I like the way you operate Ken!
I am no bear expert by any means so correct me if my assumptions are wrong. Given a bunch of bears, only a few ever want to be "top" bear. The ones that want to be top bear show it at the end of their lives by having more scars than the usual of the same ages.
I have a friend that studies wolves and the alphas are alpha because they have to be, not because they are necessarily biggest even though that helps a lot. They just are not going to settle for anything but the top position.
Joshua