This story has too many useful insights to derail into the endless bear spray debate. We've done that one to death.

Mushroom picking is an important economic activity in many regions. You need to bushwhack to do it, and you need both hands to harvest properly.

Pistols are not part of the equation here. The options are bushwhacking in dense northern scrub with a full-length rifle/shotgun, carrying bear spray / bear bangers, or taking nothing at all.