I have lived in Fairbanks for 8 years. I have not seen a bear yet - which in my OPINION means I'm doing something right. Now other parts of the state have more bears (Kodiak etc,) but I do see scat. However, I'm still more scared of moose.

I do carry (a BEAST - Ruger GP 100 - .357 - if I run out of ammo I can then use it as a heavy blunt instrument), but I don't carry because of bears, Alaska has one of the highest violent crimes against women numbers and I like to hike alone. I do try to avoid times when bears are more aggressive - spring, when they just come out of "hibernation" and the fall when they are trying to fatten up. I have learned that certain areas in Alaska have less protein available (such as Denali) and I avoid those particularly in the fall (we don't hunt, I don't have the freezer space). I do believe hunters come in more "contact" - both critters are hunting and hunters are being quiet and surprising bears that might otherwise avoid humans.

I don't carry bear spray because of the short distance involved and the possibility of wind pushing it back at me. We own some and have done test scenarios, but I don't feel comfortable with it.