Trichinosis can kill you too. I can't find the story link but I read years ago that one of the few German POWs to die in captivity in the US during WWII at Camp Hearne in Texas died from eating undercooked pork which also sickened a couple of other POWs and maybe one of more of the guards.

With that said, pioneers and mountain men ate bear meat. They preferred bear paws due to the high fat content I think.