Another hunting incident

OK, the thing I have dreaded most (not most, but it sounds good, don't it?) just happened about half a week ago. I got chased by a bear, and it was no puny one by the sounds of things. To tell this story, I must tell you the circumstances surrounding the event.
I don't hunt bear at home because there isn't any bear where I live. OK, so there might be some, but I never see them. So about half a year ago a guy I know told me he had bear on his land. Big ones. Lots of bear. This was enough to send my mind into overdrive and I readily agreed to hunting on his land.
This spring I put out a bait barrel, which is no more than a metal oil drum with a removable top to put the bait in. The bait can be anything, like oats, grease from deep fryers, rotting animals or anything else a bear would eat. So I chained the barrel around a tree and filled it up, then I waited a few days for the bear to get used to it there.
Sure enough, I went back 3 days later and the bear had knocked it over and eaten some oats. I got all excited and scaled my tree stand, but nothing came in except hordes of mosquitoes.
This trend continued for the last month or so, with no bear coming in when I was sitting in a little wooden chair strapped to a tree. Then it happened; the bear came in.
OK, so now you know the background behind the attempted attack, I can tell you about the assault on my manlihood.
I was walking down the pathway, which is no more than a 6 foot wide clearing cut into a huge bush. As I was walking into a clearing, I heard a growl and the sound of trees being bowled over in my direction.
Now when you are being rushed by a beast, you are only concerned about living. I jumped about 3 feet in the air and fumbled around with my gun, whipping it in the direction of the noise. I was halfway in between falling to my knees and standing, so it was hard standing. I then had the sense to run into the clearing, trying to scream but not able to.
As soon as I got into the clearing, I whirled around in every direction and tried to see the bear. After about 30 seconds I called out a challenge, but still nothing. I then proceeded to my stand, and not far from it was a big pile of crap. Now most animals don't poop like this, so I'm sure its a bear.
Anywho, my barrel was cleaned completely out and there was more poo by the barrel, so now I'm scared to even go back there. However, I plan to go out tomorrow, even if it means getting eaten by mosquitoes and a monster bear. But this is all for the greater good, so onward the bluffs!