I'm not here to debate your way of thinking, I'm here hopefully helping Jim getting into this new gun ownership the correct way. He had a gun in his family he now acquired, he wants to take it hiking, do it legally. One day it may save his life and even better if he never has to use it.
Black bears at night or day, I have pics of them in the day. Again. Night shots and placement, up close, not a problem. What do you think Law Enforcement does at night? Hang up the gun? Low light, up close and personal is the environment some of these guys work in, they'll hit you and a bear. Without question. Comes down to practice. If you're using your sights at close range, you're right, you might not be defending yourself in time. Who uses sights in tight combat type quarters anyways, dead victims. Again, it's all in how you train. Reactionary, muscle memory. I don't even have the time to explain this, other than, it works. Real life, it works. Even documented where I work. Shooting someone is the last thing anybody wants to do. But, sometimes it's the only choice. A choice that remains with you always, but at the end of the day, you're home with your wife and kids. Safely.
Beautiful sunny day and what did I see sitting up against a telephone pole, scratching his back and wallowing in the sunshine;
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...omDayBear4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...mDayBear13.jpg
And this is Connecticut, far more residential areas than bountiful Utah. We shouldn't worry about Black Bear, probably not. But momma with her young nearby, maybe so.