Some of what one reads on many forums concerning bears, especially Grizzly and Polar Bears is simply BS and is even dangerous. The largest bears now alive are of both species and the largest specimens of Grizzlies are found in SE Alaska and NW BC.
I have spent some time working alone in the mountains in this region, starting 40 years ago and seen my share of large bears up close. I have never had the least interest in shooting one and have never had to in self defence, but, friends and colleagues of mine have.
There are some VERY knowledgable bear people on this forum and I would take the advice from someone like Phil Shoemaker,over some urban type who packs a camera and is, frankly, a bit of a "stretcher".
If, genuinely interested, the books by Gary Shelton, an American, who immigrated to coastal BC in the mid-'60s, and listened to and learned from genuine oldtimers there are as sound a source of REAL information on dealing with bears as can be found. He was training a lot of the BCFS staff and other such professionals, an often over-used and falsely-claimed term, for some years before he retired.
His books are not expensive and should be carefully read by anyone who chooses to spend time in big bear country.
