Just after i posted this i was thinking an air horn.. Something that loud would pry scare them quite a bit. Really id rather bring a gun myself.. but something happened awhile ago that im not legal to carry a firearm for another 2 years.. Long story
My wife is tho.. she has a couple small caliber pistols. I realize any knife isn't gonna get us away from a bear.. but better that than my fists.. lol. Most wildlife from my exp is more scared of us than we are of them.. but every once in a while you hear of one attacking.
I'll skip the hundreds of knife vs Paws retorts. It is a fact if you share the neighborhood with predatorial animals a person could find themselves behind the house face to face with a mouthful of teeth and nothing but what's in thier pocket. So the golden question is what to put in your pocket? No matter the answer you have to remember to always have it with you. The day you dont.... Surprise. My wife and I (along with some 450 other homes and families) live in what the Colorado Division of Wildlife deems bear habitat. I suppose if one lives on the beach one sees Sharks, etc. I never gave it too much thought. We've lived here with and around these creatures a long time. I raised my children here. Weeks go by and you never see one and some months you see them daily.
First let me state it is a very serious thing to kill an American Black Bear in Colorado. Although certainly not endangered
Ursus Americanus is to a great deal monitored and protected. If you kill a bear you better have a viable reason for doing so and you're going to have to prove it to the CDW. The state doesn't accept nonsensical excuses. At the very least you get nailed for hunting without a permit and and out of season. And God help you if you peg one on Nat Forest land. Long waiting list for a Bear Tag, Colorado uses a lottery draw. There are even fines for having the wrong type of garbage cans, leaving barns unsecure, even the type of outdoor grill you use, all regulated. Bears don't mix good with people in the more urban areas such as Boulder or Broomfield and when they wander down there they typically get tranquilized, tagged and then relocated. Roosevelt National Forest is where they bring many of them, which borders our property. It's a last chance. If a tagged Bear shows up in that same area a second time, it's euthanized. The challenge for us is these "renegade" Bruins have already acclimated to city life by the time they get dropped off up here. They know all about unlocked screen doors and unattended coleman coolers on patio decks. A lot of these mischievous rascals are on probation and Game and Fish doesn't take kindly to us highlanders "driving" them out of their natural home. They deserve every chance they can be given to live where the state feels they are supposed to live. (Not to mention the fact that many people get all up in arms everytime a bear gets put down. It makes the news. It upsets people. Elected officials get phone calls.)
And now here is this thread about the very same thing. I must say I do love Blade Forums. I have been reading all these varied replies to this thread and I thought I'd chime in my 2 cents. So at the risk of bringing on the raised eyebrows of incredulity here goes. And remember the preamble here is to answer you seriously.
For a good edged weapon to protect one from wild animal attack the thing that comes to mind right away is a Condor Golok Machete. Its blade is 14" long, thick and balanced. Don't leave home without it.
Now Reality check:
For Bruins you have to pierce that fat layer behind the shoulder and it will take all you got to shove a knife in. Determine if you are indeed in danger. A Bear sighting is not a Bear attack. Learning how to act around them, learning to avoid behavour that triggers aggresiveness on the part of the Bear is your best defense. Its when a black Bear starts to follow you through the trees thats the time to get concerned. 8 out of 10 times Bears leave people alone. If only we could learn the same.
In a real encounter Bears will paw you first. If its down to it a bear is going to rake you hard. There is no slicing the throat or stabbing the neck. Now granted somebody in the back of the room will always raise thier hand on this..." My friends uncle knew a lady who's sister heard about a guy who....with a 3" pen knife...." Far be it from me to cast doubt on those kinds of stories BUT those encounters are rare. Erase that thought. Your goal is to make the attack on you inconvenient for the bear. The good lord has wrapped his throat with radial tires. Maybe a good cut across the snout or a jab in the eye but the reality of actually accomplishing that is pretty slim. The bear doesn't stand still while you do this. Listen to me on this. In a bear encounter he does not stop. You are not given a big pause to drive your trusty rapier into that select hollow tween left armpit and chest.
Invest in a good quality bear repellent at least 1m scovilles and an Ajax Ship Whistle.
Other animals?
Pumas want to smother thier dinner. It is an ancient tactic. With people a cougar will jump right up on you and try to get thier mouth over your head, try to cover your face. They'll grip you tight dig those claws into your side and back and hold you there feeling your breath slow. You stab hard and fast against the spine. Dont think about depth go for mutiple jabs. It'll be like stabbing a kevlar sack stuffed with wire rope but jab away. Alternate between back and face. It'll be easy to find, his face will be over yours. (This is why little ones don't ever scream out, they just vanish. Posters go up. Family comes out for a week, Church group, Scouts, friends. Then one day they just stop coming. Forest service finds a torn up little sneaker after the thaw. Happens up here about every 4 years or so.)
Biggest animal/varmint nuiisance faced around here is Coyotes. They are aggressive, hungry, and problem solving intelligent. The official Colorado hunting season for Coyote runs from Jan 1 thru Dec 31. They run 2 to 3 at a time and will attack joggers, cyclists, and sending junior out to check the mailbox. Never known them to actually kill a person but rabies shots hurt like hell. They will eat anything. Lock the barn hungry.
Here's a thought for you:
Not sure where exactly you reside but in the US blackpowder guns are not considered firearms. In Colorado that means No background check required for purchase and no restriction, just pay and go. Put it in a holster on your leg and thats Open Carry. Take it everywhere. Look for a .44 "Walker" model. Several brands out there. Prior to the intro of the .357, the Walker was one of the most powerful pistols ever made. You can put 65 grains in each chamber and send a .454 conical well on its way to escorting Tigger on to kitty kitty heaven.
I was getting ready to beeline it back to my front door, but the bear saw my Cold Steel weaponry and took off running like his tail was on fire. 
He even dropped the bag. He must have seen Lynn Thompson's fighting tomahawk video.
