No grizzlies here in the east, but we have a lot of Black Bears. I've had trips into the fields where I've seen 16 different bears in under 4 hours in what would be just a few square miles. Some bears here are very big, some going over 800 lbs. I've photographed bears here that went over 700 lbs, and have had two up close encounters (inside 30 feet), one a surpise, with bears over 500 lbs. Nothing like being inside 30 feet with a 500+lb black bear that won't move and that's popping his jaws and slapping his paws at you and there's no where to go except in the ditches on either side of the trail, or back up, because here, when they are that old and big, they don't move for you. Most bears I've seen are under 500 lbs. Some of the areas I go are crawling with bears, having one of the highest denisty of bears in North America. And only once, in the encounter described above, has one been even remotely aggressive. I've literally had them pass me on trails while going in opposite directions and acting as if I wasn't even there. But I've never had, or seen one, apparoach me or anyone else looking for a handout. I guess the endless corn, sorgum, soy beans and other stuff grown in the fields keeps them fat and happy.

Nonetheless, I usually carry a Glock 20 Gen 3 10mm, or a Glock 29 SF 10mm, or sometimes some other Glock, when I'm out there. They hold a lot of ammo and would come in handy if I broke a leg. I could fire quite a few 3-shot distress shots. Or if I encountered a big alligator while kayaking. Fully loaded Glocks are good for throwing at alligators, because you sure as hell won't hit one coming towards you, and they aren't so expensive that loosing one will make you cry. A Glock easily survives getting dunked in snake infested swamp water when you get out of your kayak. And a 10 mm will easily punch through sheet metal on some redneck's truck who decideds your camera would bring hima a few meth dollrs in a pawn shop. So carrying in bear country does make sense.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
https://vcdl.org/