That's exactly why I carry a .357 And one of my hunting partners carries a .44mag. We have had a bear come into our camp and eat all of our food (yes it was hung up in a tree) and tear lots of stuff up. From what one of our hunting partners said it's 350lbs plus. I hope I never have to come face to face with it while elk hunting. I think I would have also made the bear aware of my presence way before it got only five feet away. He's really lucky he had a radio to call his father.