Oh a preacher went out walking...it was on a Sunday morn...

Or, rather, "...I don't have to outrun you. I just have to
outrun that god-damed bear!"

Kat, the solution to rattlesnakes is a .22 pistol. Fine solution.
A .410 shotgun works as well if you're a lousy shot. Giving
them a wide berth works, also. The advantage of a wide berth is
that nobody every shot themselves in the foot with a wide berth.

For bears, though, a .357 magnum is just about the minimum
to do much more than piss 'em off. Though a 12-gauge with a
rifled slug would probably work, also... (comments on wide
berth apply as well)

Now, then, there is the question of mountain lions. Ever see
one of them buggers? Big. Real big.