Idaho gets a lot of back country hikers from Seattle, and they prepared a little advisory for folks new to hiking in bear country. They advise that you wear something like small brass bells, so you make noise and do not sneak up on them, as well as carrying pepper spray. They further instruct that you should be aware of what kind of bears are in the vicinity. This is best done by observing the scat or excrement. Black bears will have more evidence of berries, brown bears may have evidence of small mammals, the fur does not get digested. Grizzly bear scat will contain small brass bells, and smell like pepper spray.
