One more bit of clarification for Guest Laura…
The kind of firearm used in hunting rabbits and quail would surely have been totally inappropriate for attempting to exterminate a bear, a grizzly in particular. That's why the Preacher thoughtfully declined to make use of his weapon. A slightly wounded bear is a menace to one and all.

While we're at it, we may as well clear the air regarding one major flaw in the original song. It is accepted in most outdoor circles that black bears climb trees, but grizzlies don't.   Anybody in Montana or Wyoming would have known this fact of life in the animal kingdom, but elsewhere it's an obscure bit of trivia. I left it in simply because it's quaint, and it's something to talk about.

Cheers! RS