I'm a backpacker as well and it seems like the firearm question routinely comes up. I think some folks have a heightened fear of being attacked by bears/mountain lions that's been spurred on by Hollywood. There have been attacks and fatalities for sure, but the risk is exceptionally low.
In Germany, negative wildlife encounters were with wild boar (they are legitimately scary) and foxes. In the US, it has overwhelmingly been mice. I know the chances aren't zero but I've never felt threatened in any of my bear encounters, and with the singular mountain lion, it was pure luck that we saw it at all as it was beating feet.
I find the further I get away from civilization, the prevalence of two legged predators drops dramatically and the folks I run into are overwhelmingly courteous and friendly. At a gas station, it's a crapshoot.
As to whether or not I would disclose if I was packing would depend on the vibe I was getting from that person and the context of how I encountered them. I'm not blanketly opposed to having the conversation with someone who's interested in discussing the safety aspects of the backcountry but I'm not going to show my hand to someone who appears to be probing me as a potential target.
