Rough Bearing:

I had a 17HMR at the time. I was walking along paying more attention to the game trail than my surroundings

Were you hunting? If so, you'd need that rifle. And that would send you to one of the GGFs (gazillion gun forums.) If you were out there hiking, with no plans to kill something, then bear spray is the answer, with hiking in Alaska and parts of Canada the exception. A rifle anywhere else is the antithesis of "packing light" -- this forum's focus.