Self defense is justifiable fir shooting an animal. This was self defense and would have pretty easy to prove. With that said so many other thing to have done in advance of being bit.
I usually have an exit tree I can jump to in mind as well.
how do you prove self defense before you get bit
bottom of the tree is plenty close enough
should have shouted get bear get or barked loudly , yelled , something at least he had the sense to put his phone down
I figure if you get your pistol out when it is getting near your tree and put one over the bow before it has a chance to get on the tree once it has had it's warning shot if it isn't running it's getting the rest
I suppose if you have a low capacity gun , yell first then shoot if it continues at you.
you could I suppose yell on video when it is 20 feet from your tree to show you tried for the warden then get that phone away and the gun out
waiting till you can feel it's breath is a bad idea