Originally Posted By: scafool

If I was going into bear country I would be carrying a gun. Either a 12 gauge or a rifle of at least 30 caliber. (306 preferred)
That does not mean I follow a shoot on sight policy, it just means I prefer having at least a slight chance in case I messed up so bad that a bear intends turning me into bear poop.

I've camped in bear country, mainly in CA, and never felt the urge to have a gun. Of course, it's nearly always black bears. A few rocks, some yelling, and most are taken care of. The exception was one night where I was in my tent with something sniffing around it for 2 hours. I can't prove it was a bear, but I don't think I'd have blindly shot at whatever it was.

Now, grizzly/polar bear country probably would be a different idea. Though, on my last trip to AK, I didn't end up bringing a shotgun (for those that remember that thread)