To reiterate, for those who say it makes no difference, than I'd like to see you put your money where your mouth is by refusing the option of carrying a powerful gun in bear territory. For example, somebody hands you a powerful gun in bear country (with no other threats), and you must deliberately refuse because it's dead weight.
I already have put my money where my mouth is. In my gun safe I have several options for carrying powerfull firearms in bear country. In fact, two of those powerful firearems have proven to kill bears (my 30-06 on a black bear hunt in Prince William Sound, and my 338 Win Mag on a brown bear hunt on Kodiak). I also own a S&W 629 44 Mag, and a 12 gauge shotgun with 18 inch barrel, but have not killed anything with either of those. Nevertheless, unless I am planning on hunting, they stay in the gun safe.
I spend many days each summer hiking, backpacking, and paddling in Alaska. I have been doing so for well over 20 years. I have considered the risk of bear attack, the effectiveness of firearms vs pepper spray, and the weight of firearms vs pepper spray.
I do not routinely carry a firearm. I do carry pepper spray. My choice.There are only two occaisions anymore when I carry a firearm in the woods. One is when hunting. The other is when doing geologic field work, because my employer requires it as a matter of policy (they don't give me a choice).
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