Ah the humble Bear Bell. The first thing most new/novice hikers buy before venturing out into the Mountains on their first hike. It makes sense that the constatnt clanging and banging of the bells would alert any bears of your presence. Or does it?

Scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of bear bells in deterring bear attacks is inconclusive. I have also asked many wildlife experts at Parks Canada and Alberta Parks what they thought of bear bells and they all say the same thing - bear bells do not work.

Many skeptics argue that the intermittent jingling sound produced by bear bells may not be distinctive enough to consistently warn bears, and that bears can become habituated to such sounds over time.

Instead, wildlife experts suggest that louder and more continuous human-generated noises, like talking loudly and clapping your hands may be more effective in preventing surprise encounters with bears.

There you have it! Bear Bells “probably” do not work as well as talking and making other noises. But hey, it can’t hurt to have them - just don’t rely on them.