As an employee of Bells on Bears, I get asked countless times a day about the best way to go about belling a bear. Many people assume it's as simple as attaching any other necklace to a bear. Unfortunately, due to the noise the bell makes as you approach, that's not the case. As any experienced beller will tell you, many factors go into the best method of belling a bear, but none is as important as the kind of bear you're trying to bell.
As one of the most aggressive types of bears, the majestic grizzly bear can be extremely dangerous to the untrained beller. However with a bit of bear knowledge, the grizzly becomes one of the simplest bears to bell. The key to belling this beast is that these silly bears can't climb trees! Simply leave your pot of honey at the base of the tree, climb up, and wait for the bear to approach. Once it is near, you can easily reach down and bell the bear, neutralizing any threat it previously posed.
As the world's most common species of bear, the American Black Bear will most likely be the first bear you attempt to bell. With superior eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell than that of us wimpy humans, the black bear is impossible to get the jump on. For this reason, you must rely on more direct tactics to land your bell on this beauty. These bears are strongly motivated by food, so you must come prepared. I suggest bringing at least 3 pounds of beef jerkey and 6 bounds of assorted berries. Present this offering to the bear, and it may just let you bell it.
Some people might see polar bear on this list and wonder why I am giving tips for belling such a rare bear. What these people fail to realize, however, is that this rarity makes the polar bear one of the most intense and rewarding bears to bell. Rarely found outside the arctic circle, the polar bear will only be belled by those truly dedicated to the cause.
The polar bear's primary diet is seals, and it's with this knowledge you'll be able to bell your bear. Go to your local belling outlet and pick yourself up a seal suit. By disguising yourself among the bear's food, you'll be able to easily get the jump on it. There is an inherent risk with this technique, as the bear may choose you as it's primary hunting target. Unfortunately, these are the risks we must take to make the world a safer place.