How Effective are Bear Bells?

Question

I'm going hiking tomorrow and we have a bear bell. We haven't used one before and i want to know if is worth it, and if it works. We do have Bear spray stuff.

Answer 1

generally do a good job of letting bears know you are around - unless you are near very loud water or in area with strong wind blowing away from bear - not a bad idea but you still need to be careful. You do not want to startle any bear.

Old jokes:

what do you call those little bells that hikers wear? - dinner bells

you can tell a lot about what a bear has been eating by examining its scat

small bones and skin fragments - rodents, ground squirrels

small seeds and blue or purple coloration - berries

small silver bells - Fred

I would try the bell but wouldn't count on it

Answer 2

very effective keeps you from surprising them, and they also make it easier for the hungry bears to find you

Answer 3

its a good idea but i would not worry about bears.your more apt to run up on marawana growers than you are to be attacted by bears unless you get between a mom and her cubs