I looked long and hard at pistols to carry while in any sort of bear country. I bought a S&W .44mag and am confident that it can do the job, if "I" can do my part in the scenario.
That being said, here is why I would stay away from the 329PD:
The internal lock on the S&W pistols has some history of malfunction, as in it can engage while firing heavy loads. Picture yourself actually being lucky enough to draw down on a ****ed off bear that is coming at you and you get one shot off and then LOCK... I sure hope that first shot was a good one, and wouldn't it have been nice to follow up on that first shot with five more rounds of bone crunching, organ busting power?
I'm not sure if you can find the 329PD in pre-lock, but if you can, that would be my advice. It's nice to have a new gun, but I'll take a used gun that I know can't lock up on me due a faulty system implemented by the manufacturer. It's documented and discussed fairly heavily by any S&W guys - a quick search on the net will reveal what I'm talking about.
You can of course buy new and there are instructions on the net on how to disable your internal lock, so that is definitely an option. I just felt it was easier to avoid it and buy pre-lock.
Here's my .44
Certainly heavier than your 329PD, but I love this 5" full under-lug.
Also, I know there will be nay-sayers to this, but seriously consider Bear Spray. It IS effective and does work. My dad was Law Enforcement Officer for his district in the Forest Service for some 20 years or so. Bear Spray was standard issue and standard carry whenever he was out in the woods. Why? Because between the Forest Service guys and Park Service guys it had been tested and proven to be effective.
If it was good enough for dad to carry, it's surely good enough for me to carry. In truth, I carry both - my .44 mag and a can of bear spray.
And lastly, always remember this if you remember NOTHING else: