Originally Posted by
memtb
“IF” the firearm “will not” be in your hands, and you will be preoccupied with other endeavors (work, fishing, ect.) a very quickly accessible, powerful handgun is more practical! If someone else is doing the work or having the fun and you are regulated to “guard duty” ;-) ......then a larger bore rifle or a shotgun properly fueled is the ticket!
Most any (reasonable cartridge) handgun or rifle can easily dispatch an un-agitated (baits, stalked, ect) bear. However, if their adrenaline is pumped....it takes pretty serious firepower and/or a hit to the CNS to quickly put one down! JMO. memtb memtb