Lets see, last tme I was in NORCAL bear country I almost walked into yet another marijuana operation with booby traps, got my EARTH FIRST! friends upset for explaining to a gypo logger I was not a pacifist and it was about to get western and this illegal alien from Scotland wanted to marry me. Like other posters have mentioned, don't let bears create tunnel vision so a mosquito, couger, pagan biker gang, scottish Hippie or UFO can sneek up behind you. At least nobody has suggested a Marlin .45-70 guide gun in this thread.I've been honoured to meet Doug Peacock, bear ambassador par excellance. I asked him his basic rule for safety. Doug replied " I avoid people, Bears are more predictable." I also met Timothy Treadwell, who didn't. And I am again boasting of meeting Bart the Bear. I miss Bart, hope to meet Peacock again and Treadwell's books have joined Y2K titles at the Goodwill. Just use common sense, which isn't. You coulddo waht my supervisor did In Kenai where I did volunteer census work on bears ( and how many cubs do you have in this cave mrs bart?) This really BIG ALPHA and disagreeable boar would come down once a week doing the John Wayne stagger and everybody, I mean every man, bear and skunk skedaddled for safety. My boss kept him in the binnoculars and took notes. After he left, we backtracked hm and scooped up several hot, steamy piles of his poop. For weeks we just tossed it around our camp and nobody came close.Oh, most important advise? have fun!