Annual bear-binging webcast underway 

Fans missing the usual packed lineup of live sports in the fall can tune into webcams from Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve for some serious brown bear fishing action. Bear activity is picking up in the Brooks River as the animals start bulking up for their winter hibernation.

What’s new this year? Bear 856 has had a reputation as the alpha bear for a while, constantly controlling the best spots to catch the sockeye salmon that swim up the river to lay their eggs. But he’s getting older—almost 20—and slower. A challenger could appear this year. The action culminates in October with Fat Bear Week, when viewers vote on the biggest, most beautiful bear. Last year, bear 435, aka “Holly,” took the prize.

Dig deeper: Tune in for this year’s bear-watching season.