The spawning run of Kokanee salmon is rather small this year, as it often is every third year. Yet, if one watches with patience, one occasionally sees a foraging bear catch a fish.
A black bear hunts in the creek.
Unlike some times, this bear had its back turned when it dragged its fish from the stream.
It then carried the Kokanee off into the woods to eat.
Even though the light was low, sometimes a good shot of eating emerged.
And today, another good view of a captured Kokanee was obtained.
Do they just eat the heads, or do they eat the whole fish?
Sarah, bears will (more or less) eat everything. The fourth picture shows the bear eating the rest of the body. Mind you, your question is perceptive as some birds such as a male osprey will first eat the tasty and nutritious head of a fish, before taking the rest to their chicks.
In Alaska, the bears fishing the streams during some salmon runs have such abundance that they will just spit males back out (usually much the worse for wear!). They focus on finding females and then rip out their roe sac and leave the rest.