Bear bells--do you use them?

[Marta]

As a recent transplant to Montana, I'm dealing with a whole 'nother level of animal life. I live just across the road from Glacier NP, with a national forest behind me. We've got grizzlies and black bears and wolves in the immediate neighborhood. I've got a great photo of a young grizzly that I took from my driveway.

Montana hikers who hike solo, do you wear bear bells? I won't be talking to myself, or singing. I really like to be able to hear the sounds all around me, which constant jangling bells would definitely detract from.

What do you do?

[WIAPilot]

I will not be using bear bells. Any bear will be able to hear me from my panting...

[coach lou]

The first time i went out to the Big Sky, I put a 1" bell on my pack. I have walked and have seen bears from a distance, but I have never walked up on one. So I guess they work. I am actually more concerned with walking up on a moose than a bear!
* Marta, every time I see your posts or Red name I get all crazy...........knowing where you are and I can't get out there this year.

[Feral Bill]

The general opinion now is that bear bells are not loud enough to scare off a bear, but are incredibly annoying. Singing is more fun (and annoying), too.

[tdoczi]

The general opinion now is that bear bells are not loud enough to scare off a bear, but are incredibly annoying. Singing is more fun (and annoying), too.

yeah, if you ever try and see how far you can be from another hiker who is wearing one and still be able to hear it, their total uselessness becomes readily apparent. esp if work on the backpack of someone who is hiking towards you.

[scree]

I had a bear bell, but I ditched it a while back. Now I carry a tri-tone samba whistle and cowbell and jam down the trail.

[bfayer]

Here is my take.

Bear hears bells. Bear smells backpacker. Backpacker = food. Ipso facto, bells = food.

Now if everyone with a bell also carried 338 winmag, there would come a time when bells = run.

Until then bells = annoying.

YMMV


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[garlic08]

No bell, but definitely pepper spray in a holster. I'm not a local but have thru-hiked out of Glacier twice--once on the CDT, once on the PNT. On the CDT, I had two close encounters (pepper spray out, safety off, ready to fire) and four more distant sightings, mainly in "the Bob". Nothing at all on the PNT. If I were a local, I might not be so damn phobic of the grizzlies. Though the rangers and guides all had pepper spray, I noticed. And they carried it to the toilet, while brushing teeth, etc.

[coach lou]

Here is my take:

I have been hiking, biking, Canoeing, rock climbing, rafting, and all manner of camping since I was 10= 45 yrs, never once did I carry a 338, 357, 44, 45 , 22, or any other weapon, other than a pocket knife. Don't get me wrong, I'm no anti gun weanie, but when you walk around that corner up in Glacier Park, and there is Mr Grizz snarling at you, you better be Josey Wales to take him down or he'll stick that winmag up your ying-yang.
Besides, I don't hear the jingling when I walk, I only hear my drill instructors cadence!

[moldy]

The purpose in the bell is that when the wind is wrong for detecting your advance, "you don't suprise a bear with your nearby presence". Normal AT hiking produces so much noise that the bear would have to be half deaf not to detect you. After a bear has seen you the bell does nothing but enable a bear to follow your position from far away. The bell will place you in danger...of being beaten by annoyed hikers. The sporting goods industry promotes the fear of bears so they can sell more useless junk. Be sure to pick up a snake bite kit when you go in to buy your bell.

[rocketsocks]

I use to have a bear bell in my kit,now it resides with my snake bite kit,awaiating a good home.I'd put it on my front door knob at Christmas time,but already have a set of some great sounding bells,and so the bear bell is up for grabs.All that said,if and when I would be coming around a bend,with lots of vegitation and no clear line of site,you can be sure I won't be whislteing dixie,nope for that situation i'm thinking I'll be beat boxin some "1812 Overture",or screming some "Scare don't Fear".

[chip2012]

Bear spray is some serious stuff and it will cause the bear to immediately rethink its game plan. A massive bear charged a friend and myself in yellowstone, buddy hit it with the spray and the bear went the other way. Also someone tested their can in one of the hotels and every guest on that floor had to be relocated.

[Cookerhiker]

On some of my hikes (all day-hikes) in Alaska 2 years ago, yes I used them.

[wteason2]

I scared multiple deer around blind turns on the BMT near Fontana on Easter this year. They ran off, but I used my bell from then on. It might not have gone so well with a bear.

[gpburdelljr]

I heard that 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

[tdoczi]

also, the rangers at glacier will tell you they are useless and if you must hike alone the smart thing to do is make noise.

[Montana]

I personally carry bear spray when hiking in grizzly country, and try to keep my situational awareness high. Grizzly are large animals, you can often hear them before you can see them, so keep your ears and eyes open.

[Live_for_hiking]

When I didn't use trekking poles, I'd keep some change in my front pocket. It worked well enough.

My poles seem to make a decent amount of noise ... so far.

[Blissful]

Out there I'd have my bear spray handy. Back here a bell would drive me crazy.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Not wanting to take away from your thread, but I posted this some time ago regarding bear bells and pepper spray, if you have not seen it.


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