dog bells

[Ranger351]

So just curious who uses them and what ones they prefer. I see several online and have a few I like but have not been able to actually hear them to see how the sound. Any reccomendations on ones to use or ones to avoid and where to get them?

[ymepointer]

I think LCS has sound files on there site so you can hear the tinkle of the respective models):>)

[displaced_texan]

I got one from a local shop when I got my first dog. Don't use it much.

To me if you have never had one whatever will be fine. It's only once you get used to a certain sound that others sound weird.

[Grange]

I've got the Northwoods bell from LCS. I can hear that bell out to about 300 yards in the woods. I also recently bought the Handmade Canadian Low Tone Bell and I could here that bell out two around 200 yards. I used a bell clip I bought with the second bell and not only did the clip affect the sound of the bell I ended up losing the bell after only 5 minutes.

[Sharon]

There's a fellow on the cover dog forum, ( Flewelling). He makes them out of different metals.

I bought 3 ( I don't know why.) and have been very happy with them.

[Ranger351]

Looked at lion country and saw no way to hear them. Thinking about the swiss bell or the north woods

[ymepointer]

Looked at lion country and saw no way to hear them. Thinking about the swiss bell or the north woods

I guess they have taken it off there site, or I am not remembering the right vendor. Sorry about that...I have not bought one in probably 6-8 years so things have obviously changed.

[Mountaineer]

Sunkhaze bells
Dog's Unlimited
Believe they may be Flewellings

[cmc274]

Mountaineer,

Are the sunk haze bells worth the price? I have seen them in the catalog, however wanted some first hand info.

[Mountaineer]

Mountaineer,

Are the sunk haze bells worth the price? I have seen them in the catalog, however wanted some first hand info.

That depends.
I have three of the bells...one was worth it, to me.
The tone is such that my abused 58 year-old ears can hear it well in heavy cover and rough terrain...something about the tone...I would not part with that bell and I run it in tandem with an Astro on ruffed grouse.
The other two bells...just ok, nothing special.
That particular bell is not as loud as a big FT clangers which, imo, are not the best for dog's ears long-term.
I expect many would differ.
It is difficult to know how a bell will work for you w/o it being used in the cover you hunt...with your ears.
And, of course, the day matters as well in bell success.
The search can seem frustrating but a good bell is a treasure.

[Ranger351]

I too am curious since I see swiss bells for under 10 bucks so just curious what makes a more bell worthy of more money

[displaced_texan]

I too am curious since I see swiss bells for under 10 bucks so just curious what makes a more bell worthy of more money

Subjective. I've got a knife that was right under $500, another that was right under $300.

They don't really do things other knives don't. They just look nice, cut well, and hold an edge. What makes them "worth" it to me is the fact that I enjoy them.

Buddy of mine gives me grief over the money I have in knives when his current $12 knife works almost as well. He has a collection of damascus guns. His dove gun was just over $4k. I shoot a Stoeger...

[prairiefirepointers]

I carry the Mendota Leather Snap bell, the SportDOG Copper Plated Bell, & the SportDOG Nickel Plated Turkey Bell.

I have not used any of them, however.

[Grange]

With the bells I've heard the brass bell's sound carry farther in the woods than the nickel bells, at least to my ears.

[JoeFriday]

here's where you can listen to them.. http://www.gundogsonline.com/dog-bells/

I ended up buying a few of these 'acorn bells', but I haven't used them yet.

http://www.bellsonline.net/bl042.aspx

they have a very distinct jingle and look like they'll last forever. The only drawback I see is that they don't look like they'll attach to a collar very easily. But they're small and shaped in a way that look like they won't bother the dog.

[Dave Quindt]

I too am curious since I see swiss bells for under 10 bucks so just curious what makes a more bell worthy of more money

Depends on what you want. A properly constructed bell is actually a musical instrument that produces sound at a specific pitch (aka note). A poorly built bell is a noise maker.

There are "swiss style bells" for under $10, but properly made swiss bells will cost double. The reasons for the difference would probably bore you, but the real world difference is how well the sound produced by those bells carries. While the volume of the sound a real bell produces is the same as a similarly sized cheap bell, the clarity is very different, and clarity is as important as volume. In fact, the clearer the tone the less volume is needed.

In dealing with cover dogs, I value a quality bell more than a beeper or tracker or Garmin as a good bell gives you immediate feedback. With a good bell, I can tell how fast the dog is moving, whether or not they quartering towards or away. I can tell if they take a step when a bird pops, or if they break at the flush, much faster than via beeper or Garmin.

The difference between the cheaper made bells and the quality made bells is not how they sound in your garage, or in the woods when the dog is 10 yards down the trail, but when the dog is at the edge of bell range, with a 15mph wind blowing towards him and leaves coming off the trees. Those are the days when a quality bell pays for itself.

JMO,
Dave

[chiendog]

Just saw this thread, sorry for the late reply.

The best bells I have ever come across, bar none, are from France. They are made by a family run company called Daban that has been making bells for everything from cows to sheep to hunting dogs for several generations. They have a great website and a really interesting video of how their bells are made. You can even get a custom design put on them.

Here is the link to their site (in english) http://www.daban.fr/produits_sonnailles ... ts_eng.php

And here is a video of how they make bells http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3emlt ... from=embed