Ive only ever encountered one wild bear, and that was while hunting in western PA. It was so large we initially thought it was 2 bears laying side by side until it got up and mosied on down the hillside about 30-40 yards away.

As far as carrying some form of protection in bear country, I think it just makes sense to carry it. The weight of a revolver or a can of bearspray isn't going to be enough to limit mobility, so why not take it just in case. If there's anything Ive learned about wild animals and nature in general, its that no matter how much you know, you'll always be surprised. If that surprise happens to be a large bear acting differently than I expected I'd rather be prepared.