Are your posessions worth more than a human life?

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104. A firearm can be used for hunting and for protection against dangerous animals. ...

Of course it can be argued that pepper spray can be an effective deterrent against even a charging bear.

SHOOT OR SPRAY? THE BEST WAY TO STOP A CHARGING BEAR
While many gun proponents remain adamant that firearms offer better protection against a charging bear than pepper spray, a growing body of scientific research suggests otherwise

By: NICK HEIL

Imagine: You’re on a backpacking trip in Alaska, bushwhacking along an overgrown trail, when—hey now!—you’re up close and personal with a 400-pound griz. You, A) turn screaming and bolt past your buddies; B) unshoulder your .30/06 and level it between said griz’s eyes; or C) quick-draw your hip-holstered canister of pepper spray.

If you picked A, you just made the bear’s dinner menu. If you’re leaning toward B, you’re probably a bear-country veteran with a lot of faith in, and probably decent skill with, firearms. If you went with C you may be among the converted who believe a growing body of research suggesting that non-lethal deterrents aren’t just a feel-good alternative for animal-loving liberals, but a field-tested defense strategy backed up by hard data. Such claims aren’t without merit, or controversy. But while everyone from veteran guides to Second Amendment zealots has sounded off against the superiority of spray over guns, a survey of recent studies only reinforces the arguments in favor of pepper spray.
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/nature/Shoot-or-Spray.html?page=all

Many people own firearms because they enjoy target shooting. For someone who is unfamiliar with firearms, it is hard to understand that target shooting can be a challenging sport that takes years to master. I've enjoyed target shooting handguns for over 40 years and have sent many thousands and thousands of rounds downrange to punch holes in paper targets. I've also enjoyed loading my own ammunition and tailoring the rounds to the individual handguns I own in order to find the most accurate load for each.

Of course a firearm can be used for self defense against a human attacker.

My mother was walking home after getting off a bus in a fairly rural area of Pennsylvania in the 1920s when she was rushed by a man who had been hiding behind some bushes. Fortunately she had a small revolver in her purse and was able to fire two shots over her attacker's head. He ran. Had she not have been armed I might not be posting here today.

My daughter also stopped an intruder who was breaking into our Tampa home by pointing a revolver at him as he was forcing the sliding glass door to our kitchen open. He also ran. No shots were fired.

I have absolutely no desire to ever have to shoot another person but assuming that I can grab a firearm in time, I will do so rather than suffer serious injuries that will put me in a hospital for a long period of time or six feet under. There is absolutely nothing wrong with defending yourself against an extremely dangerous attacker as long as the force you use is appropriate for the situation. Of course I hope and pray that I never find myself in such a situation and realistically the chances are that I never will.

I'm sure that some gun owners do "salivate" shooting another person. They probably do not realize that this is a life changing event and can cause significant psychological problems even if your actions are totally justified. Shooting another person is the last thing a knowledgeable and sane person ever wishes to do. A wise man avoids violent confrontations if possible and is willing to walk away from a bad situation even if it makes him look and feel like a coward.