the problem is, the world is filling p with morons LOL
and many of these are in positions that can make rules others must follow!
this might sound bad and NOT telling anyone to do so
BUT< I would wonder what the fine would be to get caught with bear spray there, and well, maybe just carry it if you go there and pay it if caught!
safety has a price tag, one way or the other,
ALL wild animals can attach, big or small, and black bears are responsible for more attaches than another other bear species in the USA and Canada!
due to there in more places, it doesn;t make them more aggressive, or not, just means there in more places, so odds go up!
the other side of this coin is, when you add weapons and tools for self defense, you also, add in some of the folks carrying.using them will be poorly trained, and lack common scene too!
after many years of selling these things to the public, trust me, its not as great as you might think for the average yahoo, to have one of either in a area with wild animals and humans intermixing!
as you already pointed out, a guy trying to walk up to a WILD bear to feed it,
NOW say said person has a gun/pepper spray, gets to bear, bear charges, he shoots/sprays it, it gets past him and grabs someone near by! due to in a rage or fear or??
problem started from the person in the wrong, and in the end the bear pays the price for stupid/lack of bear knowledge!
as I said, most all things can be resolved by info and knowing how to use it
and its impossible to fix, well stupid!
bears in any area that see's a LOT of human contact, develop more of a tolerance for humans than in more wilderness area's that bears seldom or never see a human, there IMO totally different bears, even if of same species(aka, black, brown(which are coastal grizzly's actually), actually a grizzly!
I am in a VERY very high bear density area , I see bears almost daily most of the yr, had 10 different bears in my yard yesterday, mating season right now and they were sure putting on a show here all day and night long for me!
I have never had a single issue with them, nor has anyone near me, NO attacks or aggressive one's to DATE!
all this can change in a flash,and anyone that thinks it cannot is a fool!
carrying a gun and or bear spray, can help in an attack, but honestly, most folks ain;t good enough with either to save them, so I gather they see this as a point in why to ban them in a public place, as the odds might be higher, of the gun/spray causing more harm than good
Sorry it doesn't fit for folks that are competent with there gun and or pepper spray, but again, the average idiot, isn;t that good with either, even when they THINK they are! LOL
so I honestly see both side to this , and way I gather it is , if your DON"T want the risk of going without a weapon/spray, then DON"T go there, lots of other places to go
or assume the risks and go without, its still your choice, and gives you some options!
or again, take the gamble, carry and pay the fine if you get caught, maybe better to pay a fine IF caught and carry , as only a issue if you use it?,
what is it they say, better to ask forgiveness than permission LOL
I would just go else where to hike, or??