Food gathering becomes more difficult so the bears begin looking for dens.
The peak time for bears going into their winter sleep in northeastern Minnesota is between Sept. 24 and Oct. 24. They pull in pine needles and other leaves for a bed in a winter den that is usually dug under an overturned tree but may also be a sheltered cave in a rock outcrop, a hollow tree or stump, a dense thicket or stand of small evergreens. Generally the bear is somewhat exposed and later becomes partly covered with snow, but its breath melts a hole in the snow so a bear den can be located. Being omnivores, black bears eat both plant and animal food. They feed on grasses, berries and other fruits, buds or leaves, honey, mice, squirrels, insects and their larvae and dead animals.