"But you really shouldn't hunt alone in brown bear country."
You just proved my point. It was a bone-headed move. You don't have to be brilliant to see that.
Honest question, no intent to insult but do you hunt ?
What this guy was doing is done thousands of times during elk and deer season....... always safer to hunt in pairs and in dangerous game (grizzly) country one hunter ALWAYS watches while the other hunter dresses out the game harvested.
Any grizzly with cubs is defensive of her cubs which is interpreted as aggressive by most. Of late the sound of a gunshot is a pavlov's doggie dinner bell to hungry critters somewhat. Not proven but suspected.