No idea about the bells, except that tourists put them on their shoes so the bears can find them easier. I coached 2 girls from Alaska and they both said that if I went there and wanted to get really close to nature, whistle while I walked through the woods. I walked up on a black bear on our farm once and it did scare the crap out of me.
I also think getting eaten by a grizzly is right there with shark on top of the "suck scale" of ways to die.
One version of joke is when the city lady (hiking with little brass bells) asks the farmer when will she be in bear country.
His response is , she will know that she is in Bear country when she sees Bear scat with little brass bells.
so, all those articles i read about making noise in the woods were probably WRITTEN BY THE DAMN GRIZZLY BEARS!!!
man, them critters is sure TRICKY!!