For some reason, I can't edit my previous reply to add more content.

I personally would NEVER take ANYBODY's word about bear safety, UNLESS they live in the bear's territory. There are way too many self proclaimed armchair experts that offers advise on bears and have never even seen them in the wild, or if they have, it has been a few days out of the year usually with an armed guide.

I am not a bear expert. I know a lot about the bears because I live in bear territory. Right now there is bear scat in my backyard. A lot of "bear experts" gets killed. I am still alive. I follow my rules on bear safety and they are the same rules that Alaska Fish & Game recommends people follow (except I don't wear bear bells). The most dangerous bear is a bear habituated towards humans and most bear charges are in the areas where "tourists" visit. Bear charges are not heard of in our remote areas. I live on the Kenai Peninsula (look at a map of Alaska and find the Kenai Peninsula just south of Anchorage.) The Kenai Peninsula is not considered remote, but we are the size of West Virginia with a population of 49,000. We have in Alaska, wildlife refuges that are 270 air miles from the nearest town. We have parks that are larger than New York State. We have a State Park that is larger than the Adirondacks and it is located INSIDE Anchorage City Limits. What all this means is no matter where you are in Alaska, you are in bear country. To live here is to learn about bears and how to deal with them.