Its fall and the salmon are going upstream to spawn and the ever hungry bears are waiting for them.
Most places to watch the bears feast on salmon are hard to get to or disruptive to the bears.
Many ethical photographers do not easily disclose the sites of their wildlife spotting for fear of mobs disrupting yet another place in nature.
This is what makes the Quinsam River Hatchery different. It is a publicly owned and operated, it has protective barriers and lots of opportunity to see this seasonal spectacle.
Being a fish hatchery, it is possible to view the egg and milt collection in preparation for producing next year’s salmon fry.
A couple of photo hints.
Stay behind the protective fence.
Bright sunny mornings are not your friend.They make for very high contrast conditions. Not good for the almost black coloured bears. Better wait for an overcast moment.
Bears do not play well with each other. Even with more than enough fish, bears like to a space around them.
And don’t forget to shoot some video.