For some reason I have never really feared wild animals. I do have a healthy respect for them. I have fished in Alaska with browns in the vicinity and never had a problem. Of course we kept an eye out for them and if they wanted to fish where we were, we moved on. The most scared I have ever been with an animal encounter was being chased off a stream by a bull moose and believe me I was scared. Those things are far more dangerous then a bear in my opinion. Here in Washington we have blacks and I have seen them many times while out taking pictures. Most have a healthy fear of people. I still carry a .357 when I know I will be in an area where blacks might be feeding mostly as a noise maker to scare them off if I feel the need. There are griz in the North Cascades and yesterday I spent the morning taking pictures up there. I wasn't worried about bears really.


I feel the biggest danger in the woods comes from two legged critters and I believe that threat to be slight but if I were to arm up to protect myself from other people I would carry a 12 guage shotgun loaded with #4 buck.