[ExSoldier]

"A knife against a bear is at least potentially winnable"

I dunno, I remember seeing that movie: "Legends of the Fall" and it ended on a rather fatal "bear v. knife" type note for the knife holder.

[RightWhale]

If the knife seems like it won't do the job, perhaps grabbing the bear in a chokehold until it dies would be more certain. Or a combination of the techniques.

[harpseal]

When I was in teh boy scouts I learned the way certain American Indians got the claws for a bear claw necklage was as follows. A pit was dug on a bear run. Young indian male would enter pit. Pit was camoflaged. bear would afll into hole and Indian would slay with a knife or be slain by bear. Seems like a very hard way to get those claws to me but a knife can do the job.

I note the crew of an Italian airship downed in the artic once killed a polar bear with a .38 round. Not something I would recommend trying but it was life and death for that aircrew. Personally I will be satisfied with a .454 Raging Bull for sidearm and my Marlin Guide .45-70. I am not expecting to fire at a bear at over 100 yards anyway.