Have you ever seen or heard of an actual black bear attack on a human who is not considered a threat by the mother? I have had probably close 100 encounters with black bears, living for the most part of 30 years in an area where they do too. I've had them get pesky and do a bluff charge a few times which is very scary, but I scared them off (no firearms involved). I had one grunting, invisible in the foliage at me when their cubs were on the other side of me, and that was scary as hell too. I evacuated the area at that point. They've broken into my cars and house but I don't know of anyone who has actually been attacked by one. Of course I know to stay away or be looking for the sow if I see cubs, so that's one way not to get attacked. Otherwise I just scare them off.
I will say, that in 1971 a female friend of mine was sleeping outdoors in Yosemite National Park, and was menstruating, and a bear came along, sniffed at her, then picked her up by the arm and started to drag her away. She screamed, others woke up and yelled and the bear dropped her and ran off. So I'm always interested in hearing if anyone has witnessed an attack or know first hand of one.
