Yep it is called worrying livestock, and including domestic dogs.cats etc. chasing livestock Boom legal

I recently heard about a "bear banger" as a bear deterent. Does anyone know how effective/suitable they are? I would think bear spray in a holster would provide a faster reaction by the wearer.

The ones I've seen are just a mini firework, fired from the sort of pen launcher that also fires mini flares.

It's a scare tool. Does it work? Depends on the bear I guess. Blackies don't like loud, surprising noises. I guess you could pop one off just to alert bears that there were humans in the area, scaring off all other wildlife as well. Depends on the situation.

At close range, I would prefer bear spray at minimum.

I know what they are but I've never tried one. In videos they don't seem to be super quick and easy to deploy. Presumably they must work in at least some cases or they would've fallen out of favor by now. I'll probably never try them and I've never seen them in any local store.

My stomping grounds has some of the highest concentration of grizzly bears per square mile in the CONUS. Bear spray is the standard go-to for most hikers while most hunters here carry spray and a gun. I too go for bear spray and a sidearm in a chest holster.