What happens inside a winter bear den?

By Heidi Holtan

Published April 2, 2026 at 2:05 PM CDT

A black bear and cubs sleep inside a den near the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.

Black bears emerge from hibernation in the spring across MN. Andy Tri, DNR bear project leader, shares what's happening inside bear dens and how to be "bear wise" this season.

Ever wonder what keeps a winter bear cozy during the deep cold, or how deeply they sleep?

I remember Yogi Bear (and Boo Boo, too) having a big old slumber party in the wintertime, in pajamas in a human bed. Because cartoons are probably not the most reliable source of information, we decided to call in a guy in the know on the KAXE Morning Show.

We welcomed in the very patient Andy Tri, bear project leader from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Forest Wildlife Populations and Research Group. He was willing to answer all our questions about bears in their state of winter torpor.

"They'll take long naps. Their heart rate drops. It'll actually stop for like almost 30 seconds at a time," Tri said.

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"In between, they take breaths and then it'll speed up to about 60 to 90 (beats per minute) and then it'll stop again when they finish their respiration."

Tri says in between the napping during hibernation, bears have a job to do.

"They give birth. They tend to the cubs. They have to keep them clean and not stinky. So they're cleaning up, when they pee and poop after the cubs are born. Bears are fully aware."

Tri also explained how he starts to see the bears in March, after giving birth in January to the "little peach fuzz-covered cubs with their eyes closed." Tri said these infant bears are about the size of a pop can, at just half a pound.

As the bears emerge, their main objective during 20 hours of the day is looking for a 20,000 daily calorie load.

The DNR says bears are curious and will follow their powerful noses to just about anything with an odor, looking for food.

Check out BearWise to learn what attracts bears and how you can keep bears away from your home and property, and stay safe.

They recommend people:

Never feed or approach bears
Secure food, garbage and recycling
Remove bird feeders when bears are active
Never leave pet food outside
Clean and store grills and smokers
Alert neighbors to bear activity

Click the play button above to hear our full conversation about bears, including how Tri visits the collared bears during hibernation, Superman style, to collect data.

Funding for this environmental story was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).