Bears den in a variety of places.  If you suspect something is a den, look for a bed of leaves, although not all bears make beds if they den after snow has fallen.  To be sure a bear used a leafy bed, look for a depression 2-4 feet in diameter.  Dampen your hand on the forest floor and rub it around on the leaves to see if any dark hair sticks to it.

Black bears are extremely adaptable and show a great variation in habitat types, though they are primarily found in forested areas