Holy Moly. I've never encountered one of the big bastiges in wooded country. Every time I've been close it's been a prairie situation so I could see precisely where everybody and everything is.

True fact: The reason God created telephoto lenses is for encounters with Bison and such.

I'm sure you know the ultimate bear survival technique: You can't out run a bear so all you have to do is out run one person in the group. I am slower than the second coming so have always been a popular hiking partner in bear country.

I just can't imagine the panic level. O to 100 in a tenth of a second. Glad you made it, and really glad you shared it with us. Thank you.