[RWebb]

you might have to go thru the eye socket

the area right between the eyes is shaped almost exactly like the hull of a Sherman tank -- I used to hold up a bear skull next to a model of a Sherman tank to impress the graduate students on this point

pistol rounds are also ineffective

if you want to harass the bear an explosive will be more worthwhile & always be somewhere safe - somewhere that stays safe in case the bear decides to invest some of its valuable time in ripping away at your 'safe place' with its claws... or climbs up your tree...