Black bears hibernate deeply during the cold winter months, seeking out a warm and secluded cave as a refuge to protect themselves from the biting winds and heavy snow.

During this long winter, black bears experience a significant slowdown in metabolism, a slower heart rate, and deeper, slower breathing to conserve energy. They no longer forage for food but rely on the fat reserves they accumulated during the fall to sustain their lives.

Occasionally, they will wake up, adjust their sleeping position, or engage in brief awakening activities, such as drinking water or excreting, but they will soon fall back into a deep sleep.

This deep state of hibernation not only helps black bears survive the food-scarce winter, but also allows them to greet the new life cycle with more energy and spirit when spring arrives.

Therefore, finding a black bear's den in the dead of winter is undoubtedly a very difficult task.

Because the snow layer is so deep, it covers the original traces of the earth, making any signs of life difficult to detect.

"Yinsheng, how do we find large prey such as musk oxen, moose, and black bears?" Bai Jingting asked Li Yinsheng softly as they walked side by side, his eyes revealing a mixture of confusion and anticipation.

Their breaths turned into wisps of white mist in the cold wind, quickly dissipating into the frigid air.

Li Yinsheng stopped and glanced around at the snow-covered forest. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "It is indeed difficult to find them in this season."

Even if moose and musk oxen come out to look for food, such heavy snow will quickly cover their tracks.

As for black bears, they are actually easier to find since they are currently hibernating.

When choosing a hibernation den, black bears tend to choose places that offer protection from the cold, warmth, and relative seclusion.

Therefore, looking for sheltered, sunny hillsides or rock crevices with dense vegetation can greatly increase the chances of finding black bear dens.

In addition, black bears snore quite loudly during hibernation. In the quiet of winter, these sounds might be detected by keen ears and become one of the clues to finding a black bear's den.

Recalling some of the habits of black bears, Li Yinsheng developed a clearer plan for finding them.

"However, we must be extra careful, because although black bears are in hibernation, their instinctive defense mechanisms are still in place. If threatened, they may wake up quickly and show strong aggression."

Therefore, when we find a black bear or approach any place that appears to be a black bear's den, we must remain extremely vigilant and cautious," Li Yinsheng added at the end.

Bai Jingting nodded, his eyes sparkling with excitement and awe for the unknown challenges ahead.

“Understood, Yinsheng. I will be careful. But if we do find the black bear’s den, what do we plan to do? Just observe and record it, or do we have other plans?” Bai Jingting felt that being with the chubby girl not only made him feel comfortable, but also safe.

This allowed Bai Jingting to cherish the time he could spend alone with the chubby girl.

"When the time comes, we'll gather the strength of all six of us and take down the black bear."

The two resumed their search, the snow crunching beneath their feet in stark contrast to the surrounding silence. Following the directions Li Yinsheng had indicated, they meticulously searched every inch of land that might conceal a black bear's den. Time seemed to slow down at that moment, each breath filled with anticipation for the unknown.

After searching for an hour, we found nothing.

"I think that the black bear's den might be hidden on the hillside where you hunted the musk ox last time, Yinsheng."

The hillside is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun, and has lush vegetation, making it an ideal habitat for black bears.

"So, we can go and look around that hillside." After searching for a long time without finding any trace of the black bear, Bai Jingting thought of this and said.

Upon hearing this, Li Yinsheng's eyes flashed with a thoughtful light, then she nodded in agreement: "Xiaobai, you're right, that kind of environment is indeed suitable for black bears to live in. Let's go to that hillside and explore it."

The two adjusted their direction and set off towards the hillside with more determined steps.

As they drew closer, the surrounding natural environment seemed to subtly change; the vegetation became denser, and the distance between the trees narrowed.

Li Yinsheng and Bai Jing's footsteps echoed in the quiet forest as they carefully moved through the bushes, afraid of disturbing any living creatures.

Bai Jing held a sharpened spear as a makeshift self-defense tool, while Li Yinsheng carried a bow and arrows on her back, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings, ready to deal with any potential dangers at any time.

Just then, a deep and powerful breathing sound could be faintly heard, which seemed to be snoring.

Li Yinsheng immediately drew back the bowstring, aiming the arrow at the direction from which the sound came, while Bai Jing gripped the wooden stick tightly, standing nervously beside him, ready to provide support at any moment.

Bai Jingting's heart couldn't help but race; he could feel an unprecedented mix of tension and excitement.

They approached slowly, their heartbeats pounding in their ears, almost drowning out all other sounds.

Li Yinsheng and Bai Jing exchanged a glance, both seeing tension and excitement in each other's eyes.

They knew they were about to find what they were looking for.

“Look, there!” Li Yinsheng suddenly lowered her voice.

Bai Jingting looked in the direction she was pointing and saw a hidden den from which came snoring sounds, a faint warmth emanating from it, accompanied by soft snores. This was undoubtedly a black bear's den.

The two held their breath instantly, not daring to even breathe loudly, for fear that the slightest sound would disturb the sleeping overlord of the forest.

Li Yinsheng gently lowered her bow and arrow, signaling Bai Jing to also lower his spear. They had to approach more cautiously to avoid alerting the black bear.

They slowly circled around to the other side of the nest, using trees and bushes as cover, and approached step by step.

Li Yinsheng's eyes were sharp as he stared intently at the entrance to the den, trying to observe the situation inside without disturbing the black bear.

Bai Jing pressed close to her back, his spear poised to respond to any unforeseen circumstances, even though he knew that at such a distance, any attack could be fatal.

As they got closer, they were finally able to see the inside of the nest clearly.

A large black bear is curled up in the center of its den, its breathing even and deep, clearly in a deep sleep.

The black bear's fur is glossy and shiny, gleaming in the dim light, making it appear both majestic and mysterious.

Li Yinsheng and Bai Jing exchanged a glance, both seeing complex emotions in each other's eyes.