To be fair, while Americans at large might be considered 'heavily armed' in general, that statement is proportionally untrue for most Californians.
Historically, getting a concealed carry permit was impossible, and open carry is generally prohibited as well.
This was recently overturned in _Peruta v San Diego_ as unconstitutional, but the nut of the matter is that except for criminals and law enforcement, the likelihood of a Californian being armed for bear is minimal.
So long as the mace is California compliant (which I think means 2.5 ounces or less), and they are not felons, minors, or addicted to any narcotics, it is perfectly legal -- so long as they only use it for the purpose of self defense.
Historically, getting a concealed carry permit was impossible, and open carry is generally prohibited as well.
This was recently overturned in _Peruta v San Diego_ as unconstitutional, but the nut of the matter is that except for criminals and law enforcement, the likelihood of a Californian being armed for bear is minimal.