My husband carries what he has named "The Bear Bopper" - as short as legal (had it shortened by a gunsmith to make sure it was legal) with no extras shotgun, loaded with bear slug and a fold stock. No, it isn't the lightest - but neither is my .357 Ruger (joke is with a ruger, if you run out of ammo you can still hit them with the gun itself.) If there is a convenient, light weight, comfortable way to carry said shotgun or pistol, I haven't found it. Husband has been looking at some velcro way of adhering it to a backpack (shotgun.) The biggest prob. with a bear is hitting that sweet spot in their chest as they are charging you... Haven't had to do, don't want to do it. We have been looking at some sort of "flare" gun to carry instead - I'm a good shot, but in a stressful situation I can't guarantee it - so something loud, bright and noisy might be a better option, for me anyways - donno about the legality in Canada.

Still more scared of Moose than bear - though last year we did have a bear pull someone (but no serious injury) out of their tent (about 20+/- miles from me.)