Rost,
I cannot speak for Jacyo, but most of our black bear here are not too impressive. Right down the road from where we are talking about, at a place called GrandJean hot springs a number of years back, I was sleeping in my bedroll on the back of my flatbed with a little cutey from Florida (we had been dancing and drinking in the Casino bar in Stanley).
Anyways, she wakes me up all scared as hell because there is this typical black bear making a racket at the hot springs in a garbage can. I hop off the truck, grab a decent sized rock and beaned him. That was all it took and he took off. Needless to say, the little Florida honey was all nervous and excited and impressed. Scared little beach bunnies are fun!
Anyways, we have a few decent blackies, but most I see are no big deal. In fact I have hit more bears in my life with rocks than bullets.
There are some grizz on the MT/ID line. You won't catch me throwing rocks at them.
