AK Res-

Note that in the recent case on Bird Ridge, the "experts" called in to kill the bear (A) hit it in the face with a slug and (B) did not kill it until 3 days later when the found it by helicopter and fired upon it again.  So I ask you, if you were alone and hit the bear in the same fashion with your first shot I'd say your odds of survival would be 50/50.  If you do not kill the bear nearly instantly there is a good chance you will be messed up/killed. 

 I would never tell someone NOT to bring a gun into the woods but I tend to find that people who do fail to take additional precautions more often than not (making noise, carrying a non-lethal option, etc) and likely have not practiced shooting at a moving target.  And just as spray can have limitations (mainly based on the wind) so can firearms.  I say all of this as a former professional who has worked many years at one of the most popular bear viewing areas in the state.