SeeMoreHD presents "Summer of Bears" for Apple TV

Late in the chum salmon run, the McNeil River Falls remains the domain of large bears - each with its own fishing style. As the largest bears move to other river systems, the area will become safer for mothers and cubs. This is the last in a series of daily video feeds from McNeil River using our robotic HD camera system. If the bears stay focused on salmon and not our cameras, we plan to release several new programs- at random times - before the end of August. Stay tuned!

After a day of sunshine, the bears arrive to a cloud-covered river. The sun is gone, but chum salmon are still here. The end of July is near, and we near the end of our remote HD project.

Augustine volcano sits in Cook Inlet across from the mouth of McNeil River as the sky changes from red to orange. A few bears have an early start fishing but the dramatic sky dominates the scene.

A rainy overcast week at McNeil River was accented by the arrival of more salmon. The fishing was good and the interactions between bears intense at times but also playful. This highlight program is a collection of the best images of the week. All of these shows are shot using a new remote HD robotic camera operated from over 100 miles away. Thanks again to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Pratt Museum, and the National Park Service.

Overcast skies do not bring rain tonight to McNeil River but the salmon come in large numbers. In the first five minutes of filming over 15 fish are caught by bears all over the river.

A light rain falls this evening at McNeil River and a pulse of chum salmon moves upriver. Bears up and down river are able to catch fish and eat well. Some minor altercations begin but are quickly over, with fish in the river there is no time for fighting.

An overcast morning finds fifteen bears and a few birds at McNeil River. Some of the larger bears in the prime fishing holes are able to catch fish while the others must wait for a new pulse of salmon.

Wind and rain rush down the McNeil River this morning. We see a handful of bears, and only a sporatic fish is caught. For many bears this is a good time for sleeping. For others, it's time to play.

By evening, the McNeil River Falls has more than 30 bears. The chum salmon run is near its peak, and bears with all styles of fishing are catching fish. This program is shot in 24p for viewing on AppleTV at HD resolution.

With more than forty bears at the McNeil River Falls, catching a salmon is only half the challenge. One of our favorite bears, Jordon, has a bit of trouble keeping his catch during this evening of bears.

Chum salmon arrived in ernest this week, and many new bears have been fishing. For this highlight program we offer the best images of the week - all shot using the robotic camera system. It's a ten-minute HD program that includes notes on the filming process. Sunday we'll prepare a new show. Thanks to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Pratt Museum, and the National Park Service.

Many salmon have entered the McNeil River. They must run a gauntlet of more than 40 brown bears to get upstream. It's an amazing evening.

Below the McNeil River Falls, a group of large males have gathered to catch salmon on their way upstream. These are some of the larger bears at the river, some weighing more than 500 lbs. Many fish are caught today by the biggest, and there are plenty of scraps for gulls and eagles. For the camera crew that's more than 100 miles away, we enjoy a remote system that is working flawlessly.

More fish arrive and bears are feasting on salmon and salmon eggs. It's another cloudy and moody morning, but a very good day for bears looking for sustenance. The remote camera link is repaired (at midnight) after a curious bear bit through a power wire.

It's a slow fish day at the McNeil River falls. Many bears are waiting for salmon, but with little success. A grey and cold day that's perfect for watching bears with a cup of coffee or tea.