurred here at 5900 Elm, where there was some sort of transaction between two groups of young males that turned into a shooting."

In an update, HPD said the man at the hospital had been shot by two teens during an apparent robbery. The victim returned fire and fatally shot the 17-year-old.

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TX: Houston, Bystander Shoots Suspect in Leg

Investigators said two people who own a storage unit arrived at the storage facility and found someone rummaging through items that belonged to them.

The shooting happened off of Almeda and West Fuqua

According to police, the suspect, who was wearing gloves, reportedly reached into his pocket, causing one of the bystanders to pull out a gun and shoot the suspect in the leg.

Officials said the suspect was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive.

Investigators said the bystander may not face charges at this time.

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TX: San Antonio Man Fires into Group, Victim Fires Back, Suspect Killed, 4 Wounded

Vela, who was in the parking lot, allegedly saw the fight, pulled out a handgun, and opened fire on the brawl.

A bystander pulled out his own gun and fired back, fatally striking Vela. That bystander was also wounded by Vela's gunfire, and was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

In total, the bystander, two women, and one man at the scene were all injured by the gunfire.

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Armslist Offers Considerable Bang for the Buck

Armslist is a national advertising medium for gun and accessories sales. It is much like a Craigslist focused on guns. This Correspondent was able to have an extended conversation  with the owner and founder, Jon Gibbon. Jon came up with the idea for Armslist when he saw how little gunstores were offering customers for used guns where he was a college student. Because many online advertising platforms discriminate against firearms advertising and sales, Gibbon believed a platform which featured advertising for firearms and accessories could make money. The economies of scale and the intrinsic efficiency of using digital instead of paper communications offered significant advantages.

Armslist is a means for buyers and sellers to be able to communicate with each other. Armslist itself does not sell firearms or accessories. Armslist does not compete against the sellers and buyers who use Armslist.

Those who wish the population disarmed have attacked Armslist with frivolous lawsuits. Those lawsuits have failed.  The Wisconsin lawsuit failed under Wisconsin tort law. The lawsuit was probably unsound under federal law, and likely a violation of First Amendment rights. Fighting and winning these lawsuits was costly. Armslist, in effect, has shouldered the burden of protecting First and Second Amendment rights on the Internet, without assistance from the NRA or other Second Amendment groups.

Gibbon never went into debt, even when his initial partner bailed at the first lawsuit and had to be bought out. Armslist continues to exist and grow, but they are banned from nearly all social media. This makes it difficult to get the word out about the service. This correspondent used Armslist several years ago. The deal was consumated without a hitch. The rifle was purchased from a private seller and was sent to an Federal Firearms License (FFL) holder. Armslist did not charge a fee. Such transactions are still available on Armslist. Over a thousand FFLs suscribe to Armslist. Purchasing a firearm from those dealers does not cost any additional fee to the buyer or seller. The default search is to premium vendors; the search can be expanded and or limited by checking the appropriate box or boxes.

Today, the service is free when purchasing from an FFL. A buyer can search for private sellers on Armslist, but to communicate with private sellers, a buyer has to subscribe. A subscription includes advanced search features. Charging for a subscription limits the customer list to people who are seriously interested. When doing a search, anyone can filter the search to private sellers.  If you want to contact the seller, you have to create an account and log in to do so. If you wish to advertise an item for sale, you are required to subscribe.

An individual  subscription costs $6.99 a month, discounted to $2.99 a month for veterans. A business subscription costs $30 a month, discounted to $12.99 for veterans.

The green arrow shows where to apply for the military and veteran's discount. Armslist uses GovX.com to verify military or veteran status. This correspondent used GovX.com when subscribing to Armslist recently. The subscription was paid for from the Correspondent's funds. Armslist did not offer to give this Correspondent the subscription for free. The green arrow was included above to highlight the "small print" for the military service/veteran's option.

Because Armslist is not "politically correct", it is difficult to advertise Armslist on the major social media sites. They are banned from advertising on most social media. Most search engines will return articles about the lawsuits, and not about the utility of the service.

Other services, such as auction houses, charge more for their services than Armslist does, especially the higher end auction houses. The subscription fee is a flat once a month charge, and can be stopped at any time.  Most auction houses charge a percentage of the sale. Some charge a flat fee as well.  Auction fees can be charged to the buyer or seller or to both, depending on the auction. The fees are, in effect, "paid" by the buyer, no matter what. The fee is part of the cost of the transaction The money has to come from somewhere. With a subscription service such as Armslist, the monthly fee can be spread out over many sales, reducing the fee per sale significantly.

One high level auction house this correspondent has worked with charges fees to both buyer and seller. For lots which total less than a few thousand dollars, the fees come to over 30% of the final price of every item!

Armslist offers significant savings for people who wish to sell a collection. The seller can save money by doing the photography themselves. The subscription is the same price for one sale or hundreds of sales.  Sales of antique firearms are not required to go through an FFL. If you have an FFL, Armslist is an inexpensive way to reach the national market.

Armslist is not an auction site. A definite price is required. There is no arrangement for bidding. For those who wish to sell a gun to a gun store quickly, Armslist has dealers who advertise "We will buy any gun". A picture and description of the gun is required, then the FFL will make an offer.

This correspondent finds Armslist a useful tool for those who want to buy or sell firearms and related items.

Those who want a disarmed public have worked for decades to require government approval before a person can purchase a firearm. Armslist is a step back from that precipice.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

 

 

 

LA: New Orleans Domestic Defense? Homeowner Shoots Man who Attempts Kidnap of Woman

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — A Slidell man is in the hospital after he allegedly broke into a home and was reportedly shot by one of the homeowners on Monday, March 31.

According to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tyrone Mercadel kicked down the front door of a residence, located in the 42000 block of US 190 East, and physically assaulted an unnamed female homeowner.

Investigators say the victim and the second homeowner, Wayne Mercadal, tried to force Tyrone Mercadel to leave the property. The unnamed female then reportedly shot at Tyrone Mercadel twice, hitting him once in the leg. Tyrone Mercadel fled and attempted to drive away as Wayne Mercadal allegedly shot at the tires of his car.

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TX: Arlington Armed Samaritan Stops Attack, to Late to Prevent Murder

The Arlington Police Department is investigating the overnight death of a 63-year-old woman.

On Monday, March 31, 2025, at approximately 11:58 p.m., officers responded to an apartment complex in the 2600 block of Whisper Meadow Lane to investigate reports of shots fired.

When they arrived on scene, they located the 63-year-old woman lying unresponsive in a breezeway. She was transported to an area hospital where she was later pronounced deceased.

A 37-year-old man on scene told officers he heard the woman screaming for help, then retrieved a gun and went to investigate. He said he saw an unknown man attacking her while holding a sharp object.

The 37-year-old pointed the gun at the suspect, indicated he would shoot, and ultimately fired a shot into the ground. At that point, the suspect left the scene on foot.

Through the course of their investigation, detectives learned the Tarrant County Community Supervision and Corrections Department received an ankle monitor tampering alert from an individual on probation, 23-year-old Jacob Arriaga Guerrero. Mr. Arriaga Guerrero matched the description of the suspect provided by multiple witnesses at the scene. GPS data provided by Tarrant County also placed him at the crime scene at the time of the attack.

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TX: San Antonio Homeowner Shoots, Wounds, Car Burglary Suspect

In the first incident, officers were dispatched to the 600 block of Saldana Street on March 30, 2025, at 12:59 a.m. for a report of criminal mischief, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Before officers arrived, a shooting was reported on the 800 block of Ripford Street, near Saldana Street. Police learned that a 14-year-old Hispanic male suspect, along with two other juveniles, attempted to break into a vehicle owned by a 53-year-old white male victim. The victim exited his home and fired his firearm, striking the suspect in the lower extremity. The suspects fled the scene, and the injured suspect later called the police. He was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been made as the investigation continues.

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NYC Court Holds Stun Guns are not Arms Protected by 2A

Judge Eduardo Ramos, the U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York,  has issued an Opinion & Order that a ban on stun guns is not unconstitutional. A New York State law prohibits the private possession of stun guns and tasers; a New York City law prohibits the possession and selling of stun guns. Judge Ramos has ruled these laws do not infringe on rights protected by the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The case is Calce v. City of New York, filed in October of 2021.  Ramos' court is the first court to conclude that stun guns have not been established as "arms" covered by the text of the Second Amendment, since the Supreme Court rebuked the Massachusetts Supreme Court in the Caetano case. In Caetano, the Court unanimously held, that:

The Court has held that “the Second Amendment extends, prima facie, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding,” District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U. S. 570, 582 (2008) , and that this “ Second Amendment right is fully applicable to the States,” McDonald v. Chicago, 561 U. S. 742, 750 (2010)

Prima facie means "on its face".  The Supreme Court in the three cases of Heller, McDonald and Caetano, has repeatedly stated the text of the Second Amendment extends to all instruments that constitute bearable arms.  The statement is very clear. It goes back to the establishment of what the words in the text of the Second Amendment mean. In Heller, the meaning of "arms" is established, by reference to the dictionary definition at the time:

Before addressing the verbs “keep” and “bear,” we interpret their object: “Arms.” The 18th-century meaning is no different from the meaning today. The 1773 edition of Samuel Johnson’s dictionary defined “arms” as “weapons of offence, or armour of defence.” 1 Dictionary of the English Language 107 (4th ed.) (hereinafter Johnson). Timothy Cunningham’s important 1771 legal dictionary defined “arms” as “any thing that a man wears for his defence, or takes into his hands, or useth in wrath to cast at or strike another.” 1 A New and Complete Law Dictionary (1771); see also N. Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828) (reprinted 1989) (hereinafter Webster) (similar).

Heller clearly establishes the word "arms" in the Second Amendment refers to "any thing that a man wears for his defence, or takes into his hands, or useth in wrath to cast at or strike another. " There is not question of the definition of "arms" in the text of the Second Amendment.

Once the action in question in the court is established to be covered by the text of the Second Amendment, the burden of proof shifts to the government to show there were longstanding legal traditions which established exceptions to the text, such as limitations on "dangerous and unusual" weapons.

Courts which are defying the Supreme Court have hit on a strategy to dilute and deny Second Amendment rights. Those courts claim the burden of proof is on those supporting the Second Amendment to prove particular arms in a case are in "common use" to be covered by the Second Amendment text.

In the New York case, this is the tactic Judge Ramos uses to find in favor of New York City. Judge Ramos claims it is the burden of the plaintiffs to prove stun guns and tasers are "in common use" for them to be covered by the text of the Second Amendment. From Judge Ramos:

 “[T]he Second Amendment does not protect those weapons not typically
possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.” Heller, 554 U.S. at 625. Therefore, Plaintiffs must show that stun guns and tasers are in “common use” today, and that they are “typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.”

Analysis:

Judge Ramos is turning the burden of proof on its head. Just because some weapons may not be protected by the Second Amendment does not mean they are not covered by the text of the Second Amendment.

Most jurisdictions and courts are ruling differently. Several jurisdictions have removed their bans on various weapons, including in New York State. For example,  On 14 December 2018, a New York District judge, Pamela K. Chen, an Obama appointee, has struck down a ban on nunchakus, as unconstitutional. In Rhode Island, District Judge William E. Smith found the burden falls to the state to prove particular weapons are not protected by the Second Amendment.

This correspondent views this ruling as another effort by judges who dislike the Second Amendment to delay and delay, hoping for a miracle to reverse current Supreme Court decisions on the Second Amendment.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

 

VA: Martinsberg Intruder Shot During Altercation

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) – The Franklin County Sheriff is investigating after a man allegedly entered a home in Martinsville and was then shot on March 30.

According to the sheriff, deputies responded to the 100 block of Blue Spruce Drive around 9:30 p.m. after reports that a man was shot during an altercation when he allegedly entered a homeowner’s property. At the scene, deputies immediately began emergency first aid until EMS arrived.

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NC: Larinburg Robbery Attempt Gunfight, Suspect Killed, Victim Wounded

After investigation, officers said the 19-year-old was in the store playing a 'skills game' when Henry came inside with three men.

Officers said Henry pointed a firearm at the 19-year-old in what appeared to be an attempted robbery.

Henry shot the firearm, and the 19-year-old pulled out a firearm and shot back.

They both struck each other. Henry fled the scene and the 19-year-old collapsed inside.

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LA: Baton Rouge Gunfight with Vehicle Burglary Suspects, Victim Wounded

EAST BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - A man is recovering after being shot in the arm following a confrontation with two alleged vehicle burglars, according to law enforcement.

Officials with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office say the shooting happened early Saturday morning, Mar. 29., around 1 a.m. in the 8800 block of Mable Drive.

Deputies responded to the scene where they learned the victim had confronted two males who were allegedly attempting to commit vehicle burglaries. According to officials, the victim and two others later followed the two males to the end of Marionette Drive where one of the alleged burglars opened fire.

The victims group returned fire and the two males fled, deputies say. Their identities are currently unknown.

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MO: Gunfight/Road Rage? in Charleston, Shots Fired One Wounded

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - A shooting in Charleston, Mo. sent one man to the hospital and landed another behind bars.

According to court documents, 35-year-old Laterence Caldwell is accused of shooting the victim in the leg near Boomland on Saturday, March 29.

The victim told police he felt the bullet hit his leg as a black Nissan passed his vehicle.

The victim then grabbed his gun and fired two shots through the windshield of his vehicle, according to a probable cause statement.

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2/3 of Federal Gun Confiscations are not for Criminal Acts

 

Less than one third of guns  and ammunition taken by the federal government are done through criminal forfeitures. During the Biden administration, criminal forfeitures of guns and ammunition nearly doubled, while administrative forfeitures and civil forfeitures were essentially level.  The chart shown was obtained from the Department of Justice (DOJ). It lists the three types of forfeitures by for the last five fiscal years. The federal fiscal year is the time period used for budget purposes, running from October 1 to September 30 each year. The five years covered span most of the four years of the Biden administration.

Here is a short description of the three types of forfeiture listed. They are derived form longer definitions posted at the DOJ.  

Judicial Criminal Forfeiture - the procedure by which property is forfeited by a person as part of a criminal conviction. The connection between the crime and the property must be established by a preponderance of the evidence. This type of forfeiture occurs when a claimant contests the forfeiture. This type of forfeiture accounts for 31% of the federal forfeitures of guns and ammunition.

Civil Judicial Forfeiture -  the procedure by which property alleged to be derived from or used to commit an offense is forfeited to the government. No criminal conviction is required, but a court has to find a preponderance of the evidence, presented by the government, links the property to criminal activity. This type of forfeiture amounts to about two percent of the forfeitures of guns and ammunition.

Administrative Forfeiture - the procedure by which property is forfeited without a case being filed in federal court. This occurs when no one contests the forfeiture of the assets. The seizure of the property is required to be based on probable cause. This type of forfeiture is the most common at about two thirds of the federal forfeitures of guns and ammunition. 

It is likely the judicial-criminal and administrative forfeiture of firearms and ammunition will be reduced during the President Trump administration. FY21 ran from October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021. The first four months were during the first Trump administration. Much of the last eight months happened as the Biden administration found its footing and changed the direction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, (ATF).  The FY21 number of Judicial-criminal firearms and guns were 8,482. The number increased for the next three years to 16,858, very close to double. There was very little change in the other two types of forfeiture. 

Analysis: 

The doubling of judicial-criminal forfeitures during the Biden administration likely occurred because of the "zero-tolerance" anti-Second Amendment policy of the Biden administration. Acts which would not have been considered criminal, or would not have been prosecuted before the Biden administration, were vigorously prosecuted during the Biden administration.  The Trump administration has already put plans into effect to transfer or cut 1000 ATF agents. The ATF has about 2,600 agents. Removing a thousand ATF agents from the ATF means the ability of the ATF to infringe on Second Amendment rights will be greatly reduced. The change in focus of the ATF, away from paperwork errors and toward violent criminals will probably mean a smaller number of more important cases.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

CA: Los Banos Homeowner in Gunfight with Home Invaders. Two Invaders Wounded

LOS BANOS, Calif. (FOX26) — Two people were shot by a homeowner during a home invasion early Friday morning in Los Banos.

The Los Banos Police Department says dispatch fist received calls around 2:00 a.m. for reports of gunshots in the 2000 block of Edward Street.

When officers arrived, they learned that several people forced their way into a home.

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NM: Domestic Defense? EX attempts to Force way into House; new Friend Shoots Ex

APD officers responded Friday at around 1:10 a.m. to reports of shots fired at an apartment complex, just south of San Mateo Boulevard and Osuna Road. They arrived and found a man dead with gunshot wounds.

Detectives investigated and say the man tried forcing his way into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment after a dispute. Her friend then stepped in and shot him.

After consulting with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office, however, APD stated no charges will be filed at this time.

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TX: Houston Homeowner Shoots, Wounds Burglary Suspect

When he got to the garage, he noticed the door had been opened. That's when he found a man inside his wife's car in the driveway.

The man got out of the wife's car and started moving down the driveway. Houston police said the homeowner told him to stop. According to HPD, it was dark outside and the man made a quick movement, prompting the homeowner to open fire twice, hitting the man once in the arm and once in the leg.

The homeowner yelled at his wife to call 911 and get help as he stayed with the man.

The Houston Fire Department quickly arrived to the scene and brought the man to an area hospital where he is expected to survive. He is expected to face burglary charges.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office will investigate this incident to determine whether any charges will be filed on the homeowner.

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PA: Philadelphia Burglary Suspect Shot, Killed by 70-Year-Old Resident

In an interview with NBC10, Philadelphia Police Department Captain Shaun Butts said that police were initially unclear on the circumstances that led to the shooting.

However, in a noon update, law enforcement officials said the 70-year-old homeowner was cooperating with the investigation and investigators believe the man who died was killed during an attempted burglary.

An investigation into this incident is ongoing, officials said.

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CT: Domestic Defense, Father Shoots Wife and Son, Friend Shoots Father

A preliminary investigation determined that the father was in the process of moving out of the home, Stephens said, and the son and his friend were assisting him. He said the mother, who had been estranged from the husband and has been living in a different town, had arrived to help.

Stephens said an argument ensued between the mother and father, and the son and friend tried to intervene. The father, who was armed, shot both the mother and son.

Then, Stephens said, the son's friend, who has a legal firearms permit, took out his registered weapon and shot the father. He said the man then called 911.

"It appears he was defending himself when he shot and killed (the husband). He was fearing for his life," Stephens said of the son's friend, adding that he was "very distraught" when called 911.

 

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