Bear Bells

[awwstin]

Are bear bells effective? Do they keep just the bears away or other hikers as well?

[DavidNH]

The only thing bear bells will accomplish is annoying every hiker within earshot of you. I don't think bear bells will do a darn thing in terms of repelling bears.

It's better to just talk as you walk in bear country so the beat knows you are coming. Usually, the bear is already walking away before you notice him. Bears have a great sense of smell.

[max patch]

Bear bells on the AT alerts me to the presence of a newbie. :)

[mmorgan]

I've heard it is very difficult getting the bells around the bear's neck but have never tried it myself....lol

[ChinMusic]

Bear bells on the AT alerts me to the presence of a newbie. :)
This

Awesome

[Blue boy]

"The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter.
They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper."
http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/joke/joke-606.asp

[coach lou]

WOW, we've been discussing this for the past 4 days on another titled thread!

[max patch]

WOW, we've been discussing this for the past 4 days on another titled thread!

Please speak louder I can't hear you.

[coach lou]

Please speak louder I can't hear you.

This program does'nt get any louder Max.

[1234]

Been hiking over 30 years and never been bothered by bears. Till the last 2 years, I do not like close encounters, makes my heart pound to hard. I wear a bell always now, I cannot hear the pitch so it does not matter to me. It is also behind me so perhaps the bears do not hear it either. Why does it bug folks, It is a bell not a rap song.

[coach lou]

Been hiking over 30 years and never been bothered by bears. Till the last 2 years, I do not like close encounters, makes my heart pound to hard. I wear a bell always now, I cannot hear the pitch so it does not matter to me. It is also behind me so perhaps the bears do not hear it either. Why does it bug folks, It is a bell not a rap song.

Now that you mention it I have seen alot of ear buds on the trail lately.

[Hikerhead]

Bear bells on the AT alerts me to the presence of a newbie. :)

Reminds me of coming up on a couple in SNP last year banging pots while walking along. I kind of knew what the deal was but I just had to ask, yeah they saw a bear. I had to get around them and down the trail asap.... I wanted to see a bear.

[leaftye]

Bear bells on the AT alerts me to the presence of a newbie. :)

^^^^^ this

[Chicken Feathers]

Are bear bells effective? Do they keep just the bears away or other hikers as well?
I have a pair that I will give you just pay postage. You need to check the black bear site out lots of information they are more afraid of you than you are of them but there are many exceptions. The site is www.bear.org (http://www.bear.org)
I agree with DavidNH and also (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?4591-DavidNH) leaftye (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?25385-leaftye)

[Sarcasm the elf]

Are bear bells effective? Do they keep just the bears away or other hikers as well?
Why would you want to keep the bears away? Then you could never get a photo of them. ;)

My usual response to any question related to the fear of bears on the East Coast/ A.T. Is that I recommend you spend some time reading through the North American Bear Center's website http://www.bear.org/website/, which is primarily dedicated to black bears (the species we have on the east coast) It dispels most of the myths and misconceptions that are common.

Long story short, as long as you have a decent bit of knowledge about black bears and respect them, they will pose virtually no threat to you.

[Lone Wolf]

Are bear bells effective? Do they keep just the bears away or other hikers as well?

useless as teats on a bull

[Sarcasm the elf]

useless as teats on a bull


Well that all depends on what the bull is into. :D

[Lone Wolf]

never seen a tranny bull

[10-K]

Get you some firecrackers and set one off every once in a while. Bonus points for lighting sparklers around your tent at night... :)

[MuddyWaters]

99% of bears (I made that # up) wont mess with you, bell or no bell, they will run away.

The other 1% that might be having a bad day, just might. Bell or no bell.

[hikerboy57]

They will scare away all wildlife(except bears).

[tdoczi]

They will scare away all wildlife(except bears).

or, if youve been reading the other thread on the same subject, they will not scare away hares until younare 8ft away from them, but will cause grizzlies to actively seek you out for attack.

THEY DO NOTHING PEOPLE. N-O-T-H-I-N-G.

thats not an opinion.

[rocketsocks]

or, if youve been reading the other thread on the same subject, they will not scare away hares until younare 8ft away from them, but will cause grizzlies to actively seek you out for attack.

THEY DO NOTHING PEOPLE. N-O-T-H-I-N-G.

thats not an opinion.I wouldn't nothing,have you ever heard the Appalachian Trail Bear Bell Band at Christmas time,Lovely!:D Seriously they don't weigh much....bring em if ya got em! if not,whistle while you hike.

[hikerboy57]

There are few things more exciting to me thsn experiencing wildlife in its own habitat.the last thing i want to do is scare everything away.noy to mention my appreciation of stillness and silence.and spellcheck.

[rocketsocks]

There are few things more exciting to me thsn experiencing wildlife in its own habitat.the last thing i want to do is scare everything away.noy to mention my appreciation of stillness and silence.and spellcheck.Yep,better don't whistle.

[tdoczi]

There are few things more exciting to me thsn experiencing wildlife in its own habitat.the last thing i want to do is scare everything away.noy to mention my appreciation of stillness and silence.and spellcheck.

ya know, i'm going hiking this week. all of this has inspired me to get a bearbell and do a photo series entitled "pictures of wildlife who didnt give a rats ass that i had a bell on."


they do N-O-T-H-I-N-G

dont claim they are effective but you dont use them because of unwanted side effects, thereby giving people who are ok with said side effects the impression that they can be helpful THEY ARE NOT.

[rocketsocks]

ya know, i'm going hiking this week. all of this has inspired me to get a bearbell and do a photo series entitled "pictures of wildlife who didnt give a rats ass that i had a bell on."


they do N-O-T-H-I-N-G

dont claim they are effective but you dont use them because of unwanted side effects, thereby giving people who are ok with said side effects the impression that they can be helpful THEY ARE NOT.Ok,I just took mine out of the trash,I sure wish you guys would make up my mind.

[coach lou]

You all can say what you want. I've had a bell on my backpack for over 25 yrs. I've hiked ALL over the intermountain west, got allsorts of photos of wildlife. Im still here unscathed. The only 2 times I've walked up on Mr. Grizz was while fishing in the backcountry of Yellowstone........no bell on my fishing pack!

[ChinMusic]

99% of bears (I made that # up) wont mess with you, bell or no bell, they will run away.

The other 1% that might be having a bad day, just might. Bell or no bell.

I just hope bears don't discover bath salts.

[tdoczi]

You all can say what you want. I've had a bell on my backpack for over 25 yrs. I've hiked ALL over the intermountain west, got allsorts of photos of wildlife. Im still here unscathed. The only 2 times I've walked up on Mr. Grizz was while fishing in the backcountry of Yellowstone........no bell on my fishing pack!


so, your theory then is that the bells ONLY scare bears, but not all the other wildlife youve taken photos of? couldnt just be coincidence? could the fact that you encountered grizzlies while fishing be because bears hunt for fish?

[hikerboy57]

Sorry that i havrnt used smileys but i know when im noisy i dont see as much wildlife
Bells do nothing to scare away bears but can alert and scare off other animals.they will hoeever help to prevent an attavk by a mtn lion on the at.

[hikerboy57]

I just hope bears don't discover bath salts.

Or worse that young turk nobos discover them.it would certainly get the gun thread going again.

[Sarcasm the elf]

If anyone is really that concerned, they should just bring a cat. :cool:


http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DhfgV9X1uLZ0&rct=j&sa=U&ei=W7zST5HqH6jI 6gGNvrGRAw&ved=0CBgQtwIwAQ&q=bear+vs+cat&usg=AFQjC NEhgVv9KbYHcFJG4UOPfZ800e6DIw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfgV9X1uLZ0&feature=em-share_video_user

[coach lou]

Sorry that i havrnt used smileys but i know when im noisy i dont see as much wildlife
Bells do nothing to scare away bears but can alert and scare off other animals.they will hoeever help to prevent an attavk by a mtn lion on the at.

I don't think they'll scare that one on the thread earlier today, that cat looked mean!

[coach lou]

so, your theory then is that the bells ONLY scare bears, but not all the other wildlife youve taken photos of? couldnt just be coincidence? could the fact that you encountered grizzlies while fishing be because bears hunt for fish?
I aint talkin' theories, I'm talkin' experience. Glacier, Cabinets, The Bob, Missions, Jellystone. No maulings, no problems, no guns, just a bell.

[rocketsocks]

If anyone is really that concerned, they should just bring a cat. :cool:


http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DhfgV9X1uLZ0&rct=j&sa=U&ei=W7zST5HqH6jI 6gGNvrGRAw&ved=0CBgQtwIwAQ&q=bear+vs+cat&usg=AFQjC NEhgVv9KbYHcFJG4UOPfZ800e6DIw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfgV9X1uLZ0&feature=em-share_video_userOh Heck ya,that bear earned that trash bag!

[rocketsocks]

I aint talkin' theories, I'm talkin' experience. Glacier, Cabinets, The Bob, Missions, Jellystone. No maulings, no problems, no guns, just a bell.Damn if there ain't a song in there somewhere Coach.

[coach lou]

so, your theory then is that the bells ONLY scare bears, but not all the other wildlife youve taken photos of? couldnt just be coincidence? could the fact that you encountered grizzlies while fishing be because bears hunt for fish?
Look, maybe I've been lucky for the past 25 yrs. Ive never said here to go get a bell cause that is what works. That has been my experience. I don't bring Bear spray either, I want to, but my friend who lives out there says we don't need it. Last year there were 2 deadly maulings, and the year before we camped in the same camp 2 weeks before the death in Cooke City. So next year I'm talking him into getting the Spray, and hopeing it goes bad from non-use. I just can't sit here and read you saying 'they do n-o-t-h-i-n-g', 'cause my experience tells me different. HYOH!

[tdoczi]

Look, maybe I've been lucky for the past 25 yrs. Ive never said here to go get a bell cause that is what works. That has been my experience. I don't bring Bear spray either, I want to, but my friend who lives out there says we don't need it. Last year there were 2 deadly maulings, and the year before we camped in the same camp 2 weeks before the death in Cooke City. So next year I'm talking him into getting the Spray, and hopeing it goes bad from non-use. I just can't sit here and read you saying 'they do n-o-t-h-i-n-g', 'cause my experience tells me different. HYOH!

i'm glad youve never been mauled by a bear but to conclude that it is because of the bear bell is quite the leap.

[hikerboy57]

i'm glad youve never been mauled by a bear but to conclude that it is because of the bear bell is quite the leap.

im just curious, but what exactly would you do to safeguard yourself in grizzly country?
here in the east ive had more than a few bear encounters and ive never been afraid of them, but one of the dangers of attack is surprising a bear, which can happen if youre downwind on a windy day. the bells certainly alert a bear that you're there, dont they? and in most cases any bear griz or otherwise will leave you alone if they dont feel youre a threat.
i would simply like to know what safeguards you take when hiking in bear country(and i dont mean eastern black bears).
i sleep with my food too.been doing it for 30 years. had some nosy porkies and raccons a few times, but never had any critter come inside my tent.

[tdoczi]

im just curious, but what exactly would you do to safeguard yourself in grizzly country?
here in the east ive had more than a few bear encounters and ive never been afraid of them, but one of the dangers of attack is surprising a bear, which can happen if youre downwind on a windy day. the bells certainly alert a bear that you're there, dont they? and in most cases any bear griz or otherwise will leave you alone if they dont feel youre a threat.
i would simply like to know what safeguards you take when hiking in bear country(and i dont mean eastern black bears).
i sleep with my food too.been doing it for 30 years. had some nosy porkies and raccons a few times, but never had any critter come inside my tent.

yell, sing, talk, make snapping sounds. the bells do not do what you think they do. ive been told this by rangers. theres been studies (non scientific and not 100% conclusive, but still evidence) and if youve been reading the other simulataneous thread on this subject youll see where someone wearing a bear bell got within 8feet of a HARE before it got scared. for whatever reason, the bell is in fact NOT effective at alerting wildlife to your presence. if you can get to within 8 feet of one of the most skittish and used to being preyed upon animals in the woods while wearing one, what good is it going to do against grizzlies? and this notion that one or two people have put forth that bear bells only scare away bears and not the other wildlife.... not even worth a response.

[bobjob]

i'm glad youve never been mauled by a bear but to conclude that it is because of the bear bell is quite the leap.

Maybe you should learn to read? coach lou did never conclude somthing. He simply stated his observations.

[ChinMusic]

Look, maybe I've been lucky for the past 25 yrs.

I think it is safe to say that 99.9% of the posters in this thread have not been killed by a bear.

[Marta]

Re: the hare incident

Bells, or no bells, snowshoe hares are not afraid of us. In 2008 in GNP one chewed the padding off the trekking pole supporting my Tarptent. The pole was 6" from my sleeping head. The gnawing noise woke me up. I shouted at it. The hare moved off about a yard. My headlamp shone right into its eyes.

When I'm walking around the property here without bells, I can see that hares see me, but they just keep chewing their grass, watching me, until I am just about stepping on them, then they hop away. The one time I went out wearing a bear bell, the hare I saw acted just as it would have had I not been wearing a bell--it froze there, staring at me, chewing its mouthful of grass, until I was practically on top of it.

[ChinMusic]

Comparing rabbits/hares to bears in this case ain't gonna work. Rabbits don't give a dang what we are doing unless we are close. A bear is interested in our presence from a MUCH longer distance. A rabbit not reacting to a bell until you are close wouldn't surprise me.

[BradMT]

Are bear bells effective? Do they keep just the bears away or other hikers as well?

You can always tell an out-of-stater here... the bells are a dead-giveaway.

A bear will hear and smell you without bells. They're ridiculous and are pure marketing over reality.

That and they're incredibly annoying.

I'm always surprised how little the average backpacker truly knows about wildlife...

[dmperkins74]

Hey folks who say bear bells are unnecessary, just because you haven't had a problem with bears AND you don't use a bear bell doesn't mean they don't work. If you haven't done an actual "study of bears and their reactions to little bears" don't assume you know they don't work. I've had a bear bell on all of my hikes and have only seen two bears and it was spooky yet uneventful, so that means they MUST be effective, right? Of course not! It's just my experience... I can't tell you if I would've seen more or less bears if I didn't have a bell.

If anything, I find my bell helps ME stay a bit more alert... I occasionally notice it and refocus on keeping any eye out for not just bears, but snakes and sasquatches as well.

One note however is that I hike solo a lot. When hiking with others, I often mute the bell, since we make enough noise just chit chatting as it is.

[bfayer]

... I can't tell you if I would've seen more or less bears if I didn't have a bell.

So that's your argument, since you don't know if it works you might as well use it?

I have some magic Pixy Dust that I guarantee will keep bears away and I promise it will not annoy other hikers. I have used it for years and I have never been killed by a bear. I also guarantee it will prevent all puma attacks east of the Mississippi and will prevent other hikers from mooching your trail mix.

If you are interested PM me and I will send you my paypal address.

I have no evidense it actually does anything but it works for me :)

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[hikerboy57]

Wouldnt an air horn work better?

[swjohnsey]

Yes...........

[SunnyWalker]

I don't think one needs "bear bells" on the AT or PCT unless in Grizzly country. ON CDT, when it Grizzly country . . . yes.

[SunnyWalker]

I don't think one needs "bear bells" on the AT or PCT unless in Grizzly country. ON CDT, when it Grizzly country . . . yes, if you really wish to use them. I just make a lot of noise when I need to . . . .

[dmperkins74]

So that's your argument, since you don't know if it works you might as well use it?


Nope, not at all, you're actually making my point. There's NO way for me to really know with out a good bit of experimentation whether or not my bear bell made a difference, any more than one could prove that Pixy Dust makes a difference. (however, I'm willing to give it a try if the rate is reasonable and you throw in a wand! :)

The only legitimate use I see for them is if they personally make you feel better about your situation, then use them.

[Lone Wolf]

i tried for years to draw in a bear to my tent with open tuna cans. black bears are chickens$%t

[MuddyWaters]

Why is a bear supposed to be scared of a little jingling bell?

If its a sound he/she/it associates with a "threatening" human, then OK, it might vamoose, I buy that. Keep you from surprising it suddenly , maybe.

If its NOT scared of humans, I doubt its scared of a little tinkling bell, and might even be attracted by it to see what it is.

Once upon a time, about 30 yrs ago, my brother and I were sighting in deer rifles on a dirt road in the woods into a big dirtpile at the end of the road. We were shooting over the hood of the jeep. We had been at it for a while. While I was walking back to the jeep after checking my group my brother hollered at me and pointed, a buck deer was standing on the road about 30 yds behind him. His gun was unloaded, mine still had a couple in the magazine, but I couldnt shoot since he was in the way. The deer looked at us , turned, jumped a ditch and headeded into the woods. When we went to where it was standing, we followed its tracks back up the road about 100 yds to where it had come onto the road. That deer had walked down the road to see what the heck we were doing and what all the noise was about. It didnt know it was supposed to be afraid of gunshots, or people with guns.

[BradMT]

Hey folks who say bear bells are unnecessary, just because you haven't had a problem with bears AND you don't use a bear bell doesn't mean they don't work. If you haven't done an actual "study of bears and their reactions to little bears" don't assume you know they don't work. I've had a bear bell on all of my hikes and have only seen two bears and it was spooky yet uneventful, so that means they MUST be effective, right? Of course not! It's just my experience... I can't tell you if I would've seen more or less bears if I didn't have a bell.

If anything, I find my bell helps ME stay a bit more alert... I occasionally notice it and refocus on keeping any eye out for not just bears, but snakes and sasquatches as well.

One note however is that I hike solo a lot. When hiking with others, I often mute the bell, since we make enough noise just chit chatting as it is.

Good Grief...

[ChinMusic]

Good Grief...

+1............

[bfayer]

If its NOT scared of humans, I doubt its scared of a little tinkling bell, and might even be attracted by it to see what it is.


Ivan Pavlov would have thought so.

[coach lou]

Duh, the bear is scared of the bell?!!!!!! Who said that? The bear HEARS the bell.....DING-A-Ling-A-Ling. I'm not clapping, having a loud conversation with my hiking buddy 200 yrds up the trails, not whistleing old show tunes.

[hikerboy57]

Duh, the bear is scared of the bell?!!!!!! Who said that? The bear HEARS the bell.....DING-A-Ling-A-Ling. I'm not clapping, having a loud conversation with my hiking buddy 200 yrds up the trails, not whistleing old show tunes.

you bring up a vital point, coach.
i dont think bears are afraid of showtunes either(although they havent yet heard me sing).
Ive never hiked out west, so i am curious as how one handles themselves in grizz country. everyone seems to agree that making noise of some kind will laert the bears that you're around. but from what i understand, incidients of bears stalking humnas are very rare.the ones(most of them)that are aware of your presence generally will not attack(even though they know your fairly easy prey) unless cubs or food source are threatened. but in heavy winds, rains where sounds may be muffled, and where your downwind and they cant scent or hear you very well, what is wrong with bells? finger snapping?that was a wierd substitute.

[coach lou]

I have no experience walking up on Black bears on the east coast. I'm heading to Kittitanny Ridge this summer so that may change. I put MY experiences from packing and fishing out west. I'm not getting into a P****** contest over this with BRADMT, he lives out there, and has other experiences. I have put 2 photos in my gallery of Grizz that I walked up on......with & without my belled pack. My friend who lives in Alberton, Mt. Does not have bells on his pack, or spray on his belt. I may change that next time we are out, and I may go get some before I go to NJ AT. I will put the bell on that pack because I feel better hearing it. I have never walked up on a black bear in the sticks or the AT on the east coast, I would like that to change in New Jersey, and I'll have the bell on and dem bears ain't skeered of no bell!

[cavediver256]

One of my most exhilarating experiences with a black bear was a few miles south of Bly Gap heading north. Late one afternoon, I was coming out of a mountain laurel thicket, when the underbrush about 5 feet to my right just exploded, a flash of black and it disappeared again into the scrub. The bear ran about 15 yards, climbed a tree just high enough that he could see me over the underbrush and would alternate looking at me and over it's shoulder. I stood really still for a few seconds, just watching in awe really. The only thing I was even remotely concerned about was the potential for me to be between mama and a cub, but I figured if that were the case the explosion in the underbrush would have been headed at me and not away from me...after a minute or two, I took 5 or 6 steps back out of sight of the bear, then the bear came down the tree and ran off down the side of the hill. That was the first of two bear encounters that day, the second encounter involved a bear under my food bag, but that is a whole other thread!!!!! Experiences like that are why I don't think I would carry anything that might scare these guys away before I at least get to see 'em.

[treegreen]

Having chatted with park rangers in yellowstone, glacier, and various other parks it seems to me that the consensus is that bear bells are not particularly useful. Granted, most of these discussions were about preventing grizzly bear encounters. I don't give two thoughts to black bears outside of making sure I keep food away from my camp site and that I make a lot of noise (e.g. giving a few loud claps) when I'm around shrubs or brush with low visibility.

[Chicken Feathers]

One of my most exhilarating experiences with a black bear was a few miles south of Bly Gap heading north. Late one afternoon, I was coming out of a mountain laurel thicket, when the underbrush about 5 feet to my right just exploded, a flash of black and it disappeared again into the scrub. The bear ran about 15 yards, climbed a tree just high enough that he could see me over the underbrush and would alternate looking at me and over it's shoulder. I stood really still for a few seconds, just watching in awe really. The only thing I was even remotely concerned about was the potential for me to be between mama and a cub, but I figured if that were the case the explosion in the underbrush would have been headed at me and not away from me...after a minute or two, I took 5 or 6 steps back out of sight of the bear, then the bear came down the tree and ran off down the side of the hill. That was the first of two bear encounters that day, the second encounter involved a bear under my food bag, but that is a whole other thread!!!!! Experiences like that are why I don't think I would carry anything that might scare these guys away before I at least get to see 'em.

From what I have read from bear research center in Ely Minn. being between mama bear and cubs is a myth. Check this site out www.bear.org lots of information on black bear

[hikerboy57]

From what I have read from bear research center in Ely Minn. being between mama bear and cubs is a myth. Check this site out www.bear.org (http://www.bear.org) lots of information on black bear

from what i understand a mama will be more inclined to bluff charge at you rather than leave her cubs and actually attack.
still id be vewy wawy.

[Pedaling Fool]

That's not what happened last time I got between a momma and her cub; she just ran like a bitch:eek:

[tdoczi]

http://www.alaska.com/2008/10/16/1944/are-bear-bells-worth-a-jingle.html

[MyName1sMud]

You hear that hunny? Dinner is served.