For bears, were it me, I’d go with something I could get a second shot off with. A rifle bullet is more effective than a pistol bullet. And I’m just a large caliber kind of guy, especially when it comes to something that might want revenge. It’s why I wouldn’t carry a .357 on my side for sure. With that said I thought we’d be moving to VA which would put bears on the list, and I figured I’d use a .50 cal REAL backed by my ROA with custom short for weight 285 grn WFN bullets during primitive season.
I recall reading about someone who knew someone that would use a tree stand and shoot them with a Colt Walker.