My cousin that a big bear hunter has had bears fall out of the tree on top of him, the year before last was getting the dogs and one came straight at him and had to punch it in the nose to someone with a gun could get their and shoot it. He already killed a bear and legally could not carrie a gun. About 5 years ago a boy that hunts with them was bite in the head and took 30 staples and almost lost his eye. They were training dogs and again could not have a gun with them. I never been with them but most of the people in their group manly use revolvers in 454 casually, my cousin uses a Taurus raging bull in 480 ruger.