Hi Kevin,
1.5 seconds is not a lot of time considering it takes the human brain .75 seconds to process the perception of a threat.
As in all things in life that can cause danger to me, I practice avoidance. While I do fish in the High Sierra where bears are as common as ants at a picnic, I do not tempt fate.
Were I to venture into wilderness areas, I would take a 1911A1 because it's easy to carry, quick to battery, offers many quick follow-up rounds, and recoil is manageable providing sight picture retention. But I'm talking black bears. Were I to venture where girz roams, I'd feel a whole lot better with an 870.
While not always true, it does seem to me that most people place themselves in danger by not using the most powerful thing known to man: the human brain. During one fishing trip to Mammoth Lakes, I witnessed people with video cameras chasing after a bear. That was a mauling waiting to happen.
When I see bears I give them right-of-way. I would much rather have a live & let live outcome. But when I fish with my kids, I will protect them. And the only way I can protect them is my surviving. If a bear were to kill me, what would happen to my kids??? My kids know to stand behind me and slowly back away.
In CA it is legal for fisherman to carry handguns while fishing. I believe we need a national law that allows fisherman to carry weapons while fishing in all national parks. To my way of looking at life, the right to life is a natural right.
Take care,
R
