Bears are fantastic animals definitely worthy of our respect. To see one in the wild is in most cases a treat, unless you somehow manage to [censored] one off. I have lived around papa griz on and off and have a few cool(and one scary) experience. I had one "woof" at me once in the Bob Marshall wilderness in Montana. It was 60 or so yards ahead in thick pine and I never saw a thing. I slowly backed down the trail thinking I would be jumped at any moment. Almost ruined a pair of underwear that day...