Black bears generally just want to avoid people and go on their merry way. I've encountered them many times in the woods. I just stop and let them walk on by and then I proceed. In 50 some years of being around bears, I've never seen a situation when it became necessary to defend myself.
Now, browns, grizzley and some others aren't so friendly and since they're bigger, you'd probably want a 44 or bigger with them.
Quote:
Due to the frequency of human-bear encounters, the B.C. Fish and Wildlife Branch is advising hikers, hunters, fishermen and any persons that use the out of doors in a recreational or work related function to take extra precautions while in the field.
We advise the outdoorsman to wear little noisy bells on clothing so as to give advanced warning to any bears that might be close by so you don’t take them by surprise.
We also advise anyone using the out-of-doors to carry “Pepper Spray” with them in case of an encounter with a bear.
Outdoorsmen should also be on the watch for fresh bear activity, and be able to tell the difference between black bear scat and grizzly bear scat. Black bear scat is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear scat has bells in it and smells like pepper.
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