I think the issue here was the hollow points, not the caliber (.357).
I have a feeling that if good hard cast bullets were used, they would have penetrated much better.
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The above hit's the nail exactly on the head , I've lived in several locales in 'bear country' ,including a significant amount of time living and trapping in the far north.
As has been highlighted , the majority of the time Black bears will take off if given the chance and they have a way out , the sometime exception being if you failf to keep a CLEAN CAMP , this cannot be stressed highly enough. BUT when they don't you'll need the proper tool and proper ammunition for the job at hand ,.357 mag and .45 acp *can* be sufficient , that said you'd best be good with the specific sidearm and be cool under stress , and regardless of certain folks cavalier attitude here as regards black bears they are most assuredly NOT a creature to mess with. A small black bear ( read 125- 175 lbs) is much ,much more than a match for a HUGE man.
Within the context of BIG bears ,i.e. lower 48 grizzlies and Brownies in the far north ( which are actually a larger subspecies of Grizzly) you really need a .44 mag or above and the proper loads i.e. something like the old Keith version hardcast at 265 grains and up or a 300 grain hornady XTP stacked over 21 plus grains of ww296 ,h110 or 2400. ( these loads for .44 mag)
And *NO* handgun is an ideal weapon for one of these situations , but you have to put your long gun down sometime , to clean game you've shot , to clear your traps and reset and relure and bait , to feed stock or dogs , to split wood or bring it in , to go to the outhouse , to carry water if necessary etc.etc.
And on the running issue and the advice to run down hill , while bears are slower downhill than up * you WILL NOT outrun a bear that wants your tail* , a Brownie can outrun a fast horse for the first 100-200 yards.
STAND STILL , give the Bear an out , they'll usually take it. Panicing and automatically running may precipitate a situation where the Bear chases you , yes they are omnivorous in diet but they ARE a predator.
And should you end up in conflict with a bear , especially a Brownie , whether the inland subtype or the coastal bears ,I'll gaurandamntee you that you will never EVER be more scared in your life , should any doubt this then go to the general section and look up where I posted of an encounter I had while trapping the area south and west of Paxson Lake and above Lake Louise.
And for those scoffing at carrying a sidearm for bear defense , while you may NEVER need it , if you do then without it you're TOAST if the bear really wants you , even a 100lb juvenile black bear can kill you merely with a SLAP if it so wishes.
And if a Brownie comes along and wants that deer you're field dressing , let 'em have the damn deer , if you catch one raiding your traps , back the hell off and let them have that Marten or whatever.
Common sense goes a long way towards co-existing with bears if you're living in or spending a lot of time in areas where they are numerous.
B.
