Gleaned from more than a decade leading the world’s greatest grizzly adventures in Alaska, this guide to the bears’ behavioral highlights throughout the viewing season will give you an idea of what you can expect and when. Keep in mind that brown bears are wild, and we can’t control their location or movements, but their behavior does exhibit typical patterns, and any encounter with the Katmai coast’s majestic giants makes the journey memorable.

In June, the world’s largest coastal grizzlies converge to socialize, mate and feast from the sea. Long, warm days supercharge the rich marine habitat, with seawater flooding into glacial river valleys to create intertidal meadows where bears congregate. These are some of the world’s most active brown bear mating grounds, with the season peaking in mid-to-late June. Play among sows, cubs and sub-adults is at its most rambunctious.

July is a month of transition. The bears continue grazing, while some sows come into estrus, offering potential opportunities to witness complex and fascinating mating rituals. While salmon runs are unpredictable, the fish often begin congregating at river mouths by late July. As mating season winds down, many large nomadic males disperse while females and their cubs loll in the rich habitat. July encounters typically include intimate time watching infants nurse and families play and graze on sweet wildflower meadows.

For coastal grizzlies, August is spent gorging on plentiful pink salmon. At Geographic Harbor and Kinak Bay, bears converge at shallow tidal estuaries to feast on fat-rich salmon. Huge, solitary males, and females with as many as three cubs, prowl the banks and plunge into cold streams, poised to pounce on unsuspecting fish.

September brings dramatic change, an optimal time for photographers hoping to capture images of fishing bears exhibiting their most fierce physical appearance in beautiful seasonal light. There is some berry grazing, but mostly the bears are fishing. By now they are largely satiated and healthy, with thick coats ready for winter. Fall foliage is red, orange and gold, and rain is more frequent.