Jeff Cooper set forth the "Gunsite Bear Rules":

1. Be alert.
2. Take bears seriously. They are not cuddly.
3. Never enter bear country on foot without a powerful firearm and the skill to use it well. (If this is not permitted, do not go.)
4. Do not pitch your camp on a bear thoroughfare, most particularly along the banks of a stream full of fish.
5. Be alert. See Rule 1.

Uncle Jeff recommended a .357 Magnum snubbie with the hard, solid, heavy bullet to achieve deep penetration into the brain of the animal. I do not think there is much wrong with this advice today, although I might want a 44 (and a spare pair of shorts).