LOL-- I have to deal with deer on a daily basis, and after reading this thread maybe it's not so bad! While they'd like to eat my plants, at least they can't tear you to pieces. Good luck with the bears, and stay safe. Cheers.
More people die from Deer attacks vs. Bear attacks, my sisters dog (60 lbs)was gored to death by a buck in rut in her front yard. Just keep this in mind, a black bear is there for your food, they're not there to eat/attack you. They will bully you from your food though.
Spending many nights in the woods dealing with bears my best suggestions are....
1) Store all food in bear proof containers
2) They will get into ANYTHING that has a smell to it. Soaps, toothpaste, deodorant, fertilizers, ANYTHING, so store it too in bear proof containers.
3) Fire crackers will help scare them off if they do come into camp and your there.
4) Fill balloons with a mixture of cayenne peppers (anything HOT that burns) and ammonia, then wipe some bacon grease on the balloons and leave near garden. They bite into one of them balloons they will not like that taste and relate it to your garden.
5) keep your place cleaned up, remember there only there for food and are attracted to smelly things
6) Bring your dog into camp, his sent will let that bear know there is another carnivore in the area and will help detour.
7) The closer to "Fall" you get the more aggressive they become, try'n to fatten up for winter, so be prepared
I've encountered dozens of black bears in my time in the woods, I've never been attacked, but I have been "bluff charged" a couple of times (that will get the heart pumping). I never turn my back, I always face them and just back away. I've even walked between a mother bear and her cubs. She pounded the ground and started walking towards me, I thought WTF is this bear doing, then these little baby bears come running from behind me to the mom, O'fuck, this is not good I thought, but she sent them up a tree and she went up the tree behind them.
Use common sense and think like a bear and you should be O.K.
Good Luck-
TMB-