Overview

• Organizers announced that Bear 32 “Chunk” defeated 856 in the final, 96,350 to 63,725, earning his first title after multiple runner-up finishes.
• The weeklong bracket drew more than 1.5 million votes, the most on record, as fans followed 12 bears on live webcams.
• Rangers say Chunk arrived in June with a permanent broken jaw yet adapted to catch and eat salmon, with his weight estimated at about 1,200 pounds.
• Park staff estimated roughly 200,000 salmon ran up the Brooks River this season, a bounty that reduced competition for fishing spots.
• In the semifinals, 856 eliminated two-time champion 128 Grazer before falling to Chunk in the Sept. 30 final.