I've seen about 6 in 20+ years of doing ALL but one trip in the Q. All were either on shore as I paddled by or I caught them swimming in open water.

Plenty of tracks, fresh scat on portage trails but never seen one although one time I could swear I heard one breathing in heavy brush along side pile of fresh scat on portage trail.

I keep a real clean camp, double bag food and until last year hung my pack. Also don't cook bacon or other items other than pan seared fish or cooked on fire, which I don't think sends out food odors like fish fried in deep oil would?

I also don't usually stay on well used campsites and the Q with so many sites and the ability to camp anywhere probably doesn't get the Yogi type bears like places in the heavily used BWCA do.

I still bring my Bear Spray just becasue I like to be prepared for the worst and I go solo. I fear injury/lighting/hypothermia or a window maker tree falling far more than any animal encounter.