Even if you do have a gun permit and the legislation allows carrying a firearm in the area it's not necessarily a be all, end all solution. Handguns are not ideal carry in bear country. Maybe as a backup, but that's about it.

A little anecdote - a couple of LEO's around here were called in when a "hostile" bear invaded a small town a few years ago. It was only a cub but it actually survived two full 9mm mags fired at close range. At which point the LEO's made a hurried retreat to the car and pulled out the long guns. That finally settled the matter.

.44 Magnum is usually considered the minimum as far as bears go. But how many people can control the kick? You'd probably need to score several good hits to stop a bear, even that might not be enough. A 12ga. or decent hunting rifle would be better IMHO but it's still no guarantee.

Another story (LOL I actually have a few more) - I know of a guy who's been hunting for many decades. One time he was stalking deer and ran right into a big bear. In a desperate attempt, the guy fired a quick shot at almost point blank range but missed (probably too much adrenaline). Not having any more time for a follow-up shot with his bolt action, he dropped the rifle and ran like hell. The bear apparently got spooked by the sound of the shot and didn't pursue. A few hours later, the poor guy finally managed to get back to the site to pick up his rifle. He had about a dozen hunter buddies armed to the teeth but his knees were still shaking.

Just something to think about...