I have been reading the posts about mountain lions and this one and a few others that tie into these. I love statistics and odds. They put every situation in clear, concise language that everyone can understand. If I start down a trail and 7589 people just exited that trail unscathed, well I guess I am about to become one of the unlucky few. These scales are obviously all encompassing and unbalanced. Take any wilderness accident situation, be it animal, fall, lost, broken bones, hypothermia, whatever. Now if we remove all of you, who are obviously very knowledgable with considerable experience, from the equation, the danger needle shifts dramatically and 1 out of every 50 backcountry hiker will die. ( statistically speaking ). In the same sense if we ban all teenagers and people over 75 from driving, the highway would be a dramatically safer place ( statistically speaking ). ok ok my point is I believe everything is a 50/50 proposition. 50 percent you and 50 percent unknown. What you do with your half can push the danger needle in either direction. As for me, and to get back on subject, when I go to Yellowstone next year I will be carrying 2 cans of bear spray. If Lori can tell me where to get one as big as a fire hydrant, I will carry that as a spare. I have pulled lint out of my bellybutton that weighed more than a can of bear spray. I just don't see the problem. But then I am totally without any experience.