Brave California Duo Defends Home From Bear With Hatchet

WHO:

NY Post - A California couple was involved in the incident.

Fox News - The couple includes a woman and a man whose names were not disclosed. The Mammoth Lakes Police Department and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) were also involved.

WHAT:

NY Post - The couple sustained "significant" injuries after being attacked by a black bear.

Fox News - The bear involved in the incident weighed 70 pounds and was euthanized by the CDFW after being deemed a threat to public safety. The couple was able to take themselves to a hospital after the attack.

WHERE:

NY Post - The incident occurred outside the couple's home in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Fox News - Mammoth Lakes is located approximately 230 miles southeast of Sacramento in the Sierra Nevada region.

WHEN:

Fox News - The attack occurred around 6 a.m. on a Monday.

WHY:

Fox News - The bear attacked after the woman intervened in a fight between the bear and one of her dogs.

HOW:

Fox News - The woman used a water bottle to hit the bear, while the man used a hatchet to strike the bear several times with the blunt end, critically injuring it.

(UPDATED June 14, 2026 17:20 UTC)

A couple in Mammoth Lakes, California, suffered significant injuries after being attacked by a black bear weighing 70 pounds. The incident occurred outside their home when the woman intervened in a fight between the bear and one of her dogs, using a water bottle to strike the bear, while the man used a hatchet to defend them. The bear was later euthanized by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife after being deemed a threat to public safety, and the couple managed to transport themselves to a hospital following the attack.