Although the perfesser might be a bear-worshipping idjit, he still has a good point: having your wits about you is the key factor in not having inappropriate carnivorous connection with bears.
I’ve encountered dozens of black bears over the years and only really sweated it once.
The only two people I know personally who survived bear attacks(one black, one grizzly), were saved by their loyal labradors diverting the bear enough to allow escape with only bites and scratches.
In conclusion, take a dog. ;^)
Uh...
...how’d the dogs fare?