A young upstart with a one-of-a-kind fishing spot and room to grow.

Bucky came to test boundaries. First identified as an independent 2.5-year-old in 2019, he found that productive spots at Brooks Falls are often limited for young bears, so he discovered his own: the edge of the deepest plunge pool, nearly under the cascade itself. From there he can catch salmon welling up from below, jumping through the air, and falling from above. No other bear, currently or in the recent past, has tried to fish there consistently. Look for the line of darker fur near his eyes.

Plenty of food lets bears grow fast, and Bucky has grown a lot in the last few years. A change in attitude came with it. Bucky is able, and often willing, to displace most other bears from preferred fishing spots, and he's shown a tendency to challenge bears for dominance even when no spot is in dispute. The scary part for his rivals: male brown bears in Katmai usually peak at about 12 to 20 years old, and Bucky is estimated to be only 9. How far will his opportunities take him?