I've encountered everything from bears to coyotes to wolves in the backcountry, and I can honestly say, not once would a gun have helped me. Mostly because if you know how to deal with those animals, you don't need the gun. I just think of that as overkill and I know that I damn well wouldn't want to carry a rifle with me, when I pack, I pack the absolute least amount of weight possible. Besides, 99% of animals won't fuck with a human, especially if you know how to avoid confrontations with animals.