Bear spray is very effective, probably more so than a gun, if you shit your pants at least at the sight of a bear (but usually it’s the other way around too).

As a European that just shakes his head about Muricas love for kill tools, you don’t need a gun as average person. For rare cases there are strictly regulated permits. But otherwise I’m very glad that I don’t have to fear being shot by MAGAts. Or have basically no school-shooting etc. I sometimes think you’re stuck in the middle age or wild western or something like that…