I'd be concerned with spooking the bears with your scent like was said by the others, as well as bears being very curious even in day light, they'll put their paws on your ladder. Now picture a bear with it's paws on your ladder in the dark of night (you hear the cling of it's claws on your steel ladder) no place to go, no bullets, and your gun is in it's case!! Yikes!! Not for me in the dark without a loaded weapon anyway!!

This is why they made trail cams with video!! LOL