I think knowledge of bears -making noise- no food in tent - being aware of whats going on around you etc is better than any firearm. Guns are for the last resort and it will be fast ,ugly and in very close. All that being said two of my friends(man and wife) sleeping in their tent VERY woods wise big rifle in the middle a teenage bear jumps on the tent while they were sleeping and killed them both so you take your chances sometimes. I have had them come up to my tent several times in the night but they just walked off. Who really knows when its your turn I guess and its the chance you take but I would feel stupid not to have some big gun around in case you need it

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T. Johnson