Hello, /out/doorsmen. A couple buddies and I are taking a 4-day/3-night backpacking trip in black bear country. We will be fishing every day and eating what we don't catch and release. Of course, we will also be bringing food (mostly Mountain House and dehydrated homemade meals). I'd rather not spend money on a bear canister, so I plan to just hang my food bag 100+ yards downwind from camp with a "bear bell" attached to the line.

Any suggestions or tips that could prevent us from encountering hungry bears would be much appreciated.