Winter hits Ashes of the Damned hard, and the Bear Tracks side quest sits in that cold zone. The hunt starts on the road between Ashwood and the diner. Look for glowing bear footprints on the ground. The footprints glow and point a clear path. Follow them one set at a time and interact with each set when you see it. The game will change the mood as you go. The change tells you that the event is moving forward. If you want quiet practice, try these steps in a CoD BO7 Bot Lobby to learn the route without the pressure of public matches.

The track path ends with a trigger that pulls you into a new area. The game moves you to a small forest arena for the fight. The enemy here is the Zersa Bear, a big mini boss that moves fast and hits hard. Use cover and dodge its swings. Keep your aim steady and use weapons that do steady damage. Save ammo for the big hits and use melee only when it is safe. If a teammate can keep zombies off you, that will make the fight much easier.

The Zersa Bear has clear tells before it attacks. Watch the bear’s head and shoulders. When the bear winds up, step back and circle to its side. When the bear stomps, move out of range and fire in short bursts. Use the environment to slow the bear down. Put traps or moving objects between you and the bear when you can. After the fight, search the area for pickups. The map often drops useful items near the arena. You can sometimes find strong weapons like a Ray Gun in the nearby spots, so do not skip the loot sweep.

There is a special condition tied to the bigger Easter egg progress. If you beat the Zersa Bear with Old Tessie’s beam attack and only after round 16, the game may give you a “mysterious limb.” That limb is used in later steps of the main Easter egg. The order and timing matter, so plan your run. If you do not have Old Tessie ready or you are below round 16, save this fight for a later run. Many players find it easiest to rehearse the timing and the fight in a buy BO7 Bot Lobby before trying it in a full game.

After you get the limb or the other rewards, keep moving through the map and check the nearby side areas again. The items you find here can change how you handle later fights and puzzles. Bring teammates who can revive and cover you if the map gets crowded. If one run fails, note what went wrong and try the steps again with small changes. Repeating the same plan in calm conditions helps you learn the bear’s patterns and the exact spots where the loot appears.

This encounter sits between quick side content and the big story steps, so treat it as both a test and a resource. The glowing tracks make the path easy to spot, the forest fight tests your timing, and the rare drop can open more main-quest options. Play steadily, keep your moves simple, and use the map space to your advantage.