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laid siege for a surprisingly long time in Algonquin this past spring. Tracks around our tent, dry bags batted around and the freaky sniffing by my arm

First year I went solo, I did a trial, first time run into Algonquin park. After putting in at the south entrance, I soon realized that to get anywhere the solitude I was used too in the Q, I had to get at least a couple of nights from the day/overnight paddlers.

I busted butt and wound up having to stay at a designated spot that I would of never stayed if I had a choice. It was raining hard, getting dark, so I set up camp fast and built a small but cozy fire under my tarp.

The site was in a low lying area, near a swamp section of lake. While using the facilities, I saw fresh bear sign. I hang my pack and keep a clean camp, so after a nightcap, I called it a day.

I was wearing a head/swear band and had hung it on the tents fly pole when  I first got into camp. I woke to a noise outside of tent.
It was the sound of something big moving fast, and the death squeal of something being caught and devoured :'(

The moon was up, and as I lay there listening, I could see the shape of a bear outside the tent. I could hear that deep guttural breathing they make, and in that moment I knew it was close and curious.

Earlier in the trip I had lost my bear spray when I walked my canoe up a creek in knee deep water. I stepped in a hole and nearly fell down. The spray was in a waist belt holster and somehow it came out. I never knew it until much later in the day.

So I debated what to do ? I had my survival knife and a tin cup in tent. I thought about going outside and scaring the bear off, but then decided that with clean camp and fresh kill, the bear was just being curious.

After a few anxious moments, my fear subsided and I fell into a deep but restless sleep. First light, I was up and  while taking down the tent, I saw huge fore-paw prints right outside my tent door! It appeared the bear had been sniffing my headband. Apparently my scent had put it off :P Must of been a "she"  ;D I headed for the portage out of lake which was only a few hundred yards away.

At the portage I met two young Canadian guys, who were coming into the lake. They asked if I had seen the big bear on the portage landing?
They were both hunters and said it was one of the largest bears they had ever seen. I told them my story and we had a good laugh.

I bought a bigger bear spray and carry it in a modified case that can't come open accidentally.

I don't let the fear of a bear encounter deter me, but I make sure that  I have a little extra something to even the odds somewhat.

IF I was in the BW or where they allowed firearms, I'd carry one for sure. Self defense/survival tool, signaling device, it is a multi-purpose tool that has proved it worth since man entered the wilderness.