Your brain is your best weapon. Understanding of the bears and knowledge of how to avoid them are with more than any weapon.

That said, if I need it, I vote for the close air support! I did encounter a bear in Alaska in 1982, but I was not alone, had a whole infantry company with me. That was when I learned that bears do not truly hibernate. This guy was HUGE, and smelled the hot food brought out to us in the field. It was late February and cold. He followed his nose and then realized he was inside our perimeter. We pulled everyone back and chased him out with grenade and artillery simulators. Not something I want to encounter in other circumstances.

We really thought that bears would not be a problem because they would be hibernating. Boy were we surprised.

Probably one thing that's "up" is that there are more bears due to conservation efforts and simultaneously more humans invading are their territory. Anecdotally I'm told that bears are having more contact nowadays with 1) campers and 2) researchers. The theory is that they're losing their fear of humans through repeated contacts and the fact that they're associating humans with food. Climate change may also be disrupting either their food supply or their general cycles of behavior. Spring is coming earlier and winter is coming later; that's bound to affect their feeding, mating, etc.

Knowledge is important but knowledgeable folks are also getting attacked. Some hardware is very helpful since bears can be unpredictable and they don't necessarily obey the dictates of experts.

Yep, if you go where the bears are, you must realize that you are not the top of the food chain, and they are territorial. You must understand the risks if you go there.

For what it's worth, my expertise in bears is pretty minimal beyond avoidance strategies (I could be characterized as an informed hiker), whereas I know quite a bit about handguns. Hopefully I haven't been argumentative.

Ditto. I know more about guns than bears! I have been reading everything I can and watching youtube videos (not by yahoos but stuff put out by parks and animal experts). Believe me, I have no desire to get up close and personal with one! If it happens the best result in having both the bear and us walk away safe and unharmed. But if it comes down to me or a bear I'm gonna pick me if I can help it!

Another thing that may be "up" is the use of and designs of the newer housing developments. (I am speaking from my observations in Virginia and Maryland USA). Post-WW2, housing developments would just level everything and put house after house. Local wildlife had to get out and stay out---there really was no place for them to survive.

But starting later in the 80s local county planning offices started requiring allocation of the original natural environment to remain in its original state. These areas are called various things: "green buffers, "conservation easements," etc. These area were designed to interconnect over a large area. Intentionally or not, they provided a natural highway (and sanctuary) for all sorts of creatures that would not normally be so close to us humans. Most notably, white tail deer use these areas. And (slowly) following the deer, bears.

I have one of these areas behind my present home, which on first look, would seem to be part of a well developed housing development. But out my back window, I often see Deer (many), Fox, Skunk and all of the usual smaller animals. I see no reason why a bear would not find this a nice place to create a home. Besides, there are all those tasty trash cans to explore. . .

"I see no reason why a bear would not find this a nice place to create a home. Besides, there are all those tasty trash cans to explore. . ."

The extreme examples of this trend would be some of our parks, like Yosemite, where many people camp in close proximity to nature (including bears). There they use bear proof garbage cans and take other measures to keep bears from regarding humans as a source of a cheap meal...

We have bears in North Central Florida and they must be miserable in the summer. I haven't seen any; local parks do have bear-proof containers similar to this one.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/a1I7KnGWh5Nu5IG62

Jeanette Isabelle

First there was the Spokane Spanker

http://nypost.com/2017/04/21/man-confesses-on-live-tv-to-being-the-spokane-spanker/

Now the Priest Lake swatter returns.
http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/...injuries-minor/

Another black bear/ human interaction at Priest lake Idaho.